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X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Austin Civic Orchestra
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260425T100000
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DTSTAMP:20260506T035315
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LAST-MODIFIED:20251031T215350Z
UID:4784-1777111200-1777116600@austincivicorchestra.org
SUMMARY:Music Memory
DESCRIPTION:Dr. W.P. Sterneman III\, Interim Music Director \nThe Austin Civic Orchestra serves as the performing group for the final event of Music Memory. Collaborating with the Austin ISD Fine Arts department\, teams of elementary students convene at the Austin ISD’s Performing Arts Center after they have listened to and learned about the 16 pieces featured in the contest list\, both at home and in school. Each team utilizes an iPad to capture their responses. The orchestra performs a 15-second clip from the pieces in a random sequence\, and the students are tasked with identifying both the composer and the title of the music. The enthusiasm displayed by the students is infectious\, enhancing the enjoyment of the event for everyone involved.
URL:http://austincivicorchestra.org/event/music-memory-celebration-contest/
LOCATION:Austin ISD Performing Arts Center\, 1500 Barbara Jordan Blvd\, Austin\, TX\, 78723\, United States
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260509T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260509T173000
DTSTAMP:20260506T035315
CREATED:20250730T202606Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260505T214203Z
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SUMMARY:The Extraordinary Woman
DESCRIPTION:TICKETS \nYouth are always free with discounts available for adults.\nAny adult who needs a complimentary ticket can click here. \nDr. W.P. Sterneman III\, Interim Music Director\nEbonee Thomas\, Flute (biography) \nThroughout history\, women have used intelligence\, artistry\, and resilience to shape the world around them. The Extraordinary Woman celebrates these voices through powerful orchestral storytelling\, featuring music that embodies brilliance\, strength\, and boundless imagination. \nArtwork created by Austin-area youth while listening to Scheherazade will be on display while the orchestra plays the piece. \nOverture for the End of a Century for Orchestra by Libby Larsen\nBilder vom Jahrmarkt (Scenes from a Fair) by Grete von Zieritz for Flute and Orchestra.  Ebonee Thomas\, Flute\nScheherazade\, Op 35 by Rimsky-Korsakov \nCome at 3:15 pm for a pre-concert talk.  Our Interim Music Director\, Dr. W.P. (Gus) Sterneman III will talk about Scheherazade. Location is on the second floor\, accessible from the lobby. \n\n About the Program Program Notes for The Extraordinary Woman\, May 9\, 2026 Overture for the End of a CenturyLibby Larsen (b. 1950)  Libby Larsen is one of America’s most performed living composers.  She has created a catalogue of over 500 works spanning virtually every genre from intimate vocal and chamber music to massive orchestral works and over 15 operas. Grammy award-winning and widely recorded\, including over 50 CDs of her work\, she is constantly sought after for commissions and premieres by major artists\, ensembles\, and orchestras around the world\, and has established a permanent place for her works in the concert repertory.  As a vigorous\, articulate advocate for the music and musicians of our time\, in 1973 Larsen co-founded the Minnesota Composers Forum\, now the American Composer’s Forum\, which has become an invaluable aid for composers in a transitional time for American arts.  A former holder of the Papamarkou Chair at John W. Kluge Center of the Library of Congress\, Larsen has also held residencies with the Minnesota Orchestra\, the Charlotte Symphony\, and the Colorado Symphony. (note by the composer) The Overture for the End of a Century takes its melody\, harmony and color from the tradition which has defined the orchestra in our century. At the same time the work explores some approaches to sound which have become part of our musical world in the last part of this century: the mixing board which can make a foreground elements which were once heard as background only; the computer screen\, which can make fragments as interesting as complete lines; and the synthesizer\, with its new sounds\, and emphasis on color and pulse. The overture is in ABA form. The opening presents all the elements of the work: melody; static rhythmic line; the single chord; the idea of repetition. Next\, static rhythm and the single chord are highlighted: the static rhythm is treated as a supporting line to the single chord\, which fades in and out as if someone were moving the volume slider on a mixing board smoothly up and down. In the "B" section\, all four elements of the piece are presented in fragments\, with the chord passed rapidly around the orchestra\, as if it were playing hot-potato. In the return of "A"\, there is a recapitulation of the melody and a restatement of the four elements. Finally\, the four elements combine in a decrescendo-crescendo to the end of the piece. — Libby Larsen Scenes from a FairGrete von Zieritz (1899-2001)  Grete von Zieritz was born in Vienna\, Austria on 10 March 1899\, into a noble family\, and grew up in Vienna\, Innsbruck and Graz.  