The Cactus Pear Music Festival is turning 30 this year. Along with all the performances of the festival, by top performers from here and around the world, the festival also does something special: the Young Artists Program, a three-week, tuition-free summer residency, with mentorship & performance opportunities for some remarkable young San Antonio musicians. This years crop: violinists Hana Sinha and Ella Spivey, violist Keira Schmal, cellist Ivan Perez, clarinetist Milly Carlisle, and pianist Kate Oehlke.
For the past three weeks, they’ve been going every day, with intense study of chamber music alongside professional musicians. It all culminates in a free concert this Friday evening.
The students are — jazzed? Let’s call it “classicaled” — about the program. Violist Keira Schmal knew people who’d been in the program before, and “I’ve heard so many amazing things about how great the program is for chamber music, and a teacher recommended it to me also. It’s truly an amazing opportunity to get to play chamber music with other young musicians who are as passionate and excited about music as I am.”
Clarinetist Milly Carlisle agrees. “I’m loving it. I love all the artists I’m getting to work with. We’ve got some amazing coaches and teachers.” After three weeks of study, she says, “I’ve learned a lot about chamber music; I’ve learned a lot from my private teachers about my instrument, but also about working together with such a small group of musicians, and how to perfect something and really aim for the highest level.”
Cellist Ivan Perez relished the chance to work more closely with some of his YOSA (Youth Orchestras of San Antonio) colleagues. “In YOSA there's about 500 to 600 musicians now…. we come together every Sunday, but for this program, Cactus Pear, we come together every single day, for I think seven or eight hours, every single day with these people.” You can hear the result of it at the link above — talented and hardworking students playing live without a net, on the air — and of course hear the full concert on Friday evening.
Craig Sorgi, Education Director; Karen Stiles, Assistant Director
Free concert “Shape of Things To Come”
7pm Friday 7/17
Bennack Hall, UIW
More info and reserve FREE seats at cpmf.us
