Ivan Silva

Pictured promoting Jardin del Arte “Call for Artists” is Rey Vento Photography at a past Jardin del Arte event

 

 

Edinburg’s Jardin del Arte Call for Artists in April

Edinburg Arts/Cultural Activities Board (CAB), the City of Edinburg, the Dustin Michael Sekula Memorial Library and the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation are excited to announce Jardin del Arte for Friday, April 13^th, at the City of Edinburg Courtyard from 7 p.m. – 10 p.m.  The event will feature an outdoor art exhibition by a list of participating artists to later be announced, plus live music and food sold from participating Edinburg restaurants.   Javier Perez Sada will be the featured artist and “Something Solar” will be providing the musical entertainment for the evening along with several featured poets to later be announced. 

Jardin del Arte is Edinburg’s newest artistic endeavor which takes place the 2^nd Friday of the month from April – November.  Jardin del Arte is currently seeking participating artists.  If you are an artist interested in exhibiting your artwork, please visit us online at www.edinburgarts.com . There is an application process and fee in order to participate.  All artwork will be reviewed by a selection committee so we ask that artists also submit images of their work. Images may be sent to evana@edinburgedc.com . For more information on the event or how to participate, please call Evana Vleck at 956-383-7124. Performance and musical artists are also encouraged to inquire on serving as entertainment for Jardin del Arte’s monthly events. 

The mission of Edinburg’s Cultural Activities Board is to preserve, promote, develop and encourage the community’s cultural expression and enhance the quality of life in the City of Edinburg.   Edinburg’s CAB will promote a nurturing environment to advance the knowledge, discovery and engagement in visual/performing arts, creative writing, music, dance and other forms of self-expression.

Please stay tuned for further news and updates on Edinburg Arts. Become a fan on Facebook and be our friend on our community page,  www.edinburgarts.com.

 

 

For Immediate Release

Cinco de Mayo Concert to Feature Del Castillo, The Brew and The Connectors

 

BROWNSVILLE, TEXAS-MARCH 28, 2012-It will be a concert you will not want to miss as Del Castillo, The Brew and The Connectors take the stage to celebrate Cinco de Mayo at 6 p.m. Saturday, May 5 on the grounds of The Arts Center.

 

This outdoor concert is an extra addition to the Signature Series and is sponsored in part by the generosity of the Brownsville Society for the Performing Arts.

 

Wristbands for the concert are $30 and half price for children under 12 and are available for purchase in the box office of The Arts Center or online at utb.edu/artscenter

 

Fresh off their new album, “Infinitas Rapsodias,” Del Castillo began as a CD project for relatives in winter 2000 and is now an internationally-known band that blends flamenco, rock, Latin, blues and world music. Four members of the band – Mark del Castillo, Ricky del Castillo, Mike Zioli and Albert Besterio – played in the UTB and TSC university jazz bands in the 1980s. The university honored the band in 2010 with the Distinguished Alumnus award. To view a video about Del Castillo click here.

 

“We always look forward to coming back to Brownsville to play for our family and friends,” said Rick del Castillo from Berlin where they are completing a European tour. “Where else can you get world-class tamales?”

 

Between the release of their first album, “Brothers of the Castle,” back in 2001, to their 2006 release, “Brotherhood,” Del Castillo has received an astonishing 18 awards including SXSW/Austin Music “Album of the Year” Awards for “Vida” (2002) and “Brotherhood” (2006), “Band of the Year (2003),” ASCAP’S “Best Independent Group of the Year (2005),” and Austin Music Pundits “Best Live Act (2004).”

 

Based in Austin, the band is good friends with Film Director Robert Rodriguez who attended a Del Castillo concert in 2002 and a great friendship developed between the two. Rodriguez then enlisted the group to contribute music to the soundtracks of his movies and perform with him at the premieres. The group also counts Willie Nelson as a fan as well.
 
Joining Del Castillo will be Brownsville favorites and also from Austin, The Brew.  Brothers Michael, Joe and Mark Rodriguez were born and raised in Brownsville.

 

“We are looking forward to seeing our family, friends and all of our fans,” said Mark Rodriguez. “We love Brownsville and always enjoy coming home.”

 

In the 1970s, the Rodriguez brothers and their late brother Rudy formed The Brew and eventually relocated to Austin in the early 1980s. They have since become an Austin original and a perennial favorite of audiences young and old.

 

The Brew has opened for such diverse notables as the Rippingtons, George Howard, Everette Harp, Jeff Lorber, Chuchito Valdez, Hiroshima, Acoustic Alchemy, Larry Corryel and Kirk Whalum. Currently working on their fifth album, their others works include “In the Beginning,” “Rio Vista,” “Latin Brew” and “Rumba Caliente.”

 

Joining Del Castillo and The Brew will be local band and favorite, The Connectors.

 

A wristband will be needed to enter the concert area. Patrons are encouraged to bring their lawn chairs or blankets to enjoy the outdoor concert. There will be food vendors, and no outside food and drinks will be allowed on the grounds.

 

Additional sponsors are Brownsville Living and the Mexican Consulate. Sponsorships are available which will include reserve seating. For information, call (956)882-8587.

 

The Signature Series will soon unveil the third season and already announced is a performance of the Ballet Folklórico de México for Oct. 22. 

