News

Russian composer Nicolai Medtner had it all; he was a brilliant pianist who was a musical intellectual, and while he could have made a comfortable living playing the classics, he was devoted to his composition.

On The Piano this Sunday, three aspects of Medtner.

I first present the lyrical genius of the composer, then his love of structure and complexity with his theme and variations, and the program concludes with his grand expression of lyricism in the Ballade Concerto in e minor.

Texas Matters: State revenue numbers look good for this session of the legislature; there is even a surplus. Gov. Rick Perry suggests that the extra money be used to cut taxes, while others want to restore funding to education and health programs that took cuts in the last legislative session. Gun owners in Texas stand their ground as the federal government comes up with its next move to cut down on gun violence.

San Antonio City Attorney Michael Bernard is standing by the ban he’s placed on John Foddrill and Michael Cuellar. The two are not allowed to go to City Hall or attend city council meetings. 

Foddrill and Cuellar are two former San Antonio city employees who were both fired from their posts; both men claim they have found evidence of waste in the city government.

One of opera's most comical and telling facts was that Giuseppe Verdi was poised at the height of his middle period -- between "Rigoletto" and "La Traviata"  -- to first tackle nothing less than "King Lear," until finally deciding on "Il Trovatore" (The Troubadour).

Could any two themes be less alike?

Each week on World Music (Saturday nights from 8-10 on KSTX 89.1 FM), I take a look at celebrations happening around the world. This week in Japan, devils with glowing torches bring good health, and Italy hosts the Battle of the Oranges. Read more about these unique festivals below, and see video of past celebrations!

MOJA OKURI

On Wednesday, Congressmen Joaquín Castro and Pete Gallego made the announcement that the Air Force hopes to move its Tactical Air Control Party and the Air Officer Liaison training school to San Antonio.

Collen McGee with the 37th Training Wing at Lackland said the base currently houses the prep school for the program, which is classroom training on the history and mission of the unit.

Great popular music of America, from Broadway to Hollywood, is featured Saturday night in Kerrville.

Typically, the Symphony of the Hills plays Thursday evenings. Nine times out of ten, they are also playing standard repertory, from baroque to modern masterpieces, but for their first concert of 2013, Symphony Director Jay Dunahoo had a new idea.

"Let's just try some different kinds of music, do it early in the year, and hopefully attract some people who might not normally come to a Symphony of the Hills concert."

On Fronteras: Drug enforcement off the coast of Central America, illegal immigration missing from Gov. Rick Perry's introductory speech to the Texas legislature, refugees demanding more competent health care services, mixed-immigration families and the Affordable Care Act, immigration reform and criminal charges against undocumented workers.

A San Antonio research team has uncovered a way to cure the deadly Hepatitis C – promising shorter treatments and fewer side effects than today’s standard treatment.

Hepatitis C can be treated today with a battery of interferon interventions treatments -- which takes 48 weeks and the side effects are debilitating -- but a new treatment using a combination of drugs needs only 12 weeks to kill the virus with much fewer side effects.

The Texas legislature convened in Austin on Tuesday, and there was no mention from Gov. Rick Perry about illegal immigration legislation. 

In Jan. 2011 Perry gave the traditional opening remarks to the 82nd Texas legislature and he made it clear – he wanted a crackdown on illegal immigration.

"We must abolish sanctuary cities in Texas," Perry said to applause from the newly sworn in lawmakers.