SAN ANTONIO — Celebrating their 5th season, Symphony Viva is returning to the stage - albeit outdoors due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
The group's performance today is called "Elements" which is described as "an intimate set of works highlighting the various sections of the orchestra, including music by Handel, Stravinsky, Richard Strauss and more."
"The title of the program refers to the elements or different instrumental sections of the orchestra: the strings, woodwinds, brass and percussion," Dr. Joseph Kneer, who became the group's conductor over the summer, said. The pieces on this concert will feature each section in turn - this helps reduce the number of players involved and allows us to explore repertoire we might not normally program/play."
Kneer said he's excited to bring live music to the San Antonio community as safely as possible during the ongoing pandemic by performing outdoors, following strict social distancing and masking guidelines and having many other precautions in place for his musicians.
There are two ways to listen to today's concert - by either attending in person at 3 p.m. at the San Antonio Botanical Garden or by buying tickets on Symphony Viva's website which will be selling a video release of the concert that people can watch online beginning on November 22.
Symphony Viva came about after a benefit concert organized by Joey Galvin and other local musicians in response to the Pulse Nightclub shooting in 2016. It's a hybrid ballet and concert orchestra comprised of local professional, semi-professional and amateur musicians who are set on bringing high-quality music to the San Antonio community. It also provides educational and performance opportunities for its musicians.
There's also a virtual Nutcracker performance. It will be the group's first all-virtual ballet collaboration with the Alamo City Dance Company (ACPAA), featuring the company’s annual production of Tchaikovsky’s time-honored masterpiece. It will be available online beginning in December, featuring a unique video performance with an excerpted storyline showcasing choreographed scenes from around the San Antonio area with accompaniment from the musicians of Symphony Viva.
Kneer said the performance will also be shared with a special audience as a token of their appreciation for their service.
"Symphony Viva and ACPAA is also giving the video version of this concert to frontline workers, local hospitals and other non-profits for free to thank them for all they are doing to keep our community strong and safe," Kneer said.