 

 

Spring Family Weekend at Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park, World Birding Center

 

Spring is a great time to get together with friends and family to enjoy the outdoors.  With this in mind, all families are invited to sharpen their outdoor skills and enjoy beautiful Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park during our Spring Family Weekend!

 

On Saturday, April 7^th, from 1pm to 4 pm, families can participate in a variety of games and activities full of outdoor fun such as Geocache, Backyard Bass, Knot Tying and much more. 

 

On Sunday, April 8^th, from 1pm to 4 pm, learn more about our native habitats and animals by joining our experienced roving Naturalists as they explore the park.  You might even see a stalking bobcat, an armadillo rooting around in the dirt or an Altamira Oriole working on a new nest. 

 

Binoculars and bicycles are available for rent at our Park Store or bring your own. You can also enjoy Free Fishing at Bentsen-RGV State Park.  No fishing license required!

 

This special event is free with paid admission.  Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park, World Birding Center is located on 2800 South Bentsen Palm Drive in Mission, TX.  For more information about this or other events at Bentsen, please call (956) 584-9156.  www.theworldbirdingcenter.com

 

http://www.utpa.edu/festiba/ (Complete Schedule)

http://www.utpa.edu/maps/pdf-archive/campusmap_9-28-11.pdf (Campus Map)  

 

Brownsville Guitar Festival and Competition

Features Student Guitarists to Perform with Grammy Winners

 

The 2012 Brownsville Guitar Ensemble Festival and Competition is scheduled forThursday, March 29 to Saturday, March 31 on the campus of The University of Texas at Brownville and Texas Southmost College.

 

The first festival was held eleven years ago with about 30 registrants and today, 300 musicians will come for the three days of activities.

 

“We began this effort so we could provide something vital for guitar students that band, orchestra and choir students regularly have in terms of motivation and reward,” said Dr. Michael Quantz, Associate Professor of Music and Festival Director. We wanted a place to give students an opportunity to show what they have accomplished musically, to learn how to improve, and to share their enthusiasm for making music.”

 

Last year 53 groups came from as far away as California and Florida to participate in the competitions, perform in master classes, learn tricks of the craft in clinics, and enjoy impressive acoustic guitar playing.

 

The festival has become a staple of the national classical guitar community, especially for high school and university programs. The divisions for the competition contain a range of age groups from elementary to university level performers. Each day of the festival is devoted to a different age group during which they compete in categories from duos to large groups numbering as many as 18 or more players. A panel of experienced music professionals awards ratings of first, second, or third place by category.

 

The daily acoustic guitar ensemble competitions are open to the public in the Arts Center Concert Hall March 29 through March 31. Master classes and clinics will be in the Arts Center and Eidman Music Building. Auditors are welcome in the master classes at no charge; however, performing slots are reserved for festival competition participants only.  

 

In addition to the student competitions, the festival brings in performances by two highly acclaimed guitar quartets: the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet and the Texas Guitar Quartet.

 

The internationally acclaimed Los Angeles Guitar Quartet will perform at 8 p.m.Saturday, March 31 in The Arts Center. Guest artist  Shingo Fujii from Japan will join the quartet in performing his concerto composed for the LAGQ. This piece requires a classical guitar orchestra, a combination that would have been extremely rare only a few years ago.  Due in large part to the partnering of LAGQ member Bill Kanengiser and Mr. Fujii, guitar orchestras are no longer the exception, especially for young performers.

 

LAGQ was a Grammy recipient for their Guitar Heroes CD and they have been recently nominated for other recordings.

 

“The LAGQ is the most diverse group on the planet in terms musical style,” Quantz said. “They bring that with them to the festival and impart their wonderful enthusiasm for music. And you can’t find a more accomplished group of technical masters. We are very lucky to bring them here, especially with the help of the university and the Brownsville Society for the Performing Arts.”

 

The Texas Guitar Quartet, rising stars on the U.S. concert scene and about to release their first CD, will perform at 8 p.m. Friday March 30. Accomplished soloists individually, the musicians blend their talents into ensemble concerts with ease.

 

The UTB-TSC Guitar Orchestra will join forces with the UTB-TSC String Orchestra to perform the first festival concert on Thursday March 29.

 

“I describe them as ‘The Plucked & Bowed Orchestra’ and it’s really an exciting combination,” Quantz said. “We did this once before with the orchestra director, Martha Placeres, for the inaugural concert in the Arts Center on campus two years ago. It was a phenomenal sound, especially for the Baroque-style music we selected. I’ve been waiting for a chance to do that again, and this was a perfect opportunity.” 

 

Individual tickets for the concerts are available at the Arts Center box office. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and seating is at 7:30 p.m. A $40 festival pass for all three concert nights will be available at the festival registration desk in The Arts Center lobby beginning March 29.

 

As a tribute to service personnel, active military and law enforcement officers will be admitted free of charge (with photo ID) for the Guitar Orchestra concert on Thursday, March 29.

  

Funding for the festival is provided by the university and the Brownsville Society for the Performing Arts.

 

For a complete schedule of events, ticket prices and other information, call 956-882-7527

 

Letty Fernandez                Director, News & Information                  Commissary Bldg, #104                80 Fort Brown                Brownsville, Texas 78520                T: 956-882-6535 | C: 956-832-3373                Letty.Fernandez@utb.edu                utb.edu