$1,375 raised by 10 donors
28% complete
$5,000 Goal
Invest in the Orchestra of New Spain and our mission to introduce in concert the lost music of Baroque Spain and Latin America!
Please contribute to funding our educational initiatives, including:
- In-School Individual and Group String Lessons, completing the 24-25 school year and planning upcoming lessons for 25-26
- Summer Strings Camp June 2025
- Theatrical Production Attendance and Artist Residencies
Thank you for your generosity and support!
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The Orchestra of New Spain (ONS) is a period-instrument baroque orchestra and chorus specializing in the music of Spain and its sphere of New World influence. Fully professional, it is based in Dallas where it was created in 1989 to celebrate the place of the Catedral Santuario de Guadalupe in the aborning Arts District. The Orchestra's repertory comes from the rediscoveries of its founder and Artistic Director of the virtually unknown manuscripts in the court and cathedrals of 18th-century Spain.
ONS was founded on the premise that the large Hispanic population of the city of Dallas needed a more equitable cultural presence and that by producing concerts representative of historic Hispanic culture, that premise could be realized. The Orchestra also caters to an early music audience offering a unique repertoire and rich program notes about the origins of the music.
The Orchestra's most recent performances include a flamenco production at the Moody Performance Hall featuring local flamenco dancers along with artists from Albuquerque and Madrid, as well as "La Pastorela" at Guadalupe Cathedral in the Arts District to celebrate the Nativity story, narrated and sung in Spanish. These annual Christmas and Epiphany concerts are a particular draw for the Latino community.
ONS has been awarded TACA Pop-Up grants for excellence in the arts following its 2022 "Celebrating Juneteenth" concert performing the music of Black composers as well as its 2024 "Angels and Devils" Tango dance production.
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Our goals over the last 15 years have incorporated educational activities with students in Dallas ISD. This partnership provides young people a free or low-cost way to engage with the arts, and it is important to maintain this mission in Dallas, particularly as the Hispanic student population in the DISD school district is 70%. Given that the current focus in the classical music world centers on non-Hispanic composers yet a majority of the young musicians in our city are Spanish-speaking, it remains an important responsibility for ONS to introduce Hispanic music into their cultural diet.
The free In-School Lesson Program, low-cost Summer Strings Camp, and a free annual field trip to an ONS production use the arts to serve Dallas ISD students. This first exposure to theater for many students provokes wide-eyed and spell-bound reactions where a stage production featuring their language is being spoken and sung by young people who look like them. We aim to provide high-quality experiences to Dallas ISD students and by doing so, to attract like-minded individuals to our board, promoting the music of Hispanic culture in DFW.
We ask our donors to consider a contribution that will lead us to the amount of $10,000 to fund the remainder of our In-School Lesson program with Dallas ISD as well as Summer Strings Camp in June 2025.
We have reached 1700 students so far with In-School Lessons and are anticipated to teach 600 more by the end of the 24-25 school year! Summer Strings Camp 2025 is in the works and our ONS tutors will work with 250 students throughout a week of intensive orchestral ensemble training in June. Your gifts help make these opportunities possible!
Please consider donating to help us complete the year of In-School Lessons and raise funds for 5 days of instruction at Summer Strings Camp. $50 will provide one hour of private or small group tutoring for DISD students. $200 will fund one ONS tutor for one full day of instruction at Summer Strings Camp.
The mission of the Orchestra of New Spain is to introduce in concert the lost repertory of the Spanish and New World Hispanic 17th and 18th centuries, and to explore the Hispanic heritage of which it is a part, educating the public on the importance of the repertory and its broader cultural implications.
• Performance of other renaissance, baroque, classical and romantic repertories on period instruments.
• Performance of alternative repertory, from other periods and other provenance.
ONS seeks to increase the community's interaction with and understanding of Hispanic and LatinX culture, primarily through music, dance, and theater.
We appreciate your support with funding for our educational programs in the 24-25 season.
We welcome your interest in joining our board of directors and are always looking for fresh ideas and ways to connect with our community.
All activities of the Pegasus Musical Society/Orchestra of New Spain provide diverse, inclusive and equitable experiences, whether in the workplace or at its activities. All employees, volunteers and patrons are made to feel valued and respected, whatever gender, race, ethnicity, national origin, age, sexual orientation or identity, education or disability they represent. We strive to reflect our community and our musical culture and to respect and inspire all people equally.
Equity
Pegasus Musical Society/Orchestra of New Spain strives for an equitable culture throughout its staff and board and across all its programs. We provide working environments without prejudice, discrimination or misogyny. We respect and try to inspire all people equally. Our goal is to provide fairness for all, regardless of race, ethnicity, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, religion, age or disability. The director and the board hold themselves accountable to continually strive for these goals.
Diversity
We believe that diverse perspectives, cultural histories, life experiences and personal stories enrich the production of our repertoire and stimulate innovation at our organizational level. Diversity provides a richness and affirms varied contributions to our art form and to the community.
Inclusion
Pegasus Musical Society/Orchestra of New Spain works to establish new connections and relationships within our local community and internationally, broadening access to the arts among lesser-served groups and adding a richness to our contributions in our art form. We vary our performance subjects and sites in order to extend new opportunities and to appeal to new and varied audiences.
Action Items
* Our job descriptions are consistently inclusive, offer flexibility of work times and educational background, and on-the-job training. We welcome women and people from traditionally underrepresented groups.
* Our board is committed to including diverse representation.
* Our educational program (i.e. musical lessons provided to underserved students in the Dallas Independent School District) is based on the belief that everyone deserves equal access to a full, vibrant creative life, a cornerstone of a healthy and democratic society.
* Our performance venues are varied and located throughout the community, including the lower socio-economic areas. We work with local leaders to communicate and invite people to attend who would normally not be aware of our performances. We work to make all attendees feel welcome and appreciated by greeting each attendee personally.
Organization name
Orchestra of New Spain
other names
Pegasus Musical Society
Causes
Arts & Humanities
Operating Budget
$250,000 - $499,999
Counties Served
Dallas
BIPOC Serving
Black or African American, Hispanic or Latinx
Address
11615 Forest Central Dr Ste 206