THE PLAYERS

Vanessa Reiser

DIRECTOR/PRODUCER

Vanessa Reiser is a filmmaker based in Austin, Texas. She graduated from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts in 1999, where she studied documentary films with the legendary filmmaker George Stoney and was immediately hooked. Reiser spent the first part of her career as an editor, which has greatly informed her eye as a director and shooter of documentaries to create visually compelling stories. She is committed to making films that show the beauty in the vulnerability of the human experience, and she has covered such topics as a community bird colony nurturer, children born with rare diseases, the emotional healing process of incarcerated women, birthworkers, the artisans behind a hand-stitched soccer ball company in Colombia, and a spiritual Texas artist who finds the majesty of beauty in everything. The Only Day We Have, her documentary feature about people with young-onset Parkinson’s disease is currently airing nationally on PBS.

  • Ephraim Owens

    TRUMPETER

    Though born in Dallas, Texas, trumpeter Ephraim Owens has long been claimed by Austin’s vibrant music scene. A master of jazz, blues, and gospel, Owens has become one of the most sought-after musicians in the city and beyond.

    Music was in his blood from the beginning—his mother, Mary Owens, was a passionate singer, while his father, John Owens, was an avid blues enthusiast. Ephraim picked up the trumpet at the age of eight, setting him on a path that would define his life. He honed his craft at the prestigious Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, an incubator for top jazz talent. Among his peers were pianist Fred Sanders, saxophonists Keith Anderson and Keith Loftis, and trumpeter Whitney Russell. But it was the legendary trumpeter Roy Hargrove, a fellow student, who inspired Owens to pursue jazz professionally.

    In 1996, Owens moved to Austin, where he quickly became a staple in the city's jazz scene. He has played with acclaimed groups such as King Valentine’s Octet, the Texas Eastside Kings, the Night of Cookers, Concerto Grosso, and the Texas Trumpets. He has performed at Austin’s most iconic venues, including The Elephant Room, Speakeasy, Antone’s, Sullivan’s, the Flamingo Cantina, the Continental Gallery, Monk’s, and Reed’s Jazz Club.

    Beyond Austin, Owens has taken his music worldwide, touring and performing with renowned artists like Mumford & Sons, Sheryl Crow, Bonnie Raitt, Patty Griffin, and most recently, Tedeschi Trucks Band. His contributions to jazz and the broader music community were solidified when he was inducted into the Austin Music Awards Hall of Fame in 2017.

  • Sam Lipman

    COMPOSER

    Sam Lipman is an award-winning composer known for his vibrant orchestral colors, lyricism, and dramatic storytelling. His works have been performed by ensembles such as the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, at Carnegie Hall, and Lincoln Center. His recent ballet MoonFall premiered to a sold-out two-week run in May 2024 and earned 12 B. Iden Payne Award nominations. He is currently composing a new work with Grammy-winning soprano Hila Plitmann and Texas Poet Laureate Carrie Fountain. In film, he has orchestrated for Terrence Malick’s Way of the Wind and co-scored Richard Linklater’s Where’d You Go, Bernadette. His score for Southwest of Salem was shortlisted for an Academy Award. Based in Austin, Lipman teaches Media Composition at the University of Texas.

  • Austin Symphony Orchestra

    Founded in 1911, the Austin Symphony Orchestra is the city's oldest performing arts organization, presenting classical masterworks, pops concerts, and innovative programming throughout Central Texas. With 80+ professional musicians, ASO reaches 150,000 patrons annually through diverse performances and free community events. Education is central to ASO's mission, connecting with 25,000 students yearly through comprehensive initiatives that explore symphonic music across disciplines. As a cultural anchor and economic driver, ASO strives to be the most relevant, inclusive, and innovative music organization in Texas, reflecting the diversity of the Austin community it serves.