Arts nonprofit Young Texas Artists (YTA) is pulling out all the stops to celebrate its home state. The 2026 Bach, Beethoven & Barbecue gala will be a grand, boot-stomping salute to Texas.
“For decades, our jeans-to-jewels gala has been infused with Texas flavor, and this year, we’re taking the Lone Star charm to the next level,” YTA President/CEO Susie Pokorski said.
“Bach, Beethoven & Barbecue will be an all-out, first-class Texas party.”
YTA is known for supporting emerging classical musicians through the annual Young Texas Artists Music Competition, now in its 41st year. Competition alumni include successful performers and music educators around the globe, including multiple Grammy Award nominees and three Grammy winners.
The most recent one, baritone Michael Mayes, performed in Houston Grand Opera’s recording of Intelligence, which received the 2026 Grammy for Best Opera Recording. Mayes, who grew up in Montgomery County, won YTA’s 2002 gold medal in the Voice division.
“Helping emerging artists realize their dreams is central to YTA’s mission, along with inspiring and educating audiences,” Pokorski said. “When people attend our gala, YTA’s biggest fundraiser of the year, they help make that work possible and see its impact firsthand during the Finalists’ Concert & Awards.”
This year’s gala will also feature YTA’s Salute to Texas, a guest musician, and music and food packed with Texas flavor.
Big Texas Bash
The gala begins at 5 p.m. Saturday, March 14, at YTA’s Grand Pavilion in front of Crighton Theatre at 234 N. Main St. in the Downtown Cultural District of Conroe.
The pavilion will be climate-controlled so guests will be comfortable in any weather.
YTA’s celebration includes a barbecue meal, opportunities to win raffle prizes, authentic Texas swing performed by Bill Mock & The Highway 105 Band, and a live auction led by Lady Lyn Howard.
The gala master of ceremonies will be Craig Stephan.
Complimentary valet parking is available.
Currently, the gala is nearly sold out. To reserve your seats for Bach, Beethoven & Barbecue, click here.
Concert of Classics
At 7:30 p.m., attendees can walk to Crighton Theatre, just steps from the Grand Pavilion, for the Young Texas Artists Music Competition Finalists’ Concert & Awards, featuring remarkable classical musicians at the very start of promising careers.
Competing artists, ages 18–30 (20–32 in the Voice division), are Texas residents or attending a Texas music school.
They compete for gold and silver medals in one of four performance divisions: Piano; Strings; Voice; and Winds, Brass, Percussion, Harp and Guitar. Contestants also vie for Grand Prize and Audience Choice Awards.
In total, $40,000 in cash awards will be presented.
The master of ceremonies will be St. John Flynn, former Arts and Culture Director for Houston Public Media. Flynn is a writer, speaker, and arts and culture consultant.
YTA also offers concert-only tickets, which are $35 for general admission and $16 for students (plus fees). To purchase concert-only tickets, click here.
YTA is still accepting advertising for its 2026 Young Texas Artists Music Competition Program Booklet. Special rates are available. For more details about advertising, including pricing, click here.
Gala After-Party
After the concert, guests can return to YTA’s Grand Pavilion, which will be transformed into Club YTA: a Texas dancehall/café complete with live music, drinks and a special musical guest.
There, guests can join champagne toasts to the finalists, enjoy more dancing and indulge in YTA’s dessert café.
On the stage with Bill Mock & The Highway 105 Band during the after-party will be special guest Brennan Blankenship.
The soprano is YTA’s 2017 and 2019 gold medalist in the Voice division. During the after-party, the native Texan will perform Patsy Cline’s “Crazy” and other favorites.
In addition to performing leading roles nationwide since her YTA wins, Blankenship recently founded HOPERA, a Houston-based opera company. Its mission is to empower local artists and produce quality productions in casual settings like craft breweries.
“We’re confident that this year’s gala, concert, and after-party will be remembered for their energy, hospitality and vibrant Texas flair,” Pokorski said.
“I can’t express enough gratitude for the people who work behind the scenes to make all of this possible, including the volunteers from the Conroe Service League, who are assisting in several capacities this year. We are proud of our longtime association with them.”
For those unable to attend the full evening, YTA offers concert and after-party tickets for $55 (plus fees). For reservations, click here.
YTA’s major donors as of Feb. 23 are Carol and Doug Aycock, City of Conroe/VisitConroe.com, Annette and Ken Hallock, Sue Moorhead, Rea Charitable Trust, Texas Commission on the Arts, The Center for the Performing Arts at The Woodlands and Sue and Joe Warren, along with an anonymous donor.