Nora Karakousoglou (DMA ’16) has won a section cello position in the Athens State Orchestra. The ASO is the oldest orchestral ensemble in Greece. Founded in the late 19th century as the Athens Conservatory Symphony Orchestra, it went through various names as well as forms of operation. Its first concert as the Athens State Orchestra was held on February 28th, 1943. Since October 2020, Loukas Karytinos is the Artistic Director of the ASO. In addition to performing in ancient theaters around the country, the ASO resides in Megaron The Athens Concert Hall.

Congratulations, Nora!

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Kaleidoscope: A Spectrum of Movement and Sound

Join the Ventana Ballet and Austin Camerata (led by artistic director Daniel Kopp, MM ’18) inside KMFA’s Draylen Mason Music Studio for their third annual collaboration.

KALEIDOSCOPE is not just a performance; it’s a vibrant celebration of the new & the now in the world of dance & music. This event embodies the spirit of modernity & accessibility in the arts, presenting a unique fusion where contemporary musical compositions meet cutting-edge dance choreography. We invite our audience to step into a world where the arts are alive, evolving, & directly engaging.

Our show strips away the traditional barriers of classical arts, making it welcoming for all. It’s designed as an encounter that transcends the ordinary—where each performance is an exploration of the endless possibilities of human expression through music & dance. KALEIDOSCOPE promises an experience where each year’s programme showcases unique, never-before-seen creations, reflecting on the diverse & dynamic nature of our community.

This year’s program features 5 new dance works by 5 local ATX choreographers: AJ Garcia-Rameau, Navaji David Nava, Meggie Belisle, Jordan Miller, & Calvin Hilpert.

This year, Ventana Ballet & Austin Camerata are excited to feature the multi-instrumental quartet, Invoke, “…versatile and musically adventurous, way more than classical…” (Capital Gazette).

KALEIDOSCOPE is an opportunity to experience the unfolding of art in real time, an invitation to indulge in an evening where each turn of the kaleidoscope reveals new patterns of artistry, meant to captivate, inspire, and transport.

Performance Schedule: 5 shows!

Thursday, May 1st – VIP OPENING NIGHT!
7:00pm ~ Pre-Show Reception, featuring colorful cocktails and small bites
7:30pm ~ VIP Opening Night Performance
8:30pm ~ VIP Champagne Toast & Artist Talk-Back on Stage

Friday May 2nd
6:00pm ~ Doors open for pre-show reception, featuring complimentary bar of colorful cocktails
6:30pm ~ Performance

Friday May 2nd
8:00pm ~ Doors open for pre-show reception, featuring complimentary bar of colorful cocktails
8:30pm ~ Performance

Saturday May 3rd
6:00pm ~ Doors open for pre-show reception, featuring complimentary bar of colorful cocktails
6:30pm ~ Performance

Saturday May 3rd – CLOSING SHOW!
8:00pm ~ Doors open for pre-show reception, featuring complimentary bar of colorful cocktails
8:30pm ~ Closing Night Performance

Tickets on sale through Eventbrite

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Francesco Mastromatteo (DMA ’12) returns to Austin for East in the West: Sounds, Minds, and Dharma. From Friday, April 18th through Sunday, May 4th, Classical Music for the World, in collaboration with the Fo Guang Shan Xiang Yun Temple, presents seven free public events across three weekends in their Spring Festival 2025.

For more information, visit classicalmusicfortheworld.org.

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Katsuaki Arakawa (MM ’25), with his Soha Quartet, won First Prize at the 2025 MTNA Chamber Music Competition. Congratulations to Katsu, Mei Liu (violin), Chloe Yofan (violin) and Thomas Gougeon (viola), as well as a big thank you to their coach, Prof. Margarita Denenburg.

For more information, visit www.mtna.org.

Last month, Nick Photinos, four-time Grammy Award winner and founding cellist of Eighth Blackbird, was in residence at the Butler School. Amongst his events were a cello master class and recital performance, in which Wesley Xinke Fu (MM ’26), William Han (MM ’26) and Selina Yilin Xu (BM ’24, MM ’26) joined Nick on stage for Pamela Z’s “Raise” for four cellos, voice samples and multi-media.

More about Nick…

This weekend, February 14-16, celebrate Valentine’s Day with Ventana Ballet and Austin Camerata (with artistic director Daniel Kopp, MM ’18) in a presentation showcasing the various forms love can take at the First Street Studio Theater. The performances features six different stories, including two new additions to the annual showcase. You’ll even see local Austin love stories unfold on stage. Organized with just three rows of seats arranged in a horseshoe shape, this intimate event is for couples, singles, and groups alike. Tickets are $30.00 for general admission, and $40.00 for a VIP option, which includes exclusive first-row seating. Arrive 30 minutes early for cocktails, including “Love Potion” wine, and jazz music. The show runs for an hour, without an intermission.

Friday | 6:30 p.m. & 8:30 p.m.
Saturday | 5:30 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.
Sunday | 3:30 p.m. & 5:30 p.m.

For more information, visit eventbrite.com

Hyugrai “Ray” Kim (DMA ’19, AD ’24) is on American Public Media’s Performance Today! Heard during the first hour of the broadcast is Ray’s performance of Mozart’s Sonata in D major, K. 381, with three of his fellow cellists in the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. The live recording was made at Symphony Hall in Atlanta on April 5, 2024.

APM’s Performance Today is America’s most popular classical music radio program and a winner of the 2014 Gabriel Award for artistic achievement. The show is broadcast on nearly 300 public radio stations across the country, and reaches approximately 1.4 million listeners each week. To find out where and when Performance Today is broadcast in your area, visit performancetoday.publicradio.org.

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This past weekend, junior Javy Chie-Wei Liu (BM ’26) won the audition for the position of Section Cellist in the Victoria Symphony Orchestra. Now in its 51st season, under the direction of music director Darryl One, the Victoria Symphony Orchestra makes its home at the Victoria Fine Arts Center in Victoria, TX, and presents a Master Series of five performances, a POPS Series, and a Family Series.

Congratulations, Javy, and Hook ’em Horns!

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This weekend, on Saturday and Sunday, December 7 and 8, from 10am to 2pm, celebrate the magic of the season with Austin Camerata at Yule in the Garden at the Zilker Botanical Garden. Bring your picnic, relax under the trees, and enjoy the soothing sounds of a live performance by the Austin Camerata String Quartet. Guests can enjoy crafts for all ages, cozy sips, and even a photobooth! It’s the perfect way to kick off the holidays with family and friends!

This event is included with general admission and is free for Conservancy members. No advance registration is necessary.

For more information, visit austincamerata.com.