Symphony of the Hills to offer free July 4 concert as flood memorial and tribute

The Symphony of the Hills will perform a free concert at the Cailloux Theater on July 4 — marking both the nation’s 250th birthday and the one-year anniversary of the flood that killed 28 people at Camp Mystic and devastated the Guadalupe River community.

“Stars, Stripes, and Spirit: Remembrance & Resilience” begins at 4 p.m. at 910 Main St. The lobby opens at 3 p.m. with concessions available. Seating is first-come, first-served. Parking is free.

Conductor and artistic director Dr. Eugene Dowdy will lead the full orchestra through a one-hour program. The names of those who lost their lives in last year’s flooding will be read during the concert.

“The symphony wanted to present this free concert both as a salute to our nation’s birth and as a memorial to the anniversary of the July 4, 2025, flood,” Dowdy said. “We are dedicating it to the resolve, commitment, and strength of our people, our First Responders, ongoing recovery teams, and our community.”

Mayor Joe Herring will narrate Aaron Copland’s “Lincoln Portrait.” Soprano Sarah Davis will perform “God Bless America.” The program also includes Copland’s “Fanfare for the Common Man,” Tchaikovsky’s “1812 Overture,” and Sousa’s “The Stars and Stripes Forever,” among others.

For more information, visit symphonyofthehills.org or call 830-792-7469.