Welcome to the November issue of Cadenza! This month brings some of our most special concerts of the fall season, and I invite you to peruse this issue and mark your calendar. Two big collaborations take place in November; the first coming up later this week is our Lyric Theatre production of Massenet’s Cinderella, which features a set designed and built by Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design students. Please join us for pre- and post-performance activities which are outlined here. This is quickly followed by the UTSA Orchestra on Nov. 8th featuring guitarist Isaac Bustos, and Mariachi Los Paisanos on Nov. 11th. And on Nov. 13th, Fort Sam’s Own 323rd Army Band is coming to campus for a special Veteran’s Day celebration, where they will join our Wind Ensemble for a wonderful program! This is only a sampling of what will take place this month, and we hope to see you on campus soon.
This issue of Cadenza also features a story about On-Corps, our new beginning band for veterans in our community music program, as well as features on two of our wonderful faculty, and an announcement about our new visiting artist series, En Vivo.
Please keep an eye on these pages and our online event calendar for upcoming concert information. And share Cadenza with your friends and family outside of San Antonio; they can check out the livestreams of our performances on our School of Music Facebook page! As always, we hope that all of you will take this opportunity to follow us on social media, where we post fun features on our students, faculty, and staff, link to our livestreams, and share photos and video clips of all that is taking place in the School of Music.
Are you interested in having live music at your own event? You could hire a student group! Our Gig Service link is live on the School of Music website! And as always, we invite our alumni to submit your news and reconnect with your UTSA Music friends by sending an update to music@utsa.edu. We hope you are as excited as we are about all that is happening in the School of Music, and we look forward to seeing you soon for live music at UTSA!
Roland K. Blumberg Endowed Professor in Music and Director
The UTSA Lyric Theatre is known for its two annual opera productions held within the School of Music’s Recital Hall, having previously presented beloved works such as The Pirates of Penzance, Die Fledermaus, D ie Zauberflöte, and Faust, among other productions. This upcoming weekend on November 5 6, the Lyric Theatre will present Jules Massanet’s Cinderella to kick off their 2022 2023 season, as well as a series of activities around the production open to concert goers and students.
This particular opera is a unique collaboration between the UTSA School of Music and the Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design’s School of Architecture and Planning. Dr. Jourdan Laine Howell and Jordan D. Boyd from the School of Music have taken the reigns of the project as stage manager and conductor,
respectively. The School of Architecture and Planning’s assistant director Professor John Bagarozy has led their involvement in the project as the set’s architecture lead.
Though the partnership between the two schools is a new concept, this isn’t the first time Dr. Howell has worked with Bagarozy. During the Fall 2020 semester, the two worked together on the production of Defining Moments. The project was a groundbreaking collaboration stretching across six disciplines on campus that captured the impact of the 2020 global pandemic on students' lives. The production’s success opened the gates for further collaboration down the line, leading Howell to approach Bragarozy with the concept of Cinderella’s set design.
This newfound partnership seeks to benefit architecture students by providing them with
hands on, experiential learning opportunities in designing detailed set pieces. It also speaks to UTSA’s desire for more cross college projects.
“This collaborative design/build project gives students the opportunity to work directly with a client, simulating the collaborative environment that is found in professional practice while also giving students a chance to fully develop the design through the build process,” said John Bragarozy.
One of the challenges encountered during the process was balancing the desire to build specifically for Cinderella with Lyric Theatre’s deep need for more set pieces.
“We have a surprisingly small stock of usable set pieces and props. I knew we needed to replenish somehow, and this partnership certainly helped meet the need,” said Dr. Howell. “Using the fresh ideas of the architecture students , combined with the direction from outside professionals , like lighting d esigner Chuck Drew, we will have pieces that I can use in future productions .”
Leading up to the project’s commencement, students from the School of Architecture and Planning were brought in to listen to selections from the opera performed by Lyric Theatre vocalists during the first week of Fall classes. The opportunity allowed architecture students to understand the opera's premise and character better to form a strong connection that is often necessary to create inspired set pieces and artwork.
Tasked with creating a set that was malleable, simple to build, and easily transported, John’s students pitched six design ideas for Cinderella inspired by the initial gathering at the School of Music. Kat Norman, who plays the lead role of Cinderella, was heavily involved in the process, frequently traveling to the downtown campus to make suggestions and provide feedback when needed. She had one big request a carriage to whisk her away to the ball. Her wish was granted!
