About the Leyenda Foundation

The Leyenda Foundation is a visionary arts organization dedicated to empowering artists, educators, and communities through creativity, collaboration, and legacy. Guided by an artist-first philosophy, Leyenda brings together performers, composers, educators, dancers, writers, and visual artists within a vibrant ecosystem of institutes, residencies, recordings, media projects, and educational programs.

Across youth initiatives, professional development, world-class performances, and publishing, Leyenda nurtures imagination, celebrates cultural heritage, and builds enduring pathways where artistry, equity, and human connection thrive.

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A Multidisciplinary Vision

Leyenda believes the arts flourish when people do. What began with a focus on music has expanded into a broad, interconnected network supporting multiple creative disciplines. Today, the Foundation’s work spans music, dance, wellness, literature, visual art, and collaborative practice—creating spaces where artists can take risks, develop their voice, and share work that resonates across communities and generations.

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At the heart of this mission is a suite of immersive, world-class institutes.

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Leyenda Institutes

Celedonio Romero Guitar Institute

The Celedonio Romero Guitar Institute honors the legacy of one of the most influential musical families in modern history. Rooted in the traditions shaped by Celedonio Romero and carried forward through Celin, Pepe, Angel, Celino, and Lito, the Institute offers deep training in classical technique, musical interpretation, and expressive artistry.

Students participate in intensive masterclasses, private instruction, ensemble work, and legacy studies that explore the Romero family’s profound contributions to repertoire and performance practice.

A signature feature is its collaboration with the Oklahoma Chamber Symphony, led by Kaleb Benda. Selected participants rehearse and perform concerti with a professional orchestra—an opportunity rarely offered outside elite conservatories—providing invaluable experience in musical leadership, collaboration, and stage presence.

This Institute is more than education; it is an invitation into a living artistic lineage defined by beauty, generosity, and integrity.

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Charlie Christian Artist Institute

The Charlie Christian Artist Institute celebrates the boundary-breaking spirit of one of America’s most important musical innovators. Guided by Grammy Award–winning guitarist Mark Whitfield, creative luminary Chip Henderson, and renowned arranger/educator Bill Swick, the Institute immerses participants in improvisation, groove, harmony, ensemble communication, and the rich traditions of American music.

A signature component is the Charlie Christian Guitar Ensemble, one of the nation’s few dedicated jazz guitar orchestras. Students gain practical experience in arranging, group interplay, and contemporary ensemble performance within a vibrant and supportive artistic community.

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John Knowles Acoustic Institute

The John Knowles Acoustic Institute honors the warmth, craftsmanship, and storytelling heart of acoustic music. Inspired by the artistry and generosity of John Knowles, C.G.P., this Institute focuses on fingerstyle technique, arranging, composition, tone craft, and the expressive potential of solo and collaborative acoustic performance.

Participants refine their musical voice through deep explorations of melody, harmony, narrative, and personal expression—advancing an acoustic tradition rooted in care, curiosity, and musical authenticity.

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Flamenco Dance & Music Institute with Erika Vasquez

Led by acclaimed artist and educator Erika Vasquez, the Flamenco Dance & Music Institute offers an immersive journey into one of the world’s most powerful artistic traditions. Students explore compás, baile, toque, cultural history, and the unique artistic dialogue between dance and music.

Workshops emphasize authenticity, expressive clarity, and cultural understanding, allowing participants to experience Flamenco as both a technical discipline and a living expression of identity and storytelling.

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Wellness & Performance Health Institute

The Wellness & Performance Health Institute addresses the critical need for sustainable, healthy artistic careers. Bringing together international experts in musicians’ health, somatics, injury prevention, mental performance, and resilience, the Institute equips artists with tools that nurture longevity, wellbeing, and creative fulfillment.

Sessions explore body mechanics, practice habits, anxiety management, mental skills, and holistic approaches to life as an artist—reflecting Leyenda’s commitment to supporting the whole person.

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Come Together: Arts Educators Institute

The Come Together Institute provides high-impact professional development for arts educators across schools, studios, and community programs. Through practical training, collaboration, and cross-disciplinary learning, teachers gain tools that strengthen their classrooms and elevate their students’ experiences.

Focus areas include curriculum design, culturally responsive teaching, repertoire development, classroom management, and educator wellness. Participants leave with renewed clarity, community, and purpose.

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Leyenda Spark Youth Institute

The Leyenda Spark Youth Institute ensures that young artists—regardless of background—have access to high-quality mentorship and performance opportunities. Designed for pre-college and early-college students, Spark offers coaching, masterclasses, artistic guidance, and pathways toward higher education and professional careers.

Spark is committed to eliminating financial and geographic barriers, empowering young people to explore their artistic voice with confidence and possibility.

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Artist-First Ventures

Leyenda extends its mission beyond traditional education through Artist-First Ventures, a reimagined model of support for creative careers.

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The Leyenda Label & Music Publishing

The Leyenda Label and Leyenda Music Publishing champion fairness, transparency, and long-term sustainability. Artists retain the majority of revenue and receive meaningful, ongoing support as they develop recordings, publications, and new work.

Revenue from these ventures reinvests into scholarships, educator development, community programming, and future artistic projects—creating an ecosystem where every recording contributes to a larger cycle of artistic impact.

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Media, Storytelling & Creative Outreach

Shameless Pluck Podcast

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Shameless Pluck is the Foundation’s flagship media project—a bold, candid, and often hilarious podcast hosted by Ryan May. Through authentic conversations with artists, educators, and cultural leaders, the show explores the creative process, the realities of artistic life, and the stories that shape our community.

The podcast is an extension of Leyenda’s Artist-First philosophy:
a platform where artists speak in their own voice, reflect on their lived experiences, and connect directly with audiences. It is part storytelling, part advocacy, and entirely human.

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Looking Ahead: The Leyenda Conservatory

The Leyenda Foundation is actively developing the Leyenda Conservatory, a forward-thinking model of elite, accessible arts education offering certificate and degree pathways both in-person and online. The Conservatory will bring together world-class faculty, cross-disciplinary institutes, global partnerships, and a commitment to affordability—setting a new standard for 21st-century arts training.

Long-term growth includes:

• expanded international programs

• European headquarters

• artist residencies and commissions

• interdisciplinary creative laboratories

• community cultural initiatives

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Join the Movement

The Leyenda Foundation is more than an organization—it is a global creative community built on legacy, imagination, and possibility. We invite you to join us as a donor, partner, collaborator, or advocate. Together, we can build a future where creativity is accessible, respected, and transformative—where artistry and humanity thrive side by side.