Riffs, Roams and Raves: A Weekly Column

Riffs, Roams and Raves uncovers the creative, noteworthy and accomplished in the Wimberley Valley and beyond with tips on who to hear, where to go and what to see from managing editor Teresa Kendrick.

In a much anticipated performance, the Starlight Symphony Orchestra presented two concerts last week that featured the winning artists from their Young Artists Solo Competition. On Sunday, I spied the young violinist Jeemin Oh in a sparkling black gown warming up prior to the concert in a side room of the First Baptist Church. She was rehearsing the first movement from Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto. Her mastery of the material was clear by her strong, sure fingering and intense bowing of the violin’s strings. Her connection with the music was so pronounced that I felt I was intruding and moved away to keep from breaking her concentration — as if that were possible for this talented young woman. In the next room was Brigid Dever rehearsing work 68 of the Hungarian Rhapsody on cello. The program notes explained her exceptional skill “with fluctuating slow and fast tempi,” that rose to the challenge of the gypsy-style free playing inherent in the piece. She gave me a sweet smile as I passed by, and I lingered a few moments out of sight to hear her play. It was awe-inspiring.

Because of a printed error as to the time of the concert on Sunday, I couldn’t stay to hear the full performance or the third soloist Josephine Chow perform Movement One of Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. Three. Fortunately I could get a photo of Miss Oh, under the direction of Music Director Dr. David Oertel, from the baptistry above, thanks to Pastor Dan Stephens who led me upstairs.

In her program notes, SSO President, Faith Cuminato, wrote how “rehearsing with “JoJo” Jeemin and Brigid these last few weeks has been a highlight of my year. There are moments when they are literally breathtaking. . .”

Fortunately for Wimberley, the SSO has brought classical music to the Hill Country for more than 20 years. Supported by the community, it also provides scholarships to young musicians. It, like many of our cultural assets, is a mighty achievement for a small town.

Roams: Austin for Mariachis Las Alteñas

In a 40-minute dash from Wimberley to St. David’s Episcopal Church on Eighth street in Austin, I grumbled over my inability to replicate myself for the day. The “Three Cheers to Wimberley” celebration was underway at the Oak Park Welcome Center and I wanted to be there for the merriment. Fortunately, Antarctica-bound photographer Rodney Bursiel generously agreed to jump in and chronicle the event. Another friend, Susan Rigby, texted me a few updates and told me that tours of the remodeled caboose next to the Welcome Center were underway which caused a second round of grumbling.

As churches go, St. David’s is rather plain inside, although, by earlier standards, its sanctuary must have been considered large. Beautiful stained glass windows set in pointed, gothic arches flanked the nave on both sides. One of them, with an anchor depicted in bright glass at the top, read “Maggie 1861, She hath crossed over the river.” The pews were packed with more than 250 people who wanted to see the 11-piece all-female band, Mariachi Las Alteñas perform.

During introductory remarks, the audience was advised in Spanish and English to move, dance, and make “los gritos” — the traditional exuberant shouts and yips of joy — “because we’re Episcopalians and it’s allowed.” The crowd did not have to be told twice. When the eleven young women strode into the sanctuary they were greeted by whistles, shouts and thunderous applause. Gorgeous in peacock blue cowgirl or “trajes de charro” outfits of bolero-style embroidered jackets, vests and long skirts, their outfit was enhanced by satin blouses with generous bows tied at the throat. Their long, dark ponytails were secured with floral arrangements that matched their suits, and long sparkling earrings bounced light onto their red-rouged lips.

Gorgeous, sassy and superb as singers and musicians, the troop got right down to business playing ranchera favorites and a few contemporary songs that surprised listeners, such as Chris Stapleton’s “Tennessee Whiskey.” Four violinists, three trumpeters, three guitarists, a vihuelista and a guitarrónista turned the atmosphere of the sanctuary into a raucous celebration. The vocals were shared by all the musicians performing in the role of backup singers, paired in duets or as soloists.

The audience sang along to Mexican standards. The musicians invited the crowd to sing the refrain of “El Cielito Lindo,” that literally translates to “pretty sky” but means “sweet, little one.” “Ay, yi, yi yi, Canta no llores,” we sang, “oh, oh, oh, sing, don’t cry,” bonding the crowd as one body over the course of the song. Romantic ballads and other standards rounded out the 90-minute performance and each was greeted by thunderous applause. Men and women, for whom the songs conjured sweet memories of childhoods spent south of the border, teared up as they sang along to the familiar words. It was fun and a little sentimental. I saw Sylvia Orozco, the long-time director of Mexic-Arte Museum, rising to a standing ovation, like everyone else, at the end of the show.

Raves: Outlaws at the Opera House

The full crowd that filled the Opera House last week for the Outlaws in the Opera Comedy Showcase proved that Wimberley wants to laugh — often and long. After a short introductory set by organizer Jack Schutze, the show led off with Norman Fisher who fired off jokes and one liners in a dead-pan style, not unlike the torpid-voiced Steven Wright. He joked that he passed his drug test — he knew all of them, he quipped — and inferred that his recreational drug use these days amounted to snorting beta blockers out back. He went on to lament the bad jobs he’d held, sharing that one of his worst bosses tested SOB-positive.

Next came Dean Stanfield who started his set with memories of spending time with his Wimberley grandpa, Doc Richards, and spending his formative years in Alpine and East Texas, the son of a bull rider and a mom who later married his stepdad. His hilarious riffing on East Texas, rodeo riders, and his curly mullet had the crowd roaring with laughter.

“I get women with this hair,” Stanfield told the audience. “The odds are good that they’ll fall for me, but I have to tell you, the goods are odd.” He launched into a chunk about an East Texas flavored alternate universe modeled on Harry Potter in which the young wizard becomes a race car driver called “Jerry Potter.” Hogwarts becomes a racing school in Mobile, Alabama and they defend against the liberal arts as atrocities not to be tolerated. Nancy Pelosi starred as Lord Valdemort.

It was hard to tell who was having the most fun during his remarkable set, Stanfield or the people in the audience. His storytelling was not unlike Andy Griffith’s debut comedy routine “What it Was, Was Football.” One story after another sent the audience into spasms of laughter and soon he spun out his finale, a hilarious story of drinking tequila in New Orleans. He and a friend end up hanging with two Cajun gator wrestlers who invited the two to “spin one” from their boat in the bayou. His Cajun accent was spot on, doubling the levity of his already side-splitting routine. Not a single person in the room could refuse the prowess of this gifted storyteller and people around me claimed that their cheeks hurt from laughing so hard. His was a singular performance and I heard several people predict stardom for the comic.

Following Dean was Chandra Murthy, a former tech worker and immigrant turned comic, who joked about cross-cultural misunderstandings. “Have you heard about these new gender reveal parties,” he asked. “I didn’t. I was the only one who showed up naked.”

The next comedy showcase in the Opera House is scheduled for April 25.