The Lake Chapala Orchestra, a modern orchestra of around 60 players, operates without government subsidies. The ensemble is supported largely by ticket sales and local donations, with roughly 80% foreign and 20% Mexican musicians. The success of the orchestra is attributed to personalities, small gatherings and devotion. The artistic director and conductor, Michael Reason, helped shape the ensemble into an organized, professional ensemble that still retains the intimacy of house concerts. The orchestra's core members are dedicated to preserving a life's habit of making music with friends. They have also been instrumental in creating a consistent, polished sound, and maintaining community spirit. The organization's dedication to the art of classical music is seen as a compromise between preserving community spirit and maintaining a full symphonic repertoire.