Kaitlyn Polvado/The Rider Graphic
Renowned pianist Eliza Folkert will kick off UTRGV School of Music’s Patron of the Arts season at 7 p.m. Thursday with a virtual all-Chopin recital on the program’s website.
Folkert, of Alpharetta, Georgia, attends St. John Bosco Academy. She learned to play the piano from her father, Piotr Folkert, a winner of the Young Artists International Piano Award.
The season’s other performances, announced recently, will feature students, faculty and special guests and will take place on the Edinburg and Brownsville campuses, as well as virtually on the UTRGV Patron of the Arts YouTube channel.
“We want to continue reaching out to those who are unable to come to our campuses,” said Hiram Joseph Diaz, production and art facilities manager for the College of Fine Arts. “We want to inspire others to create and produce online content that will allow them to share their talents.”
Due to Gov. Greg Abbott’s repeal of masks being mandated in Texas, UTRGV cannot require that facial coverings be worn at events held on campus, but the School of Music strongly encourages people to wear masks in order to provide safety from the coronavirus, according to its website.
Each performance will provide seating arrangements that adhere to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines in order to ensure the safety of the audience viewing every performance.
“We have sectioned off every other row and are asking our guests to allot distancing between themselves and nearby parties,” Diaz said. “We are playing pre-recorded announcements to remind and encourage our guests to practice social distancing while attending events in person.”
Programs for the concerts will be available by scanning a QR code during the event or going to the Patron of the Arts website.
In addition to virtual access to each performance and programs, every performance shown during Fall 2021 will be free of charge in order to provide access to everyone who cannot enjoy these performances the way they would like to.
“We want our guests to be able to do this and to give them the opportunity to distance themselves from strangers and other guests,” Diaz said. “This means seating may be limited based on the event itself and expected attendance.”
For more information on the Patron of the Arts performances, visit www.utrgv.edu/patron or visit their social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
