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Category: commissions

🎶Announcing a Magical New Commission: “Celtic Christmas Suite” by Alexandra Molnar-Suhajda!

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On November 15, 2025

In commissions, news

We are absolutely thrilled to unveil our newest commission: the enchanting “Celtic Christmas Suite,” a vibrant and heartwarming arrangement of four beloved Celtic Christmas melodies by the celebrated composer Alexandra Molnar-Suhajda!

composer Alexandra Molnar-Suhajda
Composer Alexandra Molnar-Suhajda

This unique work promises to be the perfect soundtrack for your holiday season—a fusion of the timeless elegance of classical music with the rich, infectious spirit of Celtic folk tradition. Imagine the beautiful, familiar carols woven into a breathtaking wind quintet tapestry.

Be Part of the Premiere!

We invite you to join us in bringing this captivating new music to life! Your contribution will directly support the creation of a new work of art by a Mid-Atlantic composer, the costs of production, and ensure a spectacular premiere performance.

Support New Music: Contribute Today

Exclusive Donor Perks: Secure Your Piece of History

To thank you for your generosity, we’ve created three exclusive levels of support, each offering a special way to connect with the music and the artists:

Contribution LevelExclusive Perk
Harp Level ($100+)
Receive our exclusive, high-quality recording of the Celtic Christmas Suite before it is released to the public! Listen to the magic from the comfort of your home.

Holly Level ($250+)
All Harp Level perks, PLUS a reserved seat at the world premiere performance on December 15th! Experience the excitement live.

Mistletoe Level ($500+)
All Holly Level perks, PLUS a pair of reserved seats at the premiere, and an exclusive invitation to the post-concert champagne celebration with the performers!

Help us launch the magical “Celtic Christmas Suite” on December 15th! Click below to choose your support level and claim your exclusive donor perks.

Contribute & Get Your Perk

Thank you for being the heart of this project and for helping us share the joy of new classical music!

Be Part of the First Flight

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On October 9, 2025

In commissions, news

How to Fly premieres soon – we need you!

We here at Patagonia Winds strongly believe in the importance of celebrating overlooked, under-supported, original voices from within our community. We commission the composers of tomorrow.

This work doesn’t happen without you. New talent needs your support! We invite you to become a part of our mission.

Since 2015, Patagonia Winds has commissioned four works for wind quintet. Our newest commission, How to Fly, is by the phenomenal composer Jasmine Arielle Barnes.

To celebrate, we are in our final fundraising push, and we invite you to be part of this first flight.

Jasmine Barnes wrote How to Fly as a meditation on the process of starting things—a deeply personal theme she was living herself.

Just four years ago, Jasmine made a decision to “trust in herself,” and she describes that moment as “bittersweet.” It created a massive change in her life and she ended up leaving a stable, teaching job to pursue composition full-time.

Today she is an award-winning composer.

This is the very essence of the music you are helping to create. As Jasmine describes:

“I imagined a bird in my mind, like a baby bird taking its first flight from the nest… Learning to trust yourself and learning to be courageous in your decisions and in your actions.”

Your gift to this campaign brings to life this message of courage and enables the creation of new art that speaks to everyone who has ever had a big dream.

Help Us Bring This Premiere to Life

Patagonia Winds is passionate about supporting living composers, and we are thrilled to be commissioning Jasmine’s first wind quintet.

But we can’t get this piece off the ground without your help.

Will you join the flight? Every gift commissions living composers and new art.

YES, I want to be a part of the first flight!

Thank you for helping us bring this premiere to life!

Patagonia Winds 2025-2026 Season Announced

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On September 9, 2025

In commissions, concerts, news

Patagonia Winds is thrilled to announce its upcoming season, featuring an exploration of the elements, a celebration of the holidays, and a tribute to the legacy of freedom. 

This season brings an exciting mix of established masterpieces and new commissions, promising unforgettable musical experiences for all. 

We’re especially delighted to present two world premieres (you can support our commission projects here) and to feature renowned composer Jasmine Arielle Barnes throughout the season.

We look forward to seeing you! Sign up for our email list today to make sure to get all the details!

Concerts & Events

🎵 October 25 & 26: A Musical Exploration of “Earth, Wind & Fire”

The season kicks off with a program that evokes the power of nature. Join us on October 26 at the Horowitz Center in Columbia, MD, for a concert featuring Manuel de Falla’s fiery Ritual Fire Dance, Alyssa Morris’ moving and beautiful Dumbarton Oaks, Michael Mauldin’s evocative Canyon Light and Valerie Coleman’s bluesy Red Clay and Mississippi Delta.

The highlight of this program is the highly anticipated world premiere of composer Jasmine Arielle Barnes’s first work for wind quintet, How to Fly, a piece that promises to take listeners on a breathtaking musical journey. 

Ms. Barnes will be in attendance for a special preview event on October 25. Major donors to Patagonia Winds’ commission project (you can donate here) will be invited to an afternoon of music, conversation, and camaraderie in support of the Avanti Orchestra.

🎄 December 15: “Holiday Treats”

Get into the holiday spirit with a special concert at The Residences at Vantage Point in Columbia, MD. This festive program, featuring an interactive Holiday Dessert Tasting Menu, includes the world premiere of Alexandra Molnar-Suhajda’s Celtic Christmas Suite, along with other favorites old and new. It’s the perfect way to share the joy of the season with friends and family.

🕊️ January 18, 2026: “Echoes of Freedom”

Patagonia Winds offers an uplifting concert in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, as part of the Living Arts Concert Series at Church of the Resurrection in Burtonsville, MD. Resonating with the spirit of hope and resilience, the program features works that celebrate the enduring legacy of those who fought for change, with works by Manuel de Falla, Alyssa Morris, Michael Mauldin, Valerie Coleman and Jasmine Arielle Barnes.

Join us for a season of powerful music, new discoveries, and community.

Don’t forget to Sign up for our email list today!

15th Anniversary Commission

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On October 2, 2024

In commissions, news

🌟 BIG NEWS! 🌟

We’re thrilled to officially announce that in honor of our 15th Anniversary season, Patagonia Winds has commissioned the incredible Jasmine Arielle Barnes to write a piece for us!

A Baltimore native and graduate of Morgan State University, Jasmine has been rapidly establishing herself as a composer of note. We connected with her last spring at the Boulanger Initiative’s WoCo Fest and were excited to learn that Demarre McGill, Titus Underwood, Anthony McGill, and Andrew Brady were premiering her new Wind Concertante.

We can’t wait to see what she will write for wind quintet!

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