TOSA | Of Myth and Legacy

The Orchestra San Antonio opens its 2026 season with Of Myth and Legacy at the H-E-B Performance Hall on Saturday, November 14. It's the first concert of the year, and the program runs from Latin American inspiration to Roman mythology and Tchaikovsky's monumental Fifth.

Clarice Assad kicks things off with Ode to Carmen Miranda, which gets its San Antonio premiere here. Then comes Juan Pablo Contreras' La Minerva, a Texas premiere with violinist Anna Lee taking the lead. The second half belongs to Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, whose Symphony No. 5 in E minor, Op. 64 anchors the evening. The whole season is built around the theme 'Pillars of the Arts,' and this program sets the tone by pairing newer works with a heavyweight classic.

Behind the podium is music director Leonardo Pineda, who took over in October 2025. He's described as part of a new generation of conductor-curators redefining the classical music experience, and his debut at the H-E-B Hall featured trumpeter Pacho Flores and ended in a three-minute standing ovation. The Orchestra San Antonio is the resident company of the Classical Music Institute and the Tobin Center, where it works alongside OPERA San Antonio and Ballet San Antonio. Its mission is split into three branches: Chamber Connexions, the chamber music series; Ascend, an education program partnering with schools across Bexar County; and The 210 Festival, the orchestra's signature summer celebration.

The concert starts at 7:30 PM, and admission is free. If you want a bit more context before the music begins, there's a 'Stories Behind the Sound' session an hour before the performance.