Wonderful Symphonic Orchestra, South Texas Symphonic Orchestra, to Offer a Free Concert Featuring a World Premiere Performance
San Antonio welcomes this Wonderful Symphonic Orchestra!
Since the San Antonio Symphony went bankrupt in 2022, there’s been a gap to fill in terms of opportunities to enjoy magnificent symphonic experiences in the Alamo City. Thankfully, the South Texas Symphonic Orchestra (STXSO), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2017, is ready, able and thrilled to help fill that esteemed role, sharing their passion for symphonic music with San Antonio and South Texas.
“We want San Antonio to know that there is more than one major symphony still in town, and we’re here to provide an exceptional symphonic experience. We sound like a world-class symphony orchestra thanks to 76 highly-skilled musicians, and we’ve played everything from Beethoven symphonies to Broadway musicals,” says Dr. Ronnie Sanders, STXSO’s Artistic Director and a seasoned conductor who studied at Juilliard and earned a Grammy Signature Award for excellence in music education in both 2010 and 2016.
On October 15, 2023, STXSO is proud to introduce a brand new piece of music by Texas-based American Composer, Wesley S. Uchiyama-Penix. This will be a WORLD PREMIERE PERFORMANCE of his music, titled “A Traveler’s Fantasy,” along with an adventurous program, including works by Brahms, Berlioz and Aaron Copland. See full program below.
“Through this piece, I wanted to convey the hope that I held onto during the pandemic, the struggles that I held within, and the perseverance that kept me going. When given the opportunity, I hope others are willing to take the step toward their dream, even in times of uncertainty,” says composer, Uchiyama-Penix.
CONCERT DETAILS
DATE:
Sunday, Oct. 15, 2:00 pm.
WHERE:
UTSA Main Campus, Fine Arts Building Retama Auditorium Recital Hall at 1 UTSA Circle, Room 2.02.02, San Antonio, TX 78249
COST:
Free
TO RESERVE YOUR SEAT:
PROGRAM:
– Brahms – Tragic Overture
– Giménez – “La Boda de Luis Alonzo”
– Wesley Uchiyama-Penix – A Traveler’s Fantasy
*WORLD PREMIERE PERFORMANCE
– Borodin Prince Igor – Polovetsian March
– Berlioz Hungarian March – from Damnation of Faust
– Aaron Copland – Buckaroo Holiday – from Rodeo
“The main inspiration for this piece was to experience all that life has to offer, such is the life of a traveler. The world is such a vast and open wonder. So please, take the step and set off. You have the whole world ahead of you,” says Uchiyama-Penix.
ABOUT CONDUCTOR DR. RONNIE SANDERS
“It is my sincere hope this concert will bring more awareness, donors and grants to STXSO, but, more importantly, my dream is to inspire people of all ages to fall in love with symphonic music,” says Sanders.
Hailed by Diane Windler as “a conductor with authority on the podium,” Ronnie Sanders made his Carnegie Hall conducting debut in a critically acclaimed performance with the New England Philharmonic Orchestra in 2005. Sanders studied at the Juilliard School in New York City and holds a master’s degree in conducting from the University of Houston and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Boston University. Sanders served as a state commissioner for the Texas Commission on the Arts from 2011 – 2018.
Sanders was privileged to have been personally coached by Maestro Milton Katims, conductor of the Seattle Symphony Orchestra from 1954 – 1976. Katims was a conducting protégé of Italian conductor Arturo Toscanini. Not only is Sanders an established orchestral conductor, he has conducted opera, ballet, concerti, choral works and numerous musicals. His vision for the South Texas Symphonic Orchestra is to serve our local community of musicians who are highly skilled and have a passion to perform at the highest artistic levels.
MORE ABOUT STXSO
STXSO was created to unite humanity through the performance of the greatest music ever written, simply for the love of music. The Orchestra has emerged as one of San Antonio’s leading major orchestras. STXSO is dedicated to performing symphonic music of the highest caliber often to underserved and underrepresented audiences.
The orchestra is strongly committed to music education. Each year, the symphony provides educational concerts to thousands of students across the greater Bexar county area and across Texas at no cost to the schools. STXSO is a member of the League of American Orchestras and the Texas Association of Symphony Orchestras. In 2020, STXSO was designated a finalist in the American Prize Competition.
WESLEY S. UCHIYAMA-PENIX BIO
Wesley S. Uchiyama-Penix (b. 1994) is a composer, producer, audio engineer, sound designer, educator and performer in the San Antonio/Austin area.
After receiving his B.M. in Music Education and Certificate of Clarinet Performance at the University of Texas at San Antonio, Wesley decided to make composing music his main focus. Afterwards, Wesley attended Texas State University to obtain his M.M. in Music Composition where he continued to develop his music writing for the traditional and electronic/computer setting, and for various media such as dance, film, and video game. Wesley has studied under Ethan Wickman, Michael Ippolito and Richard Hall.
For more information on STXSO, visit stxso.net.
