Saturday, Jul 19, 2025 at 3:00pm
This summer, Cactus Pear Music Festival celebrates its 29th season with a title that says it all: 29 and Counting. It’s 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 are FREE but we do request that all those attending REGISTER their attendance
Schedule:
July 19, 2025
3 PM: Count Me In
UIW | Diane Bennack Hall, 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
