Need a new date night idea? Love the idea of supporting local artists? Guess what? You can do both!
Aimee Toomes Lopez, Violinist, San Antonio Symphony
“The true beauty of music is that it connects people. It carries a message, and we, the musicians, are the messengers.”
People have been supporting live music at operas, symphony orchestras, and even ballets for centuries. Kings and various royalty even used to have musicians come to their homes (or chambers) to give concerts to guests, this is where “chamber music” came from. Of course this was all before recordings. We’ve slowly gotten away from this idea, replacing such experiences with listening to music solely on our mobile devices and on the radio. A lot of major symphony orchestras have been broadening their repertoire to attract a younger audience, not always sticking to the tradition literature. The San Antonio Symphony even has a pops series every year incorporating movies that they play the corresponding soundtrack to!
“If you try to suppress the arts, then you’re suppressing the deepest dreams and aspirations of a people.”
The classical arts are usually overlooked when you here the now familiar phrase, “support local”. Most people think of small business owners, brick and mortar stores like a bookstore or ice cream shop. Even when you hear, “support local musicians”, visions of smoky bars filled with hip indie bands or rock musicians come to mind for most.
Prior to joining The San Antonio Symphony she performed with the New World Symphony in Miami Beach.
Anyone who’s ever experienced live music can attest to the mesmerizing power it holds for all its listeners. Have you ever been to a symphony concert where Tchaikovsky, Bruckner, or Mahler have been on the program? Well, if you haven’t you’re missing out.
The truth is, the pure magic of a piece of music being brought to life that was written 200 years ago is more than just a concert, it transports you to that time, expands your mind, and creates a magical experience that is hard to replicate anywhere else. You get to witness 90 musicians playing at the same time in a symbiotic ballet of mind melding. They are not only reading the notes, rhythms, and dynamics on the page but also bringing it all to life in that exact moment, live before an audience. This happens under the watchful eye of the conductor who urges them in and out of crescendos, decrescendos, fortes, pianos, bringing out soloists, all while staying true to the time period and helping to breathe life into the century old music.
The symphony incorporates creativity, academic precision, and overall trust within everyone involved. It has so many layers upon layers of things happening and it’s hypnotizing when you get to witness it happening right in front of you.
So the next time you want a night out with your significant other, friends, or family, skip the movie theater and go witness the magic of music. And support a local bar afterwards!
Support your local musicians… support The San Antonio Symphony.
“Music is the shorthand of emotion.”
Melissa is a San Antonio based Personal Brand photographer who has helped hundreds of women in business create cohesive online brands with polished photos that feel authentic to them. You’ll find her traveling to Austin, Houston, Nashville, Destin, Tampa, and Denver, photographing highly motivated women ready to elevate their website, socials, and other marketing. Visit https://melissaraelynnphotography.com/contact or send a direct email to hello@melissaraelynnphotography.com for more information!