Some of the characters will be well known in the show: Cinderella, the Prince (pants role played by mezzo-soprano Johanna Kitchen), and the fairy godmother. Opposite the aforementioned trio are the two stepsisters and their mother, the mostly ridiculous but cruel Madame Haltière. As the main antagonist of the opera, finding the perfect fit who could convincingly sell a character like the wicked Madame to the audience and sing her challenging parts was quintessential. However, an untimely change in this role’s casting only three
The production allowed Bragarozy's students to gain valuable hands on experience.
Sabatina Mauro, mezzo soprano , The Dallas Opera
weeks before the scheduled performance presented a considerable obstacle.
“This role is quite difficult to sing, so we decided to hire a guest artist for the part. As often happens in the world of opera, our guest artist had to cancel, and we were in need of a singer to step into Madame Haltière’s shoes ,” said Dr. Howell on the role of the stepmother.
Enter Sabatina Mauro, a young artist and a fantastic mezzo soprano from Th e Dallas Opera. Despite the production being so close to curtains, she graciously agreed to take on the role.
“Sabatina is top shelf talent! She has a stunningly versatile voice and a magnetic stage presence. I’m thrilled our students will have the opportunity to learn from and perform with her,” said conductor Jordan D. Boyd. This will be his first time conducting the Lyric Theatre and only his third time conducting in front of a live audience at UTSA.
In the lobby, there will be a showcase of the partnership between the School of Music and Klesse College, celebrating all the set designs put forth by the architecture students. All ticket holders will also have a chance to hear from project members during a Curtain Warmer on Saturday at 6:45 pm in the Recital Hall.
The weekend’s events will also include an Artist Q&A immediately following the opera on Sunday, which is also open to all ticket holders. Perhaps the most fun of all is a call for audience members to “Celebrate the Gown” by arriving in outfits fit for a ball.
Tickets for the UTSA Lyric Theatre’s production of Jules Massanet’s Cinderella are now on sale. Visit the link http://music.utsa.edu/tickets to view seating charts for both dates. Saturday’s show is expected to begin at 7:30 p.m., while Sunday’s show is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. No additional registration is required for ticket holders to attend all pre and post concert events.
The UTSA Lyric Theatre has heard the call from the university to connect with the community in new ways, and they hope to do so by offering a few engaging experiences before and after the opera.
UTSA Lyric Theatre actors and actresses in rehearsal
On November 8th, 2022, the UTSA Orchestra will perform its second concert of the Fall 2022 semester, Sketches of Spain, featuring Dr. Isaac Bustos on guitar. Th e concert is an excellent opportunity to hear some of the most renowned works of Spanish classical music. Led by conductor Troy Peters, the flagship ensemble is geared up and ready to deliver a night that’s sure to be remembered.
The concert is structured with the music of Spain and presents a musical exploration of Spanish landscapes and cultures. The program contains works such as La boda de Luis Alonso by Giménez, "Intermezzo" from Goyescas by Granados, Capriccio Espagnol by Rimsky Korsakov, and Concierto de Aranjuez by Joaquin Rodrigo, with Dr. Bustos performing as a faculty soloist on the last piece.
“This is music that gives the orchestra lots to do it’s fun to play. And it’s also music that will take our audience on a memorable and engaging musical journey ,” said maestro Peters.
Giménez’s Intermezzo from La boda de Luis Alonso is part of a comic zarzuela, the 19th century Spanish equivalent of a Broadway musical, set in the port city of Cádiz. Granados’s Intermezzo from Goyescas is part of an opera about love and tragedy on the streets of Madrid. And Rimsky Korsakov’s Capriccio Espagnol is a colorful and engaging masterwork inspired by the culture of Spain The latter piece makes its second appearance in the orchestra’s repertoire in half a decade, having been performed previously in 2017 under the direction of professor emeritus Eugene Dowdy.
The concert was first pitched by maestro Peters and Dr. Bustos in 2019, but the 2020 global pandemic abruptly halted any further plans . Now that protocols have eased and scheduling has reached relative stability for both parties, this bold collaboration will finally come to fruition next week.
Concierto de Aranjuez was composed by Joaquin Rodrigo in 1939 and is one of the most famous pieces of Spanish classical music and Rodrigo’s best known composition. The beautiful and evocative work was inspired by the gardens of the Palacio Real de Aranjuez (the Royal Palace of Aranjuez). It has been
Isaac Bustos performing at the 2022 Southwest Guitar Symposiumdescribed by many as besieged, romantic, and exquisite. Its intricate classical composition has contributed to its status as one of the most revered concertos in classical guitar.