She received her first piano lessons at the age of six\, and later studied at the Styrian Conservatory in Graz\, studying piano with Hugo Kroemer and composition with Roderich Mojsisovics von Mojsvar. She gave her first concert at age eight. Moving to Berlin in 1917\, she continued her studies with Martin Krause\, a student of Franz Liszt\, and Rudolf Maria Breithaupt. After the successful performance of her "Japanese Songs" in 1921\, she decided to become a composer. Von Zieritz worked as a music teacher at the Stern Conservatory\, and continued to study in Berlin from 1926 to 1931 under Franz Schreker.  She toured in Germany and abroad\, often performing her own works\, and won the Mendelssohn state prize for composition in 1928. She was also awarded a Schubert scholarship by the Columbia Phonograph Company of New York. In 1939\, she was the only woman at the International Music Festival in Frankfurt among composers from 18 nations.  The Austrian Federal President appointed her as Professor in 1958; she was the first woman composer to be so honored in Austria. In 1988\, on the occasion of her 89th birthday\, a concert was performed in her honor\, given by the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra. Grete von Zieritz wrote over 250 works for various ensembles. Bilder vom Jahrmarkt\, a composition for flute and orchestra\, was published in 1937. — Wikipedia ScheherazadeNikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (1844–1908)  Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov based his Scheherazade on the Arabic collection of fairy tales The Thousand and One Nights\, which tells of the Sultan Shahriar\, who\, deeming all women faithless after being betrayed by his most trusted wife\, has one member of his harem brought to him each evening and executed the following morning. The Sultana Scheherazade\, however\, concocts a plot whereby her life will be spared. She tells the Sultan a new story each night for a thousand and one nights\, never revealing the story’s conclusion until the following evening. The Sultan\, unable to contain his curiosity about the outcome of these enchanting tales\, delays her execution from day to day. During this long process\, the Sultan falls in love with Scheherazade and abandons his brutal plan. We may assume that they lived happily ever after. In his autobiography\, My Musical Life (1909)\, Rimsky-Korsakov wrote: “the titles for the four individual sections…were intended only as hints to direct but slightly the individual listener…. All I had desired was that the hearer\, if he liked my piece as symphonic music\, should carry away the impression that it is an oriental narrative of some numerous fairy-tale wonders and not merely four pieces played one after the other and composed on themes common to all four movements….Why then\, if that be the case\, does the suite bear the name of Scheherazade? Because this name and the title The Arabian Nights connote in everybody’s mind the East and fairy-tale wonders; besides\, certain details of the musical exposition hint at the fact that all of these are various tales of some one person (who happens to be Scheherazade) entertaining therewith her stern husband.” There are two major recurring musical motifs in the suite\, both introduced in its opening measures: those of the Sultan—low brass and woodwinds\, supported by the strings—and the seductively sinuous theme of Scheherazade\, portrayed primarily by the solo violin. The work ends not with the shipwreck\, but with a gentle solo violin epilogue: a vision of Scheherazade herself\, who had many more tales to spin. The first performance of Scheherazade was given in November 1888 in St. Petersburg.  