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The KPAC Blog features classical music news, reviews, and analysis from South Texas and around the world.

Ballet, Holiday Music, Culture: Your Weekend Is Here!

From ballet to Mexican songs to the Symphony Pops concert, music dominates this weekend in San Antonio.

First off Friday at the Carver Cultural Arts Center, Danielle Campbell Steans says you can expect a lot from the San Antonio Youth Ballet's “Nutcracker.”

“They can expect to see magic in the Carver. Dancing snowflakes. A floating bed. ‘The Nutcracker’ battles the Mouse King,” she said. “They'll really enjoy seeing all the children — the little mice.”

And then you'll see something you wouldn't expect to see in the production.

“We have the Councilman Cruz Shaw, from District 2, and his wife performing, and it's at the Carver, so it's at the heart of their district,” Campbell Steans said.

The performance begins at 7 p.m. and admission is $20.

Esperanza Peace & Justice Concert

Then, on Saturday at the Esperanza Peace and Justice Center, AzulBarrientos is singing.

"And super excited about having the special guest, is going to be my mom. So that makes it really special,” she said. “We're going to sing songs that my father and her used to sing together, and also, we're going to try to do a traditional posada."

Her mother, Cuca de Barrientos, has been singing since her Mexico City childhood in the 1930s, making these Esperanza performances two parts music, and two parts music history.

"You can still hear a lot of the folk, the indigenous sort of sound in it.  And she was singing to me the way she remembers," Barrientos said.

The performance is at 8 p.m. and costs $7.

San Antonio Symphony’s Holiday Pops Concert

Friday through Sunday, it's “Holiday Pops” at the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts.

Former Associate Conductor AkikoFujimoto, on loan just this weekend from her new job with the Minnesota Orchestra, will be conducting the San Antonio Symphony.

"I'm so happy to be back," she said.

The performance features the Children's Chorus of San Antonio, Trinity University Handbell Ensemble, tenor Eric Schmidt, and, of course, Santa Claus.

“There's just a lot of great holiday favorites," she said.

Performances begin at 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and then at 2 p.m. Sunday.  Tickets run from $12.50 to $96.

Jack Morgan can be reached at jack@tpr.org

Jack Morgan can be reached at jack@tpr.org and on Twitter at @JackMorganii