Season 14 is set for the first downbeat. Stephanie has invited a dozen world-class musicians and created four "pear-fect" programs. The programs celebrate an "ambrosia of anniversaries," bring back San Antonio's favorite baritone Timothy Jones, premier CPMF's commissioned work by composer Timothy Kramer — his Three Pairs Suite, and culminate with a Baroque Bacchanal. See the full line-up on our Tickets/Schedule page for all the chestnuts offered.
ANNOUNCING CPMF's YAP WINNERS
and the ensemble line up for the
Young Composer Xtreme Competition Award
EIGHT young artists have won their auditions for the coveted positions as full scholarship Fellows for this summer's Young Artist Program (YAP). Click here for the winners.
ANNOUNCING CPMF's first annual
Young Composer Xtreme Competition
AWARD WINNER
San Antonio native COLIN SORGI, who is currently pursuing his graduate studies at Indiana University, Bloomington, has won CPMF's first competition for young composers.
Colin's piece, Velocity, was unanimously selected by our three composer judges in a blind judging. Velocity is scored for the Young Artist Program ensemble of eight serious young musicians who are calling their octet "Bloomin' Ocotillos." [An ocotillo is a type of cactus. Cross a cactus with an octet and you get an "Ocotillo." We thought it was very clever of our young artists to create this appropriate moniker.] This new composition will be featured by the ensemble at the festival's last San Antonio concert on Saturday, July 17.
This new award program, with a $500 cash prize for the winner, is meant to encourage young composers in the South Texas region to create chamber music works, to provide a prominent forum for the recognition of their talent, and to deepen public awareness and appreciation for new American chamber music. We can't wait to hear the performance of our first winner!
JULY 8 - 18, 2010
A NEW VENUE FOR SA CONCERTS!
COKER UNITED METHODIST CHURCH is the new venue this summer for our San Antonio concerts. With ample free parking, a wonderful intimate space for performances, and a very welcoming membership we are looking forward to presenting our concerts at Coker.
CACTUS PEAR is chamber music that cools the fevered brow of summer! LISTEN ALONG to some incredible Brahms as you read about CPMF! This is the kind of music you'll hear at a CPMF concert. You can even order digitally online the full performance from our LIVE! From the First Five 2-CD collection. Go to our CDs & More link for additional musical options!
from LIVE from the First Five; Johannes Brahms'
String Sextet No. 2 in G major, Op. 36
THE FOUNDING OF CACTUS PEAR
Cactus Pear Music Festival was founded in 1996 by Stephanie Sant'Ambrogio, former concertmaster of the San Antonio Symphony for 13 years. Stephanie's musical lineage is one of performers and pedagogues: her grandmother Isabelle Schiebler Sant'Ambrogio was a concert pianist and teacher; her grandfather Anthony Sant'Ambrogio was a violinist and violist, once a member of the St. Louis Symphony. John Sant'Ambrogio, her father, retired recently as Principal Cello with the St. Louis Symphony, and her sister Sara is the cellist in the award-winning Eroica Trio. Music is definitely in the genes!
Looking to fill the summer void of classical music in South Texas as the SA Symphony went on its 3-month hiatus and symphony musicians left for music festivals far and wide, Stephanie's brainstorm came one sultry evening on the cafe banks of the River Walk as she sipped a signature Zuni Grill cactus pear margarita. ¡Caramba!, she exclaimed, and a music festival was born … a festival with all the refreshing COOL and vibrancy of the color
of its namesake drink.
CPMF BOARD
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