Buffalo Symphony a Unique Texas Experience

APRIL 26, 2013 (AUSTIN, TX) - What do an ancient archeological site, a Lone Star symphony and Texas actor Barry Corbin have in common? They are the elements of a one-of-a-kind Texas experience in music and words that comes to the Bullock Texas State History Museum June 2.

Buffalo Altar: A Texas Symphony is a collaboration between composer J. Todd Frazier and writer Stephen Harrigan and was commissioned by The Institute of American Music of The Eastman School of Music and The University of Texas at Austin as a unique musical piece dedicated to the Lone Star state.

Avoiding the pitfalls of producing a stodgy musical documentary, Frazier and Harrigan opted for a symphony that was alive, contemporary and inextricably tied to Texas' rich and complex history. The short story, Buffalo Altar, written by Harrigan, is based on an archaeological discovery of bison bones from a hunt at Caprock Canyons State Park, near Canyon, Texas, which revealed evidence of the Folsom culture, dating signs of civilized life in Texas to over 10,000 years ago.

The story is told through the voice of a representative Texan, an 81-year old oilman portrayed in narration by actor and Texas native Barry Cobin. Known for his roles in Urban Cowboy and Northern Exposure, Corbin brings to life the oil man's reminiscences of a long-ago morning in a West Texas canyon that changed his life and archeological history.

The June 2 performance of Buffalo Altar; A Texas Symphony at the Bullock Museum will feature Corbin as narrator, Marc Sanders on piano, and Charles Robitaille playing percussion. The performance will be followed by a conversation moderated by Don Carlton, director of the Briscoe Center for American History, and Corbin, Harrigan and Frazier on the creation and future of the piece.

Tickets for the symphonic performance are $45 for Bullock Museum members and $50 for non-members.

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​​The Bullock Texas State History Museum, a division of the State Preservation Board and an accredited institution of the American Alliance of Museums, creates experiences that educate, engage, and encourage a deeper understanding of Texas. With dynamic, award-winning exhibitions that illuminate Texas history, people, and culture, educational programming for all ages, and an IMAX® theater with a screen the size of Texas, the Museum collaborates with more than 700 museums, libraries, archives, organizations, and individuals across the world to bring the Story of Texas to life. For more information, visit www.TheStoryofTexas.com or call (866)369-7108.