The first performance of the Concierto de Aranjuez was in 1939, and it has since been performed by some of the most renowned musicians of the 20th century, such as Regino Sainz de la Maza, Julian Bream, and Paco de Lucia, among others. Legendary American trumpeter Miles Davis famously included a reinterpretation of the piece’s second movement on his 1960 album, which is perhaps not so coincidentally titled Sketches of Spain.
“Although the concerto does not tell a specific story, its title refers to Aranjuez, an especially lovely city that was the home of Spanish royalty in the 17th and 18th centuries ,” said Peters.
Dr. Bustos’s love and respect for Rodrigo’s Conc ierto runs deep, as it is one of his personal favorite pieces of music. It has been his belief for some time that a successful performance of the concerto is not just about technical ability; it is also about establishing a personal connection with the music. Dr. Bustos also mentioned that Rodrigo is a favorite of his and was a focal point of his doctoral recital document.
“A very important aspect of playing any piece is finding out as much information of the piece as you can, historical and social context.” Dr. Bustos explains that he structures dynamics and markings to the mood that surrounded and inspired the piece.
Though there are various inspirations, or myths, of what exactly inspired his piece, Dr. Bustos uses the journal entries that Rodrigo wrote and dated to map his interpretation of the piece.
"I am always grateful when I am asked to perform. Playing the Rodrigo Concierto is a cherished opportunity, and I am looking forward to sharing the stage with the UTSA Orchestra this November.”
Jardines (gardens), Palacio Real de Aranjuez
The UTSA Orchestra directed by Troy Peters
By Mariah Martinez; Edited by Rolando Ramon
For many people around the world, music is a form of self care. UTSA’s new band program, On Corps, caters to this by providing a safe and supportive environment for San Antonio veterans to learn and grow as musicians . Th is free program is open to all levels of musicianship, from beginner to advanced, and gives retired US soldiers the opportunity to participate in an ensemble with their fellow veterans.
Dr. Tracy Cowden created the idea for a beginning veteran band from the New Horizons International Music Association, founded by Dr. Roy Ernst, Professor Emeritus at The Eastman School of Music. Like On Corps, NHIMA provides opportunities for musicians of all levels to connect and collaborate through music classes, workshops, and performance opportunities The program also offers scholarships and awards to distinguished musicians.
It had been one of Dr. Ernst's goals to establish a New Horizons adult musical ensemble comprised of veterans. What better place to do so than in San Antonio, with our significant veteran and active duty population? With support from NHIMA, Dr. Cowden established On-Corps within San Antonio’s military community. On Corps provides a safe and supportive environment for veterans to learn and grow as musicians.
Once the program's foundation had been laid, Dr. Cowden sought out the best qualified person to teach and lead this new ensemble of veterans. She found that person in Major Dean L. Zarmbinski, USAF (ret.). He served in the United States Air Force for 23 years , from 1984 until 2007.
Major Zarmbinski started his career as a trumpet player with the Band of the West. In 1989, he completed his Master of Music degree here at UTSA, and soon after that, he became a band officer. Over the next ten years, he had various assignments within the U.S. , eventually being assigned to the Air Force Band of the Pacific Asia, near Tokyo, Japan. After that assignment, he returned to San Antonio, where he served the rest of his career with the Band of the West. Major Zarmbinski retired from the Air Force in 2007 and spent the next nine years as a band director at Northside ISD. He currently serves on the staff at Trinity Baptist Church, assisting with Music and Worship Arts and directing the Trinity Orchestra.
“On Corps is off to an amazing start! With twenty five plus members, we have a wonderfully balanced, adult beginning band that has already made great progress , ” said Zarmbinski when asked about the program’s progress up to this point.
The band is still relatively in its infancy, having held its initial informative meeting on September 24th, 2022. Since then, the band has met every Saturday in the UTSA School of Music’s band hall for lessons and rehearsal. To supplement Zarmbinski’s leadership, UTSA’s music faculty and students are also present at these meetings to assist band members and provide musical instruction.
