Art Beat: Agarita

Agarita

Agarita is an innovative chamber ensemble dedicated to offering a new bold and collaborative way to experience classical and contemporary music. The San Antonio-based group is composed of founder Daniel Anastasio (piano), Marisa Bushman (viola), Ignacio Gallego (cello), and Sarah Silver Manzke (violin). Agarita nourishes the local community through eclectic artistic collaborations, free educational outreach, and adventurous programming.

Spanning five seasons, Agarita’s innovative programs have included a unique outdoor pool concert featuring guest composer Nadia Botello, a custom-created sound installation interacting with the San Antonio River called “Ojo de Agua I & II,” a composition meant to be heard both above and underwater, as well as a stunning performance of J.S. Bach’s The Goldberg Variations. Additionally, Agarita has partnered with local glass-blower Gini Garcia to create a spontaneous and intricate art display and concert inspiration with the help of lighting artist Chuck Drew and visual artist Patrick McMillan.

Agarita’s Humble Hall mobile concerts help bring accessible, free performances to all ten districts of the city. These innovative open-air outdoor performances feature classical and contemporary music by a mix of outstanding composers. Along with providing a new way to experience classical music, educational outreach is also a meaningful and important part of what Agarita does. Since their start in 2018, they have provided 55 community concerts in 41 unique venues throughout the 10 San Antonio districts, 26 artistic collaborators, and have visited more than 1,800 elementary school students through their Agarita Inspires! educational outreach, all free of charge.

This fall, Agarita opens their fifth season celebrating the music of Mozart, Mendelssohn and Schumann, and scintillating Cuban work by Guido Lopez-Gavilan through a unique collaboration with the Grammy-winning Harlem Quartet on September 3rd at 7:30 p.m. at the Carver Community Cultural Center. This program is free and open to all.

As a nonprofit organization, Agarita believes that the arts should be accessible to everyone in its community. Agarita presents free public concerts, performs at local schools, and offers opportunities for other artists through its collaborations. Follow Agarita’s upcoming projects and future performances at www.agarita.org.