Celestial Sounds | Russell Hill Rogers Musical Evenings at San Fernando Cathedral

When singer, fiddler and songwriter Lily Henley set out to make an album of Sephardic Jewish ballads set to new melodies, she was looking for her own way to interpret a critically endangered tradition. On Oras Dezaoradas (out on Lior Éditions Records), Henley highlights the Ladino language, a threatened tongue that fuses old Spanish with Hebrew, Arabic, Turkish, and Persian elements spoken by less than 100,000 people in the world today. What she didn’t expect was to find herself directly connected to centuries of women spread across a forced global diaspora. The album is not a reinterpretation project— Henley’s newly-penned songs are a reclamation and contribution, a living line between her roots in American and Celtic music traditions and the rich history and culture of her Sephardi ancestors.

These old ballads carry the hopes and dreams, daily worries, and existential thoughts of the Sephardi people. They tell stories of everyday life, loss, exile, lovers quarrels and advice-seeking daughters. Known for her expressive songwriting, gifted fiddling, and bell-like vocals, Henley brings new life to these songs and the independent female characters in them—drawing from a well so deep that disparate listeners all feel a connection to their own heritage. With a repertoire encompassing both her Sephardi musical lineage and a broad expanse of influences from across the folk world, in concert Henley weaves ancient and modern languages, cultures and styles to reveal their interconnectedness, and ours.

Henley is a recipient of the prestigious Fulbright award and was an Artist-in-Residence at the Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris. She has performed at Carnegie Hall, the Caramoor American Roots Festival, the Denver Botanical Gardens Summer Series, and the New York Sephardic Music Festival. For the past year she has toured as a front-woman with mystic-folk band Rising Appalachia and has collaborated with John Doyle, Brittany Haas, David Krakauer, Rushad Eggleston, The Duhks, and many more.

Jordan Tice is a singer, songwriter and guitarist who combines witty,
well-crafted songs with deft fingerstyle and flat-pick guitar playing. His
performances have been compared to those of legends like Leo Kottke,
John Hartford and David Bromberg for their mix of virtuosity and playfulness
and his songs have been compared to those of writers Bob Dylan and John
Prine for their humor, introspection and philosophical nature.

Originally from Olympia, WA, Ethan Jodziewicz is a versatile bassist
and producer currently living in Nashville, TN. He has toured with Aoife
O’Donovan, Sierra Hull, The Milk Carton Kids, Lindsay Lou, Maya de Vitry,
Molly Tuttle, Mark O’Connor, Darol Anger, Tony Trischka and many others.
He is also a member of fusion band John Mailander’s Forecast, regularly
performs with jazz pianist/composer Pascal Le Boeuf and is a substitute
player for the Nashville Symphony Orchestra.

Are tickets required for entry to the concert?
Yes, but they are free! (Seating not assigned)

How do I get a ticket?
Tickets are available on this page or on Eventbrite.

What do I show at the door/check-in?
To help our attendants, please have your ticket ready when you get there. Attendants will be ready to scan the QR code located on your ticket (print, email, or app). If you lose your ticket, please tell the attendant your first and last name.

What if I forget to register?
An attendant at the door can help you register quickly and easily. We do not turn away guests if space is available.

What are the current health protocols I need to follow?
Masks/social distancing is not currently required.

How do I get to the San Fernando Cathedral? Where do I park?
The San Fernando Cathedral lies at the center of downtown San Antonio at 115 Main Plaza, San Antonio, TX 78205. While there is no dedicated parking for the Cathedral, there are many close parking options. City Paystations and meters are FREE on Sundays, and you can find more info and paid garage/lot options on our website here. Note that there are three (3) main entrances to the Cathedral: two (2) front (east) entrances off Main Plaza and one (1) ADA-accessible side entrance on the left (south) Cathedral side.

Can I take pictures or video?
No flash photography. We would love for you to capture and share your experience, but we do ask that you be conscientious of others and the artists during the performance so as not to disrupt the event.

Any other questions?
Contact us