Mission
El Paso Pro-Musica seeks to enrich its community by recruiting professional, world-renowned artists to perform and provide captivating Chamber Music concerts with the primary goal of advancing music education and appreciation. By featuring singular performances accessible by all and conducting targeted educational outreach and community engagement, El Paso Pro-Musica is making music matter by engaging a new generation of music and arts enthusiasts.
Vision
El Paso Pro-Musica strives to emotionally move, delight, and educate audiences through an annual concert season of chamber music. Artistic excellence is essential and performed by professional world-class musicians. Our commitment to education and community outreach in the form of school performances, lecture series, and other special community projects is vital.
Background
El Paso Pro-Musica is one of the city’s most respected organizations. The El Paso Chamber Music Festival spans the entire month of January and receives national and international critical acclaim each year with a history of bringing artistic excellence to the border region. Education is key as chamber music and cultural development is promoted in the fine arts.
History
El Paso Pro-Musica was founded in 1977 by Bruce Nehring, its first Artistic Director. The inaugural concert was a performance of Handel’s “Messiah” in December of that year. The following spring, El Paso Pro-Musica went on to present an ambitious series of four performances featuring Bach cantatas and instrumental compositions.
El Paso Pro-Musica has established itself as one of the city’s most respected organizations with a celebrated annual concert series and a history of bringing great music to our city and region. The El Paso Chamber Music Festival, co-founded by Bruce Nehring and Stephen Prutsman in 1990, brought internationally renowned musicians to El Paso . Under the leadership of Kwang-Wu Kim, Artistic Director of El Paso Pro-Musica from 1993-2001, the Festival and the organization developed a national reputation for artistic excellence and innovation, aided in great part by live broadcasts each year of Festival concerts on National Public Radio. In 2001, El Paso Pro-Musica celebrated its twenty-fifth anniversary season and the beginning of a new chapter in its history with the appointment of Artistic Director, Zuill Bailey with a music education from the Juilliard School of Music and the Peabody Conservatory. He has an established career as a concert cellist. El Paso Pro-Musica continues its dedication to promote educational and cultural development in the community. An extensive outreach program takes performances to school children, the elderly, and others who may not have the opportunities to attend performances. Pre-concert talks, free musical ‘informances’, and master classes provide further opportunities for audience members to share in the exciting process of learning about music.
Itzhak Perlman greeting the Students from EPSO ” Tocando” Backstage at the Plaza Theatre. March 3, 2020
