After resigning from the San Antonio Philharmonic earlier this year, Jeffrey Kahane is returning to San Antonio with a new orchestral venture: Harmonium of Texas.
The new organization, announced this week, positions itself as a financially sustainable orchestra with a strong emphasis on education, community partnerships, and cross-genre programming. According to its mission statement, Harmonium aims to “enrich and elevate the cultural landscape of San Antonio” through orchestral, chamber, and interdisciplinary performances while creating stable opportunities for musicians across the region.
The announcement comes at a turbulent moment for classical music in San Antonio. The San Antonio Symphony folded in 2022 after decades of financial instability, and the Philharmonic that emerged from its ashes has faced its own internal challenges, including lawsuits, cancellations, and Kahane’s resignation in February.
According to reporting by the San Antonio Express-News, Harmonium’s inaugural season will feature guest artists including Joshua Bell, Emanuel Ax, and cellist Tommy Mesa, alongside collaborations with groups such as Roomful of Teeth, the San Antonio Mastersingers, Youth Orchestras of San Antonio, and the Children’s Chorus of San Antonio.
Kahane told the newspaper that the project was developed in collaboration with local philanthropists and supporters who encouraged him to continue working in the city after his departure from the Philharmonic. He also stressed that the orchestra would prioritize financial stability from the outset.
“If supporters could raise at least $500,000 by the end of May, that would be an indication that the fledgling organization might have wings,” Kahane said. According to the report, the group has already raised more than $800,000, while the projected budget for the first season is approximately $3 million.
Harmonium’s vision statement describes the orchestra as “an entirely new chapter in San Antonio’s rich and distinguished musical history,” built around partnerships with educational institutions and community ensembles. Among the initiatives announced are collaborations with the Youth Orchestras of San Antonio (YOSA), allowing students to perform alongside professionals, and lecture-performances aimed at adult audiences interested in deepening their understanding of music.
The organization plans to perform in multiple venues across the city. Large-scale programs are expected to take place at the Lila Cockrell Auditorium, while smaller concerts are planned for Stable Hall.
Its opening concert, scheduled for October 2, will feature Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana with the San Antonio Mastersingers — a work that had previously been postponed by the Philharmonic last season.
Kahane acknowledged that some observers may question whether San Antonio can sustain three professional orchestras, but rejected the assumption that the city’s musical ecosystem must be limited to a single institution.
“There’s no law that says you can only have one or two or whatever orchestras,” he told the Express-News.
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