The composer conducted. — Herbert Glass    About the Artists Dr. W.P. Sterneman III\, Interim Music DirectorDr. Gus\, as he is affectionately known\, earned his Doctorate in Opera/Musical Theatre Conducting at Arizona State University where his dissertation focused on Benjamin Britten as a conductor and musical interpretation and his Master’s degree at Butler University in Indianapolis with a double major in Instrumental Conducting and Music History. He also holds a Bachelors of Music in Music Theory from Southwestern University. Dr. Gus has been on staff with the Austin Civic Orchestra since 2014\, currently serving as their Interim Music Director\, having also previously performed with the ensemble in the horn section from 2002-2007. In addition to conducting the educational concert\, Link-Up\, and the Austin ISD Music Memory Contest\, Dr. Gus leads the annual outdoor Pops Concert in June and the Great Masked Waltz Ball for the University of Texas Ballroom Dance Society. Dr. Gus joined the staff of Abiding Love Lutheran Church in South Austin in 2021 as their Director of Worship and Arts\, overseeing all aspects of the music program\, worship planning\, and media technology. In addition to leading the Sanctuary Choir in weekly service\, Dr. Gus occasionally joins the band Mixed Blessings on guitar\, and directs the biannual Cantata Choir and Orchestra\, recently having led Handel’s Messiah and John Rutter’s Requiem. From 2018-2024\, Dr. Gus served as the Music Director for the Heart of Texas Chorus\, an acappella barbershop chorus in San Marcos\, and worked as an active clinician with the Barbershop Harmony Society. Dr. Gus has conducted a variety of ensembles from small chamber groups to full size orchestras\, and has worked with ensembles from middle school through collegiate\, amateur\, and professional organizations on three continents. He has conducted orchestras\, opera and musical theatre productions\, wind ensembles\, and choral organizations. In 2013\, he received an AriZoni Award nomination for Best Music Direction in a Non-Contract Theatre for Little Women: The Broadway Musical at Arizona State University. A strong advocate for technology in the classroom\, Dr. Gus has taught music technology courses at multiple universities\, and has been actively involved with the Association for Technology in Music Instruction (ATMI)\, where he presented a paper on OpenSource music notation software in 2010. Dr. Gus spends his free time playing tabletop games with his wife\, teaching his two children the finer points of musical theatre\, and practicing his passion for lutherie and painting miniatures. He feels Menotti is the epitome of English text setting\, but always comes home to Beethoven. He enjoys a good pun\, but loves a really bad one. And coffee. Lots of coffee.  Ebonee Thomas\, Flute Ebonee Thomas is an Assistant Professor of Flute at the Butler School of Music at the University of Texas\, the second flute and piccolo for The Dallas Opera\, and has previously served as principal flute of the Knoxville Symphony\, principal flute of the Florida Grand Opera\, and second flute of the Houston Symphony. She spends her summers as a flutist at Lakes Area Music Festival and Music in the Mountains\, and has been guest principal with symphonies and operas across the country. A passionate pedagogue\, Thomas served as a member of the board of the Greater Dallas Youth Orchestras and is on the national advisory board of the Memphis Youth Symphony Program. She is also currently the piccolo committee chair for the National Flute Association. An avid chamber musician\, Thomas has worked with the Austin Chamber Music Society and Voices of Change\, a new music ensemble in Dallas. She was a finalist for the Austin Arts Awards for her performance of Valerie Coleman’s Danza de la Mariposa. She recently made her debut performance with the ensemble NEWSRQ\, a contemporary ensemble highlighting living and underrepresented composers. She has also participated in unique projects—like serving as principal flute of the Star Wars in Concert! Orchestra during their U.S.\, Canada\, and Mexico tours. Additionally\, she was part of the Re-Collective Orchestra\, the first all-Black orchestra to perform to a sold-out crowd at the Hollywood Bowl. She has performed all over the world\, and some of her favorite venues include The Elbphilarmonie in Germany and Musiikkitalo in Finland.Thomas received her Bachelor of Music in flute performance from Southern Methodist University and her Master of Music from New England Conservatory of Music. She is a Burkart Piccolo Artist and plays on a Burkart Elite piccolo and 998 flute.    