“We have outstanding support from several UTSA music students and faculty members, who come each Saturday to teach the various instruments we have in the group. Dalton Tran, a member of the Air Force Band of the West, has stepped in to serve as the group’s manager, and he also helps teach clarinet and saxophone. This program wouldn’t be possible without all of this assistance,” said Zarmbinski. “It’s our hope that we can prepare some holiday music to perform for friends and family following our final meeting this semester on December 10th. We’ll pick up again in January when I hope to add another group of beginners so we can keep the program growing."
Zarmbinski is grateful for having the opportunity to serve as the director of this new program and ensemble. He encourages UTSA music students to spend some time working with these veterans especially if they play a wind or percussion instrument.
“Come help us teach, or just bring your music and enthusiasm to our meetings! ”
Those looking to join On Corps are welcome to do so at any time by attending the ensemble’s weekly meetings from 9:00 11:15 a.m. in the Band Hall located within the Arts building on UTSA’s Main Campus. The program is entirely free to participate in for all retired U.S. veterans.
Dean L. Zarmbinski, Major, USAF (ret.).
On Corps during its first meeting
Paul Patinka is a music alum of the Roadrunner Graduate Class of 2019 He holds a Master of Music in Voice Performance and Pedagogy from the UTSA School of Music.
Please give us a brief description of your college experience and musical achievements.
“Before I came to UTSA, I had completed a BS in Music Education from Hartwick College and an MM in Vocal Performance from The University of Delaware. My undergraduate work at a small liberal arts school allowed me to personalize my experience, including a complete junior recital performance of Franz Schubert's Die schöne Müllerin, a second senior recital of chamber music scored for tenor voice and instruments, and a performance of Wolfgang Mozart’s Coronation Mass with the Catskill Symphony Orchestra. During my first master's, I sang in several opera ensembles with companies, including Boheme Opera NJ, Annapolis Opera, Opera Delaware, and roles and ensemble parts in the University of Delaware Opera program. ”
What made you choose UTSA for your Master’s?
“John Nix! His pedagogic experience and knowledge, renown in the pedagogy world, and numerous recommendations drew me to UTSA to study with him. ”
What fond memory can you recall from your time at UTSA Music?
“In a weird way, my favorite memory at UTSA was working LONG hours (often closing) in the library during the summer of 2018 writing my thesis. I was quite proud of the document I produced, and it has formed the groundwork for many projects I am currently working on. In a large way, the feedback offered by my recital committee (John Nix, Dr. Susan Olson, and Dr. Stacey Davis) and Dr. Jennifer Beavers taught me how to research, write, and frame arguments.”
Can you tell us about your transition from an undergraduate to a graduate student?
“This transition was a lot of fun but also challenging for me. I loved learning and school, but I can’t say that I was prepared (or even think there is a way to prepare) for the higher quality of work and singing expected from graduate students. Even when unspoken, there was the feeling that other students and faculty were looking at the graduate students to set good examples for their younger peers. This helped me step up my musical preparation and work harder than I thought I would have to to ensure I kept up. When I moved to Texas, I was pretty shell shocked my first semester. Things were, as they say, bigger in Texas, and I was not used to the traffic, new perceptions around singing, and the general feeling of living very f ar from my previous social networks. One thing that I found immense comfort in, though, was the very welcoming and engaging cohort of graduate students I studied with, who helped me feel much more at home.”
“I was quite fortunate during the pandemic to live in an area with very low infection rates, have the adjunct equivalency of full time work at two colleges, and no roommates. My biggest struggle was staying motivated without a peer group of musicians my age and the complete absence of artistic opportunities. In some
ways, it helped me refine the question of ‘what do I actually want to sing,’ but it also got my voice out of shape. As things started to open up more, I had to work extra hard to keep my practice routine up!”
resource books related to Western classical art song studies, which was presented at the National Association of Teachers of Singing national conference in Chicago this past summer. The second is a pilot study collaborating with Zipporah Peddle at Boston Conservatory, looking at diversity engagements and practices in the voice studio.”
What pre- or post-graduation advice would you give to students looking at graduate school and current graduate students?
“I think my best advice would be to say, “have a plan and keep going.” The further I move from graduation, the more I realize how much easier some aspects of my musicians’ journey are now (technique, musical preparation, aural sensibilities) and how much harder some others are (quantity of time, the juggling of many responsibilities, and occasional back aches). For me, the thing that has helped most is asking, “does this serve me well” and moving on if it doesn’t, but always trying to move forward with my pers onal goals.”
How did obtaining a Vocal Performance and Pedagogy degree help you outside the classroom?
