Preview Concert Featuring the ATX Jazz Orchestra

Get a sneak peek at one of Austin’s most exciting holiday collaborations! Join us for a special Midday Music concert featuring musicians from the ATX Jazz Orchestra, offering a preview of their upcoming production of Duke Ellington’s Nutcracker Suite—part of the new Jazz Ballet Series from ATX Artists for Social Impact and Sofar Sounds.

This noon-hour concert will showcase the incredible jazz talent behind the full-scale performance, blending swing, sophistication, and holiday spirit in Ellington’s timeless reimagining of Tchaikovsky’s classic score.

Experience the joy, energy, and artistry of Austin’s jazz community—live at the Draylen Mason Music Studio.

Admission: Free and open to the public (registration required).

Tickets to the full performance on Friday, December 19, can be purchased here.

Paolo Dumancas is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of ATX Artists for Social Impact and the Managing Director of the ATX Jazz Orchestra and Capital Contemporary Ballet. A Filipino immigrant raised in South Florida, he relocated to Austin, TX in 2022 and works at the intersection of arts and technology—as a computer engineer, freelance jazz musician, and strategic consultant for arts organizations.

As a hardware engineer in the semiconductor industry, Paolo specializes in analyzing and troubleshooting advanced computer systems for AI and high-performance computing, bringing a systems-based approach to problem-solving that also informs his work in the arts, nonprofit leadership, and community development.

This interdisciplinary approach shapes his work as a freelance musician and multicultural arts leader. He performs on trombone with various groups in the Greater Austin Area, at venues such as the Elephant Room, Parker Jazz Club, and Monks Jazz Club. He plays lead trombone for the Huston-Tillotson University Jazz Orchestra, which recently won the HBCU Jazz Competition hosted by Jazz at Lincoln Center, and he serves on the boards and committees of the Austin Traditional Jazz Society, Austin Jazz Society, and Filipino Young Professionals of Austin.

Through his consulting firm, Op Amp Arts & Technology, he provides capacity-building services to individual artists and arts organizations—drawing on his multidisciplinary background in engineering, technology, the arts, and community engagement to help clients develop their strategic vision, amplify operations, and expand community impact. He brings expertise in strategic planning, performance coordination, program development, project management, system design, and technology solutions—all in service of ATX Artists for Social Impact and other mission-driven individuals and organizations.

Paolo holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Vanderbilt University. During college, he performed with the Blair School of Music jazz combos, founded the Vanderbilt Ballet Orchestra, interned at the Nashville Jazz Workshop, and participated in assistive technology make-a-thons, where he engineered devices for individuals with physical disabilities. Outside of engineering and the arts, Paolo was involved in mental health outreach organizations and participated in Alternative Spring Break. His time at Vanderbilt University laid the groundwork for a career dedicated to bridging technical expertise with creative expression and community service. He is an advocate for various social causes including equitable access to the arts, education, mental health, refugee resettlement, and the belief that basic needs—food, water, housing, and healthcare—are human rights.

Caitlin Elledge is the Co-Founder and Program Director of Dance at ATX Artists for Social Impact and the Founder and Artistic Director of Capital Contemporary Ballet. A fourth-generation ballet dancer and educator, they trained in the Vaganova Method under Henry Danton of The Royal Ballet.

Originally from rural southern Mississippi, Caitlin grew up in a community impacted by poverty, substance abuse, and limited opportunity. Ballet became their path to socioeconomic mobility. At sixteen, they left home to train full-time at Nashville Ballet and later received scholarships to Nashville Ballet, Cincinnati Ballet, and Texas Ballet Theater. They began their professional career with the Nashville Ballet Second Company and went on to choreograph for Vanderbilt Ballet Theatre, perform with Blue Moves Modern Dance Company, and found and lead their first company, X-Contemporary Dance, for three seasons.

Since moving to Austin in 2022, Caitlin has worked as a dancer, choreographer, and educator, performing with Ventana Ballet and choreographing for various companies in the US. With over a decade of teaching experience, they specialize in ballet pedagogy that honors tradition and upholds the integrity of classical technique, while integrating anatomy-informed, injury-preventative practices. This thoughtful, holistic approach informs their teaching across all genres, including ballet, pointe, modern, and contemporary, ensuring that students develop strong and sustainable movement habits regardless of style. Their students have been awarded multiple scholarships to prestigious ballet institutions across the United States.

Caitlin currently offers private ballet coaching and serves on the faculty of Central Texas Youth Ballet, where they develop a comprehensive curriculum, teach all levels, manage business operations, and direct outreach programs.

Joshua Alderete is the Co-Founder and Program Director of Community Music for ATX Artists for Social Impact and the Musical Director of the ATX Jazz Orchestra. He is a drummer and educator from Pasadena, Texas. He earned his Associate’s Degree in Music Education from Tyler Junior College, studying under Tom & Heather Mensch and Tom McGowan. He went on to complete his Bachelor of Arts in Music with a Minor in Mass Communication at Texas State University, where he studied with Genaro Gonzalez, Bobby Lopez, Dr. Utah Hamrick, and the legendary Butch Miles.

During his time in college, Joshua had the opportunity to perform with acclaimed artists such as Chris Vadala, John Riley, Steve Houghton, James Morrison, Joel Frahm, Mark Mullins, Benny Golson, Emil Richards, and others. His performance career and dedication to the craft have led to several personal milestones, including becoming an endorsed artist with 7Drums, Soultone Cymbals, Sabian Cymbals, and currently, Skretas Family Cymbal Company and Canopus Drums. Joshua currently lives in Austin, TX, where he is a highly in-demand drummer as well as the Founder and Bandleader of his jazz fusion group, The Fellowship.

Joshua’s personal mission is to foster unity within the vibrant jazz community and beyond. His belief in the power of music to transcend boundaries and connect people from all walks of life fuels his passion for collaboration and musical expression. Joshua's journey with The Fellowship exemplifies his commitment to spreading joy and harmony through the universal language of this art form, reflecting his profound dedication to unity in the global music scene.