Texas Music Project Donation to La Rondalla

The scene outside the Bishop Arts Theatre Center in Oak Cliff screamed rock ‘n’ roll fantasy funneled through jazzy sophistication. Kids, all of them students in Big Thought’s La Rondalla music education program, nurtured big stage dreams armed with an arsenal of shiny electric guitars.

Grapevine-based Texas Music Project presented La Rondalla with 15 electric and acoustic guitars, as well as amps, cases, straps and stands. The donation took place Nov. 3, 2015 at the Bishop Arts Theatre Center where La Rondalla holds classes Tuesday-Friday. The guitars, valued at $15,000, include brands such as Godin, Italia, Fender, Martin, Hofner, Taylor, Epiphone and Rickenbacker.

The evening began with a brief presentation in the venue’s auditorium emceed by Erin Offord, Senior Director of Programs for Big Thought, where Michael Clay, Co-Founder of the Texas Music Project, and Dennis Gonzalez, Director of Big Thought’s La Rondalla, offered remarks. Gonzalez even presented Clay with an appreciation plaque.

Then the guests – Rondalla students, parents, community members, Texas Music Project principals and Big Thought officials – moved upstairs to one of the classrooms where the guitars were all in glorious display.  Refreshments were served, including a huge cake, as the crowd of about 125 hovered over the instruments.

“As a professional musician and co-founder of the Texas Music Project, I’m inspired by the work Big Thought is doing to cultivate a community guitar program at La Rondalla,” said Clay. “We are pleased to make this guitar donation to a great cause. The overwhelming gratitude and smiles from the staff and students at La Rondalla lets us know the instruments are in good hands and have found a home.”

Clay actually ran into an old jamming buddy. Turns out he used to play with Rondalla teaching artist Kenny Withrow back when Kenny was in his teens. So naturally Clay and Withrow tuned up a couple of acoustic guitars and launched into impromptu picking.

Gonzalez was beaming throughout the event. For him this donation means his students will reach new levels of learning.

“We already feel the change that is coming to our program,” said Gonzalez. “The kids’ enthusiasm has just jumped a notch, and they are obviously overjoyed and looking forward to actually learning to play them, holding them in their hands, cradling them and taking care of them. The instructors are excited as well, and already we’ve started planning a change in our schedule to accommodate these beautiful instruments.”

Big Thought’s La Rondalla, as well as Texas Music Project, is forever grateful to the donor of the guitars, Mr. Robert McPherrin, General Manager of the Hilton Lincoln Center Dallas.

“I’m pleased to know Texas Music Project’s partnership with Big Thought’s La Rondalla will get the instruments into the hands of deserving youth,” says Mr. McPherrin, who also donated three amps. “It’s a great example of the community working together to better lives.”

La Rondalla, founded five years ago, is a 2015 National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award Finalist that provides free guitar, bass and drums lessons to 81 youths ages 7-18 from Oak Cliff, Balch Springs, DeSoto and Mesquite. The student population is 96 percent Hispanic. The program also appreciates the generous support of the City of Dallas Office of Cultural Affairs, the House of Blues Forward Foundation, local businessman Jorge Baldor, and Sammons Enterprises, Inc.

Lauren Holder, Lead Site Guide for Big Thought’s La Rondalla, got in the action outside of the Bishop Arts Theatre Center. She strapped on an electric guitar and posed for pictures while Big Thought officials Kristina Dove, Partner Relations Program Manager, and Greg MacPherson, Director of Programs, cheered her on.

But it’s always all about the kids. These guitars will open new doors of exploration for them. These guitars will expand their learning horizons and reward them with new opportunities. These guitars will nurture their rock ‘n’ jazz dreams.