Clap your hands and sway your hips! The Southern Theatre will be infused with the rhythms of flamenco music on May 9 for ProMusica Chamber Orchestra’s Gala benefit and concert, marking the end of the 29th season with a performance by award-winning flamenco guitarist Robert Michaels.

Michaels, a Canadian artist who has reached Platinum record status and has won two JUNO awards for his lively instrumentals, will perform with an orchestra for the first time ever and will also be joined also by his own ensemble of musicians - a quartet featuring drums, electric base and rhythm guitar and accordion. Michaels’ daughter accompanies them onstage with flamenco dancing.

“He has great guitar technique,” says Janet Chen, executive director of ProMusica. “One of the trumpet players in our orchestra saw him in performance and was blown away.”

A successful season will wind down with an evening of food and music as the Gala event kicks off at Barcelona Restaurant in German Village at 6 p.m. With the purchase of one of ProMusica’s gold level packages for $300 or silver level packages for $250, patrons can revel in the Latin theme by dining and drinking sangria before getting shuttled to the concert venue for the 8:30 p.m. show.

Those wishing to come out only for the concert can get tickets for $35-$75.

The Gala has been a way of capping off seasons of ProMusica for the past nine years. It also serves to support ProMusica’s many community education and outreach programs and launch the next year’s performance season. The coming season is the 30th anniversary of ProMusica, in which the orchestra will continue its history of truly artistic performances and build its repertoire of commissioned pieces.

The flamenco style of Michaels adds to the mix of incredible music that has defined this season of ProMusica. Conrad Tao, a 13-year-old pianist, performed in October and wrote his own concerto for the orchestra.

“He was so amazing we invited him back next year. He’ll be here in the fall again and is actually composing a 5-minute fanfare for our anniversary,” Chen says.

ProMusica is well known in terms of the playing standard of its performances and often brings in these crossover musicians. Chen says people like to see young musicians on the rise, as well as seasoned artists - as evidenced by the album sales and immense popularity of Robert Michaels, who has been hailed as “the Led Zeppelin of flamenco guitar."

Proceeds from the Gala event are expected to account for 14 percent of ProMusica’s $1 million annual budget, funding programs throughout the community to benefit students, senior citizens and disadvantaged kids.

Musicians in Schools goes to high schools and coaches music lessons for orchestra students. Also, every month the Chamber Orchestra holds free open rehearsals for seniors to come and play with them. And once the Gala is over, ProMusica will have Youth & Family Day at the Columbus Zoo on May 10.

“Events such as the Gala allow us to partner with other organizations around town, keep our programs running and keep them free,” says Chen.

For more information, call 614-464-0066 or visit www.promusicacolumbus.org.