At the end of a tumultuous news week, if people need some relief, they should consider a cello concert 100 feet underground on Saturday night outside of Boerne.
Cellist Joseph Kuipers will perform at Cave Without a Name , a variety of pieces, including the soothing "Hallelujah."
“I didn't program that with any connection to the election. I just love that piece, and when I think of "Hallelujah," I think it's an interesting rejoicing amid a lot of kind of failure and pain,” Kuipers explained.
The cave puts on concerts in the Throne Room, its largest room. The tall ceilings and long space offer acoustics that attract both musicians and music lovers. A permanent stage and lighting transform it into a small concert venue.
“It has an interesting combination of, because it's all stone, it's very resonant and kind of bass-heavy, but then, because it's also humid, it slows down the sound so it's not too booming,” he said. “It's wonderful to play in that acoustic. ... I've been going down to the cave at least three or four years now. So it's really a unique one-of-a-kind place.”
The concert is the central experience, he added, but spending time with other people can also be comforting for those who attend.
“They usually have a fire outside. You climb down into a cave, and then you hear an hour and 10, 15 minutes of music by a cello,” Kuipers said.
Along with "Hallelujah," he'll perform several songs by an Italian composer, some Baroque pieces, something from The Last Emperor, a little bluegrass, and other compositions.
“So I think people will experience kind of just a very broad range of cultures and kind of beautiful, almost folk songs for solo cello,” Kuipers said. “And typically, between pieces, I talk a little bit to the audience, so they also get to know a little bit about the music and me."
The concert isn’t for everyone. To get down to the cave, it’s about 120 steps down, then there's a long climb back up afterwards.
The Dallas area musician studied in Switzerland and the New England Conservatory, and this is a return engagement for him at the Cave Without a Name.
Buy tickets at CaveWithoutAName.com.
