A Wild Notes Double-Concert Day
Saturday, September 19, 2026 Brazos Bend State Park + Galveston Island State Park
From the wetlands of Brazos Bend in the morning to a moonlit beach on the Gulf that evening, Wild Notes will bring live solo cello into two distinct Texas landscapes in a single extraordinary day.
Both programs are created in collaboration with Texas State Park staff and invite visitors to slow down, listen closely, and experience music as part of the living world around them.
Wild Notes performances are free to attend with regular park admission.
Morning Event
Veterans at the Bend | Brazos Bend State Park
9:00–9:25 AM
Brazos Bend State Park | Near Elm Lake
Needville, Texas
Wild Notes is honored to participate in Veterans at the Bend, a morning bringing veterans, families, and community members together in the natural setting of Brazos Bend State Park.
Near Elm Lake, Wild Notes founder and cellist Dr. Amanda Guilfoyle will offer a short interpretive solo cello program shaped around remembrance, steadiness, and connection. The music will create a place to pause along the trail, rest, and listen together.
The performance is part of the larger Veterans at the Bend program. Visitors should follow Brazos Bend State Park’s event instructions and arrival guidance.
Sponsor Veterans at the Bend
Help Wild Notes create a meaningful place of rest, reflection, and connection for veterans, their families, and the wider community at Brazos Bend State Park.
Sponsorship helps provide:
- Artistic preparation and performance
- Fair compensation for the musician
- Travel and program equipment
- Photography and soundscape documentation
- Continued development of free, place-responsive programs for veterans and park visitors
Corporate sponsors will be recognized on this page and through eligible Wild Notes digital communications, according to sponsorship level.
Sponsorship supports Wild Notes Foundation’s participation in this program and does not imply endorsement by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department or the host park.
Evening Event
Moonlight Melodies with Wild Notes | Galveston Island State Park
Event: 8:00–9:00 PM
Wild Notes performance at approximately 8:30 PM
Galveston Island State Park | Beachside Day-Use Area
Galveston, Texas
That evening, Wild Notes travels from the wetlands to the Gulf for a celebration of International Observe the Moon Night.
The program begins with guided moongazing using telescopes, spotting scopes, and binoculars. A park ranger will help visitors explore the moon’s craters, mountains, and other visible features.
At approximately 8:30 PM, Dr. Amanda Guilfoyle will perform a moon-inspired solo cello program beneath the open sky. Music, astronomy, waves, wind, and the natural nighttime soundscape will become part of one shared listening experience.
Guests are encouraged to bring chairs or towels for seating. This is an outdoor program, and weather and natural sounds are part of the experience.
Sponsor Moonlight Melodies
Help bring music, astronomy, and nature together beneath the moon at Galveston Island State Park.
Sponsorship helps provide:
- Development and performance of the moon-inspired cello program
- Fair compensation for the musician
- Travel, lodging, and program equipment
- Photography, video, and soundscape documentation
- Future collaborations connecting music, science, and the natural world
Corporate sponsors will be recognized on this page and through eligible Wild Notes digital communications, according to sponsorship level.
Sponsorship supports Wild Notes Foundation’s participation in this program and does not imply endorsement by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department or the host park.
Why This Day Matters
Supporting positive connection with nature.
Wild Notes creates place-responsive musical experiences in parks and wild spaces. Each program begins with the character of its location: its ecology, history, soundscape, visitors, and community.
On September 19, one cello will travel between two Texas State Parks and two very different gatherings. The morning program offers veterans and their communities a place for reflection and connection in the wetlands. The evening program brings music and astronomy together beside the Gulf.
Together, these experiences embody the heart of Wild Notes:
Music → Listening → Attention → Connection to Place → Stewardship
By making these programs free and welcoming, Wild Notes helps more people experience classical music while developing a deeper relationship with the public lands that belong to all of us.
Why This Day Matters
Supporting positive connection with nature.
Producing two programs in two Texas State Parks on the same day requires artistic preparation, transportation, equipment, documentation, and close collaboration with park staff.
Corporate and community sponsorship helps Wild Notes:
- Keep performances free and open to park visitors
- Compensate artists fairly for their preparation and work
- Travel to parks and communities across Texas
- Document the programs through photography, video, and soundscape recording
- Develop future place-responsive programs with public-land partners
- Build a sustainable future for music-based environmental interpretation
Sponsors receive recognition on this event page and through eligible Wild Notes digital communications, according to sponsorship level.
