Austin's genre-blurring string quartet Invoke is heading back to Saengerrunde Hall for Beerthoven's latest concert, Prodigal Sun, where the group will premiere a brand-new piece inspired by the total solar eclipse that swept over Texas in 1878. Joining the quartet for the evening is Blake Turner, violist of the Austin Symphony Orchestra, for a program mixing classical, minimalist, bluegrass and folk influences. Tickets run $10 to $30, and children age 3 and under get in free, according to CultureMap Austin.
The centerpiece of the evening is the world premiere of Ignacio Rosado's Umbrascopes, a piece inspired by the events of the July 29, 1878 total eclipse that plunged the heart of Texas into darkness for roughly two minutes and drew scientific expeditions from across the country, per CultureMap. That eclipse is more than a passing historical curiosity for the program; as detailed by Not Even Past, it was one of the earliest major astronomical events to pull organized scientific teams into the state. Rosado's new work fits into Invoke's ongoing “American Postcards” commissioning project, which tasks contemporary composers with telling historical stories tied to specific American times and places, according to a video posted by Beerthoven on Facebook.
A Quartet With National Credentials Returns Home
Invoke isn't a stranger to Beerthoven's stage — the group is returning to the series, per CultureMap — and its resume carries real weight beyond Austin. The Austin-based ensemble won First Prize at the M-Prize International Chamber Arts Competition in Ann Arbor and First Prize at the Coltman Competition in Austin in 2018, according to Jensen Artists. Before that national recognition, the quartet served as the Young Professional String Quartet in Residence at the University of Texas at Austin's Butler School of Music from 2016 to 2018, per Ohio University, giving the group deep roots in the city's own music scene.
Musically, Invoke has never stuck to a single lane. The group blends classical chamber music with American roots traditions, swapping in banjo, mandolin, cello, violins and group vocals alongside more traditional instrumentation, according to Beerthoven's own concert listings. The Prodigal Sun program reflects that range, pairing the Rosado premiere with Karl Mitze's quintet The Wrong Kind of Church, per CultureMap.
An Austin Symphony Violist Joins the Lineup
Rounding out the ensemble for this performance is guest violist Blake Turner, who serves as Assistant Principal Viola of the Austin Symphony Orchestra. Turner earned his Master's in Chamber Music Performance from UT Austin, where he was a founding member of the Cordova Quartet, according to the Austin Symphony Orchestra. His addition brings another layer of local orchestral pedigree to a program already steeped in Austin's chamber music history.
Inside Austin's Oldest Ethnic Cultural Organization
The concert's setting carries its own layers of history. Saengerrunde Hall is operated by the Austin Saengerrunde, a German singing society established in 1879 that stands as Austin's oldest ethnic cultural organization, according to the Texas Time Travel and the Austin Chronicle. The hall sits on the same property at 1607 San Jacinto Boulevard as Scholz Garten, described as Texas's oldest continuously operated tavern, founded in 1866, and the site still features a historic six-lane bowling alley installed in 1908, per the Austin Public Library.
That history feeds directly into how Beerthoven structures its shows. Founded by Daniel Weyandt, the series models its concerts after 19th-century salon gatherings and German singing society traditions, presenting chamber music outside conventional concert halls, according to Beerthoven. The format keeps things informal, with audience members able to interact directly with musicians rather than sitting through a strictly formal recital.
Complimentary Beer and Pretzels Round Out the Night
Part of that informal atmosphere comes courtesy of longtime sponsors. Easy Tiger Bake Shop and Lazarus Brewing have partnered with Beerthoven for 10 years as of 2026, supplying complimentary warm pretzels and craft beer to audience members at every concert program since 2016, according to ThunderTix listings for the event. CultureMap notes the event is subject to change because of weather or other concerns, and ticket information is available through the series' ThunderTix page.