“My degree from UTSA truly changed how I think about teaching and my interactions with collaborators and professionals in the field. Seeing, in real time, the power of carefully chosen words and specific and positive reinforcement has shaped how I interact with the world today.”
“I have two large projects I am working on right now, and then a menagerie of other “balls in the air” in the form of writing about completed research, upcoming performances, and teaching engagements. My first large project is a diversity analysis of anthologies and
It’s no secret that our own professor of music composition and theory Dr. Ethan Wickman has built a prolific resume of works that have been performed globally. In September, Wickman saw his composition Emergent (2022) premiered by the San Antonio Philharmonic in their very first concert Guest conductor Ken David Masur led the orchestra which featured multiple UTSA faculty musicians, as well as an alum violinist.
“
To me, the notion of emergence connotes an ascent despite resistance, a rising up where it is not expected, a calculus that multiplies predictability by the element of surprise. In a poetic sense, emergence describes the propensity of individual and collective human will toward transcendence despite all resistance,” said Wickman in the concert’s program notes.
“It’s hard to mark humanity’s gains amidst so much loss and so much tearing of the social fabric in our own communities and around the world. And yet, we still gather to tell stories, to sing, to dance, to witness our losses together that we might find joy in our communion. Emergence is a love song without words to our courage to continue gathering, to our primordial longing for meaning and beauty.”
Among her many accomplishments during this year, our String Area coordinator Dr. Nicole Cherry recently performed as a solo violinist with the Symphony of the Hills earlier in October. The special occasion was the symphony’s 2022 2023 season opening concert, When in Rome. Her tremendous versatility as a musician was exemplified through her skills as a violinist and as a vocalist on George Gershwin’s Suite from Porgy and Bess , arranged by Jim Balentine. The symphony also features UTSA’s Dr. Rachel Woolf as principal flutist and professor emeritus Dr. Eugene Dowdy as conductor and artistic director.
In addition to this latest performance, Dr. Cherry also put together UTSA’s String Area recital ¡Unidos! in midOctober and is looking forward to her own violin studio recital coming up next week on Thursday, November 10th, in the UTSA Recital Hall at 5:00 p.m.
CINDERELLA UTSA LYRIC THEATRE
7:30 PM | UTSA Recital Hall
CINDERELLA UTSA LYRIC THEATRE
3:00pm | UTSA Recital Hall
STUDENT SENIOR RECITAL
Evan Wadsworth, guitar
5:00 PM | UTSA Recital Hall
STUDENT GRADUATE RECITAL
Shawn Demuth, violin
7:30 PM | UTSA Recital Hall
UTSA ORCHESTRA CONCERT
featuring Isaac Bustos, guitar 7:30 PM | UTSA Recital Hall
SNBS JAZZ QUARTET
7:30 PM | UTSA Recital Hall
STUDENT SENIOR RECITAL
Jordan Rodriguez, flute
5:00 PM | UTSA Recital Hall
CHERRY STUDIO RECITAL
5:00 PM | UTSA Recital Hall
MARIACHI LOS PAISANOS
7:30 PM | UTSA Recital Hall
TRUMPET STUDIO RECITAL
5:00 PM | UTSA Recital Hall
GUITAR STUDIO RECITAL
7:30 PM | UTSA Recital Hall
COMPOSITION STUDIO RECITAL I
5:00 PM | UTSA Recital Hall
SYMPHONIC BAND CONCERT
7:30 PM | UTSA Recital Hall
STUDENT QUALIFYING RECITAL
5:00 PM | UTSA Recital Hall
WESTNEY STUDIO RECITAL
7:30 PM | UTSA Recital Hall
WIND ENSEMBLE CONCERT
7:30 PM | UTSA Recital Hall
18 19 19 20 21 21 22
STUDENT SENIOR RECITAL
Andrew Rubio, guitar 7:30 PM | UTSA Recital Hall
Madison Blanco, voice 7:30 PM | UTSA Recital Hall
GUEST RECITAL
Tammy Miller, piano 3:00 PM | UTSA Recital Hall
PERCUSSION ENSEMBLE
7:30 PM | UTSA Recital Hall
GUITAR ENSEMBLE
7:30 PM | UTSA Recital Hall
COMPOSITION STUDIO RECITAL II
5:00 PM | UTSA Recital Hall
CLARINET CHOIR
6:30 PM | UTSA Recital Hall
