Episode Description
This week on bigcitysmalltown, we examine the future of professional classical music in San Antonio in the wake of disruption, dissolution, and ongoing uncertainty for long-standing arts organizations. San Antonio native Paul Montalvo, a former firefighter who now leads The Orchestra San Antonio, discusses growing the organization from a $45,000 budget to a projected $2.4 million this year, and the unique model he believes can sustain orchestral music in the city where prior efforts have struggled.
Host Cory Ames sits down with Montalvo to address the realities facing professional musicians, asking whether San Antonio can support and sustain a world-class orchestra—both now and long-term.
They discuss:
• How The Orchestra San Antonio’s hybrid model merges performance and education, employing musicians as both performers and artist-educators
• The challenges and prospects for funding arts programming outside traditional public education or city infrastructure
• The organization’s goal to employ 40–50 full-time faculty artists by 2031, and what it would take to make that a reality
• The impact and limitations of philanthropy versus tax-funded support for the arts in a rapidly changing city
• What other Texas and U.S. cities can—and cannot—teach San Antonio about building sustainable arts infrastructure
This episode offers an unfiltered look at what must change for orchestral music to thrive in San Antonio, and the questions every arts patron, donor, and resident should consider as the city’s cultural future is shaped.
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▶️ #96. How a Baggage Handler Became One of San Antonio’s Most Iconic Artists – What does it really take to build a creative life in San Antonio? Host Bob Rivard sits down with Gary Sweeney to uncover how a longtime baggage handler turned his passion for storytelling, humor, and public art into a lasting legacy across the city’s landscape—perfect listening for anyone inspired by unconventional journeys and local impact.
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