The 2025 Festival
CACTUS PEAR MUSIC FESTIVAL PRESENTED
29 and Counting
This summer, Cactus Pear Music Festival celebrated its 29th season with a title that said it all: 29 and Counting.
It was a nod to our longevity, and to the milestone just ahead—but also to the heartbeat of chamber music itself. Chamber music lives in the count: the toe-tapping energy, the shared downbeat, the exhilarating interplay of musicians perfectly in sync. Sustained by years of unforgettable performances, meaningful connections, and a community that keeps showing up, we’re not just looking back—we’re still playing, still counting, and after all this time, we haven’t missed a beat.
All concerts were FREE.
THE SIX PROGRAMS WERE:
Count On it
Program NotesFriday, July 11, 7:30 pm | Blanco Performing Arts
In a world that often feels unpredictable, some things are worth relying on: the power of great music, the chemistry of outstanding musicians, the welcoming embrace of a good concert hall. This co-presentation by Blanco Performing Arts and Cactus Pear Music Festival brings together two organizations with a shared commitment to musical excellence, thoughtful programming, and community connection. We’re delighted to join forces for an evening of chamber music you can count on—beautifully crafted, richly expressive, and deeply rewarding.
Franz Peter Schubert (1797–1828)
Piano Trio in E-flat Major, D. 929
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827)
String Quintet in C Major, Op. 29
It's The Thought That Counts
Program NotesSaturday, July 12, 3 pm | UIW, San Antonio
Sometimes a quiet gesture says the most. It’s the Thought That Counts explores the idea that intention—whether in composition, character, or artistic form—can carry deep meaning. Each piece on this program reflects a composer’s thoughtful voice: through reflection, resilience, subtlety, or wry humor. From bluesy introspection to understated elegance, from daring invention to quiet rebellion, these works invite us to listen closely—not for grandiosity, but for depth.
William Grant Still (1895–1978)
Blues from Lennox Avenue
William Grant Still (1895–1978)
Quit Dat Fool’nish
Jennifer Higdon (b. 1962)
Nocturne
Rebecca Clarke (1886–1979)
Sonata for Viola and Piano
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827)
String Quintet in C Major, Op. 29
Count Your Blessings
Program NotesSunday, July 13, 3 pm | UIW, San Antonio
Gratitude takes many forms—a quiet reflection, a burst of laughter, a song shared among friends. Count Your Blessings is a concert that invites us to notice what we carry, what we celebrate, and what we remember. Each work on this program offers its own kind of benediction: music shaped by care, lifted by joy, or anchored in deep feeling. There are no grand narratives here, only moments of generosity and grace—a chance to listen closely and come away more aware of what matters most.
William Grant Still (1895–1978)
Summerland
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791)
Piano Concerto No. 13 in C Major, K. 415
Joaquín Turina (1882–1949)
Scène andalouse, Op. 7
Franz Peter Schubert (1797–1828)
Piano Trio in E-flat Major, D. 929
Stand Up and Be Counted
Friday, July 18, 7 pm | UIW, San Antonio
CPMF’s 29th season kicks off week 2 with a powerful statement from the next generation. Stand Up and Be Counted features the outstanding young musicians of our 2025 Young Artist Program (YAP), led by Education Director Craig Sorgi. These talented San Antonio–area instrumentalists are awarded full-tuition scholarships and placed into chamber ensembles, where they rehearse under Craig’s expert guidance and receive transformative coaching from CPMF’s professional artists. This concert celebrates not only their musical growth, but also their courage to take the stage, share their artistry, and make themselves heard. Come be inspired by their passion, dedication, and the bright future they represent.
Count Me In
Program NotesSaturday, July 19, 3 pm | UIW, San Antonio
Count Me In is chamber music with a serious groove. Beethoven kicks things off with his delightfully cheeky Kakadu Variations—a slow burn that builds into a full-blown romp. From there, it’s all in: Piazzolla’s tango fire, Gabriela Lena Frank’s folkloric brilliance, and original works by Stas Venglevski that blur the lines between dance, drama, and pure joy. With the accordion in the spotlight, plus a devilish dash of John Williams and a final swirl of La Cumparsita, this concert is a rhythmic, joy-fueled celebration of musical togetherness. With so much rhythmic spark and ensemble fire, this program doesn’t wait for you to say “count me in”—it pulls you in from the very first note.
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827)
Variations in G major on “Ich bin der Schneider Kakdu,” Op. 121a
Stas Venglevski (b. 1964)
Not a Clue
Stasera
Gabriela Lena Frank (b. 1972)
Four Folk Songs
Stas Venglevski (b. 1964)
Two-Step
Hey Polka
Love and Pigeons
October Rondo
Spring Dance
John Williams (b. 1932)
Devil’s Dance from The Witches of Eastwick
Gerardo Matos Rodríguez (1897–1948)
La Cumparsita
Astor Piazzolla (1921–1992)
Verano Porteño from The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires
The Final Countdown
Program NotesSunday, July 20, 3 pm | UIW, San Antonio
As we approach the final concert of this season’s festival, The Final Countdown draws together a tapestry of musical voices—nostalgic, fiery, sacred, and celebratory. This program moves across eras and continents, opening with refined elegance and closing with the passionate pulse of popular tradition. Strings and winds, piano and bayan intertwine in a genre-crossing journey that bids farewell not with solemnity, but with soul.
