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Harmonium of Texas founder Jeffrey Kahane conducts the orchestra during its premiere concert\u00a0at the Lila Cockrell Theatre.<\/p>\n
Blaine Young\/For the Express-News<\/p>\n
Before Harmonium of Texas<\/a> played a single note, the audience for its debut concert showered the musicians with thunderous applause and cheers.<\/p>\n The new orchestra premiered Friday night with a well-attended performance at the Lila\u00a0Cockrell Theatre downtown. Many of the musicians had played with the defunct San Antonio Symphony<\/a> and the San Antonio Philharmonic,<\/a> which was founded by symphony musicians.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Their deep roots in the community were emphasized throughout the evening. \u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI think I can speak for the rest of the musicians when I say, we\u2019ve been here, we are here, we\u2019re here for you and we\u2019re here to stay,\u201d said Joshua Bullock, acting principal oboe, after intermission.<\/p>\n Harmonium was founded by Jeffrey\u00a0Kahane,<\/a> the noted pianist and conductor who served as music director for the Philharmonic until February. He resigned about midway through his three-year commitment. He announced the formation of Harmonium three months later.<\/p>\n The Philharmonic filed a lawsuit against\u00a0Kahane and Harmonium days before the concert. It alleged that he had misled the organization about his reasons for resigning, and that he used \u201ctrade secrets\u201d to which he had access \u2014 including donor lists and an email marketing list \u2014 to assist him in starting the competing orchestra.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n MORE: San Antonio Philharmonic sues new Harmonium of Texas, founder<\/a><\/p>\n The Philharmonic, which canceled much of its 2025-26 season though it did perform a season finale in May, has not yet announced a 2026-27 season. Executive Director Roberto\u00a0Trevi\u00f1o has said they are finalizing logistics.<\/p>\n There were no direct references to the lawsuit from the stage Friday, though conversations about it could be overheard in the lobby before the doors to the theater opened and during intermission.<\/p>\n Harmonium of Texas founder Jeffrey Kahane conducts the orchestra during it debut concert at the\u00a0Lila\u00a0Cockrell Theatre.<\/p>\n Blaine Young\/For the Express-News<\/p>\n Jason Bell, Harmonium’s executive director, welcomed the audience at the start of the evening. He talked about the founding of the group, saying that the goal is to \u201cbuild a symphony for San Antonio that has local musicians and lasts way into the future.\u201d<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Bell also joked about the scope of the concert: \u201cI thought this was a Cecil B.\u00a0DeMille production. It\u2019s actually a Jeffrey\u00a0Kahane production.\u201d<\/p>\n It definitely was an epic evening.\u00a0Kahane, who conducted, kicked things off with \u201cThe Star Spangled Banner,\u201d with many in the audience on their feet singing along. The musicians then played Gabriela Ortiz’ \u201cAntr\u00f3polis,”<\/a>\u00a0a lively work inspired by her experiences in Mexico City dance clubs in her youth.<\/p>\n Guest violinist\u00a0Tessa Lark<\/a>\u00a0then joined the musicians to play the joyous \u201cSky.” Composer Michael\u00a0Torke<\/a> wrote it expressly for her, uniting the bluegrass Lark grew up with in Kentucky with the classical music on which she has built her career.\u00a0<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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