Classically Speaking

I heart Austin BassFest, and you should too

Austin's own clear bass enthusiast DaXun Zhang
Upright bass superstar Edgar Meyer

If I ever needed to hide a body, I would probably use the case of an upright bass. And in case you're in need of one, Austin will be flooded with such cases this weekend for Austin BassFest.

Hosted by Professor DaXun Zhang at the University of Texas at Austin Butler School of Music, in partnership with the Texas Performing Arts Center, this three-day long event is a congregation of superstar bassists from around the world to Austin, including Edgar Meyer, Hal Robinson, Lawrence Hurst, Paul Ellison, Timothy Pitts and Jeff Bradetich.

For visiting bass players, the BassFest will mostly consist of various masterclasses, workshops, and recitals (full schedule here), the highlight being the solo competition, which will take place Saturday, Sept. 22nd from 1-3 p.m. and will be open to die-hard spectators.

For the average human being, BassFest has two mid-range concert highlights on the events calendar. First is the opening concert on Friday, Sept. 21 at 8 p.m., a recital of works for bass and piano by First Prize winner of the Bradetich International Double Bass Competition, Artem Chirkov. Second is the closing concert on Sunday, Sept. 23 at noon, a recital by Austin’s own DaXun Zhang.

The big show of the weekend will be The Art of Edgar Meyer, Saturday Sept. 22 at 8 p.m. in the McCullough Theater. Edgar Meyer is probably the closest that any contemporary bassist can get to being “famous,” proficient as a composer, arranger, and a performer of a variety of styles including classical, bluegrass and jazz. He’s also performed with everyone from Yo-Yo Ma to Chris Thile.

Solo bass recitals are not standard classical music repertoire. But these players are stellar and I have to admit the sound of a solo bass is oddly intriguing. If you’re looking for a traditional yet slightly offbeat thing to do this weekend, then BassFest might be just the thing for you. Especially if you need somewhere to hide a body...

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Historic Austin museum will close for more than a year for restoration

Photo courtesy of the City of Austin

The Elisabet Ney Museum will close at the end of 2024 and reopen in mid-2026.

Every building needs some maintenance here or there, and the historic Elisabet Ney Museum needs some extra-special care. Formerly the art studio and residence of its namesake, it's been standing since 1892. It'll spend 2025 in relative solitude, as it undergoes renovation for a year and a half with no visitors allowed.

The museum will close to the public December 30, 2024, and open again in the summer of 2026 if all goes according to plan, a news release from the City of Austin shares. It'll be a quiet period compared to the 21,000 people visiting from around the world each year.

According to a museum overview on the city's website, Elisabet Ney, a European portrait sculptor, bought the property and called her new studio Formosa. She worked on sculptures depicting important Texans like Stephen F. Austin and Sam Houston, and collected works of European contemporaries.

The building at 304 East 44th St. includes 3,700 square feet of museum space, which was converted by Ney's friends after her death in 1907. It retains its unique look that juxtaposes a Neo-Classical main studio from 1892 with a later addition from 1902 including a tower for her husband, Edmund, to write in. It is also on 2.5 acres of land, which has largely been restored to its natural state with native species.

A press release lists these tasks (verbatim) within the scope of the new work, referred to as the Capital Improvement Project (CIP):

Restoration of original exterior wood doors and windows
Upgrades and replacement of the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system
Replacement of the exhibit and general lighting systems
Repairs to the roof, masonry, plumbing, and interior finishes.

There will also be work to do outside of the building. Workers will replace the pedestrian bridge across Waller Creek, stabilize a 20,000-square-foot portion of the bank, and make the grounds more accessible by adding new pathways.

Funding comes from several sources, according to a release: "the 2012 Bond, Proposition 14, the Parkland Dedication Fund, the Historic Preservation Fund, Partners in Preservation through the National Trust, and contributions from the Friends of the Elisabet Ney Museum."

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