“The debut concert of Harmonium of Texas, Oct. 2 in the Lila Cockrell Theatre, brought together a nimble, disciplined symphony orchestra; three outstanding vocal soloists; a brillliant, indefatigable violin soloist; adult and children’s choruses in excellent form, capable teen instrumentalists augmenting the orchestra, and a highly skilled, dramatically astute conductor, Jeffrey Kahane, who is also an imaginative artistic director.

What more could one wish? Oh, more resonance in the theatre would have been nice, but that’s about all the negativity I can muster.”

“It definitely was an epic evening. Kahane, who conducted, kicked things off with “The Star Spangled Banner,” with many in the audience on their feet singing along. The musicians then played Gabriela Ortiz’ “Antrópolis,” a lively work inspired by her experiences in Mexico City dance clubs in her youth.”

“Harmonium, meanwhile, is presenting itself as a new chapter in the city’s musical life. Friday’s debut makes that idea audible. Carmina Burana will bring professional musicians together with singers and young performers drawn from San Antonio’s wider musical community. And perhaps that points toward where an orchestra’s identity really resides.”

“Having heard the recent performance of Gabriela Ortiz’s “Antropolis” by the newly formed Harmonium of Texas orchestra, I was anxious to know more about the dance halls and ballrooms of Mexico where rhumbas and mambos kept crowded dance floors alive with bands such as La Sonora Santanero playing music to which it is said Che Guavara would twirl.”

“Classical music fans in San Antonio have a lot to be thankful for, not least of which is a series of concerts and events from the brand-new Harmonium of Texas, headed by visionary Jeffrey Kahane, who dropped by to play piano and talk about it all.”

“Kahane had made friends in San Antonio, and they wanted him to stick around. A series of conversations ensued. When he was here for a few days in mid-September, he related the new venture’s origin story.”