Baroque at the Blanton

Austin's Blanton Museum launches concert series with historical orchestra

The Austin Baroque Orchestra will play the inaugural Sound Break concert.

A new concert series at the Blanton Museum of Art will connect Austinites with the city's choral and instrumental groups starting December 4. The cost of the concert will be free with admission.

The new program, Sound Break, may charm museum-goers who are already browsing the collection, but with hour-long concerts, it's also a strong enough reason independently to visit the museum. They'll be held on select Thursday afternoons in the Rapoport Atrium, a minimalist space with high ceilings and a reflective blue gradient that creates the illusion of being underwater.

The inaugural Sound Break concert will be played by Austin Baroque Orchestra, which is more than a regular orchestra playing baroque pieces. The group plays replica instruments modeled on those played during the 16th through 19th centuries, and uses "historically-informed performance techniques," according to its website.

The performance will tie in with the visual exhibition Spirit & Splendor: El Greco, Velázquez, and the Hispanic Baroque. Running from August 24, 2025, to February 1, 2026, the exhibition examines Spanish art during the Baroque period, which was defined by grandiose flourishes and as the Blanton describes it, "religious devotion."

In turn, the orchestral and vocal performance will focus on works from the 17th century, from a variety of countries and monarchies: the Crowns of Castile & León and Aragón, as well as the Viceroyalties of Naples, New Spain, and Peru.

After the opening performance, the upcoming lineup remains unannounced. However, music-lovers can mark off the following dates on their calendars for the next shows, which are all scheduled for 2 pm:

Thursday, December 4, 2025
Thursday, March 19, 2026
Thursday, June 18, 2026
Thursday, August 13, 2026

Tickets ($15 before discounts for seniors, kids, and students) to the Blanton Museum are available at blantonmuseum.org.

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WINTER WONDERS

Weekend holiday market elevates Austin's Asian artists

Photo by Joi Conti Photography

Illustrator Lisa Crawford of LisaLisa, who brings a touch of Filipino-American culture to her art, at a recent vendor fair.

Expect Asian flair from a variety of local artists at Asian Season ATX’s first Holiday Market on the grounds of Beerburg Brewery this Sunday, December 14. The market will feature more than 20 creators of ceramics, prints, and photography with a dash of Asian or Pacific heritage.

The holiday market, launched by Asian Season ATX, will showcase both art and food through an Asian lens. Hours are noon to 5 pm. The vendor lineup includes:

The Filipino food truck KinAugi, known for its lumpia, pancit, and meatsicles, also will be on site. A pop-up art gallery will feature the works of various artists with Asian American and Pacific Islander background: Erina Rizal, Ngan Hoang, Bart Sasam, Lauren Hua, Andy Dunlavey, Gigi White, and RJ Gaulberto.

Tayo Na Vol 2 launch party Asian vendors gathered for Tayo Na launch part, which celebrated the area's second Filipino directory.Photo by Joi Conti Photography

Painter Ngan Hoang, for instance, was born in Saigon. She uses paint and found materials to explore themes of healing, identity, and belonging. Bart Sasam uses his photography skills to create digital dioramas of Austin. And RJ Gualberto, born in the Philippines, moved to Austin in 2018 and uses both drafting and rendering skills in his art.

Artist Andy Dunlavey and baker Cedric Silan created Asian Season ATX in early 2024. Silan, who serves as executive director, says the group came together because showcasing Asian artists together drew bigger crowds.The organization is committed to being a welcoming space to artists, artisans, creators and makers.

Asian Season ATX founders Asian Season ATX celebrates Asian Heritage Month at Austin Beerworks.Photo by Joi Conti Photography

The group began with its annual AAPI Month Kickoff at Austin Beerworks, which quickly grew from a small gathering into one of the city’s larger celebrations of Asian and Pacific Islander creatives.

From there, Asian Season ATX expanded into curating art spaces for Party at the People’s House, partnering with Bolm Arts Studios for the Look Mama, We Made It gallery, contributing to the Austin Studio Tour, and supporting community projects like the Walks of Life exhibition and the Tayo Na launch, the city's Filipino directory.

Now, the organization continues hosting events year-round and highlighting participating artists on social media. Austinites who miss this event — or attend and want more — won't have to wait long for the next event. Plus, many of the vendors have connections with other markets and sell their goods online.

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