A History by Anya Grokhovski, DMA, MBAW CEO, Founder & Artistic Director The beginning of Musical Bridges Around the World’s educational programs started at the oldest official venue for Mexican culture in the U.S., Instituto Cultural de Mexico. We’ve always had an excellent relationship with this gem of a space in San Antonio. It’s the largest cultural arm of Mexico in the country, outside of Washington, DC. The performance hall seats about 180 people, and our first audiences were children from surrounding schools who walked to the concerts with their teachers. As the series grew, we learned that many schools faced logistical...

UTSA’s College of Education & Human Development’s Chris Reichert just published a new online article covering the latest in MBAW’s Musical Sprouts, a FREE educational engagement program providing students the opportunity to travel the world by bringing performing artists and cultural connections to their classrooms. During the past three years, the curriculum portion of the program was also subject to a simultaneous research study put together in partnership with the University of Texas System to determine and prove the impact and efficacy of the program. In this article, Sprouts research assistant and UTSA Department...

Report by Jennifer Reed-Martinez, MBAW Director of Community Engagement This fall, over 3,300 students traveled virtually to Ukraine with our Kids to Concerts program, with a concert video (seen below) by renowned Ukrainian musician Jurij Fedynskyj. During the pandemic, this program had to shift from live in-person concerts to virtual concert videos. And now, as schools move back to a mix of virtual and/or in-classroom learning, the program adapts to meet that change again as our January concerts covering the music of African American culture & history will be live in the schools.  In addition, 650 students received five hands-on,...

Founded in 2008 in Austin, Texas by the award-winning lutenist and early music specialist Slobodan Vujisic, the Austin Troubadours is an international group of instrumentalists and singers that is dedicated to reviving the beauty of musical masterpieces from Medieval and Renaissance Europe. Seven musicians in period costumes with more than 30 authentic period instruments perform dances and songs of Medieval and Renaissance Europe. The Flying Balalaika Brothers consists of three famous representatives of Russian Balalaika school.  The Original Flying Balalaika Brothers were formed in Los Angeles in 1995 by Zhenya Kolykhanov (a.k.a. Z Rock),...

In 2014-15, MBAW will introduce kids to Spanish Flamenco, Russian balalaikas, Mediterranean Baroque, Jewish traditional and Argentinian Tango ( artists TBA) A true jewel of the Texas performing scene, Austin Troubadours is an international group of musicians that is dedicated to reviving the beauty of musical masterpieces from Medieval and Renaissance Europe thru performing dances and songs in period costumes with more than 30 authentic period instruments. Founded in 2008 in Austin, Texas by the award-winning lutenist and early music specialist Slobodan Vujisic, a veteran of the European early music scene. Prior to relocating to the United...

2014 Mary Kathryn Archuleta Mary Kathryn Archuleta holds a B.A. in Psychology/Music Education from the University of Colorado.  A nationally recognized leader and author in Adaptive Music Education, she has devoted nearly 50 years to students with special needs.  As founder and Executive Director of Dreams Fulfilled Through Music, a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing the joy of music to those with special needs, Ms. Archuletas life has been dedicated to customizing and adapting traditional music education materials and equipment to meet the needs of her specially challenged students.  Her teaching career began in Boulder,...

Review from Cristina Pato Visit in October, 2012 Click to read review of Cristina Pato’s visit to New Braunfels area schools. Kriewald Road Elementary: Caleb Gonzalez, Fine Arts Director Musical Bridges, I just wanted to thank you for bringing the “tour” to our district and to the 600 students at the school. I recieved a lot of wonderful feedback from the students and staff. Some students even came up to me and said, “After that show, I want to go to Russia”. You have to remember, some of these kids do not even know that San Antonio is in the United States. A harsh reality, but it is a fact. Having the group...