Bohuslav Martinů (1890–1959)
Trio
Gabriel Fauré (1845–1924)
Piano Trio in D minor, Op. 120
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750), arr. Andrei Golsky
Gypsy Invention | Based on Two-Part Inventions
Efrem Podgaits (b. 1949)
Ave Maria, Op. 195
Angél Villoldo (1861–1919)
El Choclo
Astor Piazzolla (1921–1992)
Ave Maria
Carlos Gardel (1890–1935)
Por una cabeza
Jacob Gade (1879–1963)
Jalousie (“Tango Tzigane”)
Ukrainian Traditional
Rozpryahayte, khloptsi, koni (“Unharness the Horses, Lads”)
Week 1 Concerts
Blanco Performing Arts
FRIDAY | JULY 11, 7:30 PM
In a world that often feels unpredictable, some things are worth relying on: the power of great music, the chemistry of outstanding musicians, the welcoming embrace of a good concert hall. This co-presentation by Blanco Performing Arts and Cactus Pear Music Festival brings together two organizations with a shared commitment to musical excellence, thoughtful programming, and community connection. We’re delighted to join forces for an evening of chamber music you can count on—beautifully crafted, richly expressive, and deeply rewarding.
SPECIAL ONE NIGHT ONLY: Join us for a three-course prix fixe pre-concert dinner at Uptown Blanco Restaurant, located just downstairs from the Ballroom. Reservations are required.
This exclusive event is presented in partnership with Blanco Performing Arts. Click the orange button below to save your seat.
UIW | DIANE BENNACK HALL, SAN ANTONIO
SATURDAY | JULY 12, 3 PM
Sometimes a quiet gesture says the most. It’s the Thought That Counts explores the idea that intention—whether in composition, character, or artistic form—can carry deep meaning. Each piece on this program reflects a composer’s thoughtful voice: through reflection, resilience, subtlety, or wry humor. From bluesy introspection to understated elegance, from daring invention to quiet rebellion, these works invite us to listen closely—not for grandiosity, but for depth.
UIW | DIANE BENNACK HALL, SAN ANTONIO
SUNDAY | JULY 13, 3 PM
Gratitude takes many forms—a quiet reflection, a burst of laughter, a song shared among friends. Count Your Blessings is a concert that invites us to notice what we carry, what we celebrate, and what we remember. Each work on this program offers its own kind of benediction: music shaped by care, lifted by joy, or anchored in deep feeling. There are no grand narratives here, only moments of generosity and grace—a chance to listen closely and come away more aware of what matters most.
Week 2 Concerts
UIW | DIANE BENNACK HALL
FRIDAY | JULY 18, 7 PM
CPMF’s 29th season kicks off week 2 with a powerful statement from the next generation. Stand Up and Be Counted features the outstanding young musicians of our 2025 Young Artist Program (YAP), led by Education Director Craig Sorgi. These talented San Antonio–area instrumentalists are awarded full-tuition scholarships and placed into chamber ensembles, where they rehearse under Craig’s expert guidance and receive transformative coaching from CPMF’s professional artists. This concert celebrates not only their musical growth, but also their courage to take the stage, share their artistry, and make themselves heard. Come be inspired by their passion, dedication, and the bright future they represent.
UIW | DIANE BENNACK HALL, SAN ANTONIO
SATURDAY | JULY 19, 3 PM
Count Me In is chamber music with a serious groove. Beethoven kicks things off with his delightfully cheeky Kakadu Variations—a slow burn that builds into a full-blown romp. From there, it’s all in: Piazzolla’s tango fire, Gabriela Lena Frank’s folkloric brilliance, and original works by Stas Venglevski that blur the lines between dance, drama, and pure joy. With the accordion in the spotlight, plus a devilish dash of John Williams and a final swirl of La Cumparsita, this concert is a rhythmic, joy-fueled celebration of musical togetherness. With so much rhythmic spark and ensemble fire, this program doesn’t wait for you to say “count me in”—it pulls you in from the very first note.
UIW | DIANE BENNACK HALL, SAN ANTONIO
SUNDAY | JULY 20, 3 PM
As we approach the final concert of this season’s festival, The Final Countdown draws together a tapestry of musical voices—nostalgic, fiery, sacred, and celebratory. This program moves across eras and continents, opening with refined elegance and closing with the passionate pulse of popular tradition. Strings and winds, piano and bayan intertwine in a genre-crossing journey that bids farewell not with solemnity, but with soul.itude takes many forms—a quiet reflection, a burst of laughter, a song shared among friends. Count Your Blessings is a concert that invites us to notice what we carry, what we celebrate, and what we remember. Each work on this program offers its own kind of benediction: music shaped by care, lifted by joy, or anchored in deep feeling. There are no grand narratives here, only moments of generosity and grace—a chance to listen closely and come away more aware of what matters most.
Parking is free over the summer at UIW.
Founders garage across from Hildebrand
(where the old ATT building was) is for overflow
if the front of the concert hall becomes too full.