ACO Concert Roster VIOLIN ICarolyn Richards-Chacon\, ConcertmasterRaymundo Garcia\, AssistantRaymond D'AlessioLaura JacobsLynn PetroDawn SmithSol Swords VIOLIN IIDario Landazuri\, PrincipalKyle Bryson\, AssistantDeborah ByersFerris DuhonAndrew GoolsbeeEvan Nave VIOLAEugene Gott\, PrincipalBrett Osburn\, AssistantDavid KaplanMark LegerJared LomanginoDean RobertsRonda von SehrwaldPaul Zagieboylo VIOLONCELLOJarrod Tuikka\, PrincipalJohn Whitney\, AssistantBen BachmeierClaire DittlemierJacob LambertCaroline MageeNicole PajarilloApolinar RomeroCaleb Sebolt DOUBLE BASSJames Sproat\, PrincipalLouis HandyAlana LopezNoah Miller FLUTEMarcia Gillespie-Norder\, PrincipalMattie BakerBrian Teran\, Piccolo OBOEMadeline Warner\, PrincipalTrish Olives\, English Horn CLARINETYuHua Oliphint\, PrincipalLaura Gorman BASSOONAmy Crandell\, PrincipalMatthew Emanuelson HORNAlyssa Collins\, Co-PrincipalSean Holmes\, Co-PrincipalKathy NolenElliot PetersDenise Stiglich TRUMPETJose Yznaga\, PrincipalRandy HowardRick Kutcher TROMBONERoss Ganske\, PrincipalJesse NolenRobert Tung\, Bass TUBAGuytano Martorano PIANODavid Kaplan HARPLisa Lamb TIMPANIAlan Smith PERCUSSIONPaul Robertson\, PrincipalKyle GarzaJaxon JedeleJJ PereiraCollin Tracy  About the Paint to Music Program Paint to Music Program Each year\, the Austin Civic Orchestra invites area music and art teachers to participate in our annual Paint to Music program. Elementary students—ages 8 to 11—create artwork while listening to a recording of the year’s selected orchestral piece. For 2026\, students responded to the vivid storytelling and musical colors of Rimsky Korsakov’s Scheherazade.All submitted artwork is included in a slideshow that will be displayed during the live performance of Scheherazade\, allowing students and the audience to see their creations come to life alongside the music that inspired them. We extend our heartfelt thanks to the following schools and teachers for contributing their time\, creativity\, and enthusiasm to this year’s program: Austin ISDCowan Elementary: Crysta Wohleb\, Music; Mollie Deeb\, ArtWooldridge Elementary: Belicia Gonzalez\, ArtBastrop ISDEmile Elementary: Deanna Bodine\, Music; Megan Hoover\, ArtTheir dedication helps young artists discover the joy of connecting music and visual expression\, and we are grateful for their partnership in this beloved community tradition. \n\nDONate Now \nPlease consider making a donation when obtaining a ticket or by clicking the button above.  We depend on individual donations to help us continue to bring concerts like this to the Austin Community. \n\nThank you to the following business that support the Austin Civic Orchestra: \n \n \n \n \n\nThis project is supported in part by a grant from the Texas Commission on the Arts\, an award from the National Endowment for the Arts\, and an Elevate Grant of Austin Arts\, Culture\, Music and Entertainment.
URL:http://austincivicorchestra.org/event/the_extraordinary_woman/
LOCATION:The Austin Stone Northwest\, 9001 North FM 620\, Austin\, TX\, 78726\, United States
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260605T203000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260606T220000
DTSTAMP:20260506T035315
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LAST-MODIFIED:20260407T171729Z
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SUMMARY:Zilker Park Concerts - It's About Time
DESCRIPTION:FREE TICKETS \nDr. W.P. Sterneman III\, Interim Music Director\nMatthew Pavon\, Guest Conductor \nDate: June 5 and 6\nTime: 8:30 PM\nLocation: Zilker Park Hillside Theater \nEach year\, the ACO hosts a free pops concert in the park and we’re thrilled to return to the Zilker Hillside Theatre this year. Be sure to bring a blanket or low chair\, along with your children\, neighbors\, and dogs as you relax on the hillside and enjoy the performance by the musicians and friends of the Austin Civic Orchestra. \nThis year’s concert is It’s About Time.  The evening will be filled with favorites from Back to the Future\, Somewhere in Time\, Star Trek\, Doctor Who\, Groundhog Day\, Avenger’s Endgame\, Tenet\, Terminator 2: Judgement Day\, and  Quantum Leap as the Orchestra\, small ensembles and soloists take you out this time. \nAs a cherished tradition\, we conclude the concert with Sousa’s Stars and Stripes Forever\, conducted by a lucky winner drawn from the audience. This winner could be you! \n\nDONate Now \nPlease consider making a donation when obtaining a ticket or by clicking the button above.  We depend on individual donations to help us continue to bring concerts like this to the Austin Community. \n\nThis project is supported in part by a grant from the Austin Parks Foundation\, the Texas Commission on the Arts\, an award from the National Endowment for the Arts\, and an Elevate Grant of Austin Arts\, Culture\, Music and Entertainment.
URL:http://austincivicorchestra.org/event/park-2026/
LOCATION:Hillside Theatre at Zilker Park\, 2206 William Barton Drive\, Austin\, TX\, 78746\, United States
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ORGANIZER;CN="Austin Civic Orchestra":MAILTO:info@austincivicorchestra.org
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