named programs · 3 · from sources
What they call their work
2026–2027 Concert Season
Annual concert series featuring performances of works by Haydn, Fauré, Bach, Tallis, Byrd, and others, including newly commissioned pieces by Nico Muhly and performances by guest artists.
Candlelight Christmas Concerts
Annual holiday tradition featuring choral anthems, carols, and seasonal masterworks performed beneath candlelight at the Church of the Ascension.
Choral Visionaries
Series bringing prominent choral conductors into collaboration with the ensemble to open new artistic perspectives and expand the group's interpretive range.
activities · 6 groups
What they do
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Classical and Chamber Music Performances 3 activities
- Hosts annual Candlelight Christmas concerts as a New York traditionPresents four candlelight Christmas concerts annually, a long-standing holiday tradition in New York, featuring choral music in a candlelit setting to engage audiences during the holiday season.
- Presents music by historically underrepresented composersResearches, programs, and performs works by composers from historically marginalized communities in classical music, contributing to a more inclusive choral repertoire.
- Produces annual concert season featuring historical and contemporary choral worksOrganizes and presents a concert season between October and April each year, featuring performances by the Voices of Ascension Chorus and Orchestra that span early Western polyphony to contemporary compositions, including rare and theatrically staged works. The season includes immersive programming that bridges historical and modern choral artistry.
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Opera and Vocal Arts Training Programs 2 activities
- Conducts open auditions to build a diverse professional choral ensembleOperates an open audition process requiring unedited, live solo recordings from applicants to ensure vocal quality while building a professional ensemble that includes voices historically excluded due to systemic racism.
- Provides emerging artist development through solo performance opportunitiesRuns the "Voices of Promise" emerging artist program, which offers young artists within the ensemble opportunities for solo performances and professional growth.
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Commissioning New Musical Works 1 activity
- Commissions and performs new choral works by contemporary composersAdvances contemporary choral artistry by commissioning new works from living composers and integrating them into its performance repertoire as part of its core artistic programming.
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Community Music Performances & Education 1 activity
- Engages in community outreach to broaden access to choral musicConnects diverse audiences with choral music through outreach initiatives designed to make performances more accessible and representative of underrepresented communities.
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Benefit Events for Arts and Culture 1 activity
- Organizes annual gala celebrating artistic legacy and futureHosts an annual gala event featuring a musical program and dinner to celebrate the organization’s artistic achievements and support its future initiatives.
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Nonprofit Music Recording and Distribution 1 activity
- Records and releases critically acclaimed choral music albumsProduces and distributes commercial and live recordings of choral performances through partnerships with labels such as Delos International, resulting in best-selling and Grammy-nominated albums including "Beyond Chant," "Duruflé Album," and Berlioz "Te Deum."
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$1.85M
Contributions & grants$1.08M58%
Program service revenue$207K11%
Investment income$593K32%
Other revenue$-25K
expenses
Total expenses$1.24M
Program expenses76%
Admin / overhead14%
Fundraising10%
Salaries & benefits$847K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$3.68M
Cash$309K
Investments$3.30M
Liabilities$89K
Net assets$3.59M
Liquid reserves34.9 mo
6 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue +20.9%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 4
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| DENNIS KEENE | ARTISTIC DIR | 40 | $75K |
| JONATHAN BRADLEY | EXECUTIVE DI | 40 | $42K |
| MELISSA BYBEE | SECRETARY | 2 | $3K |
| DIANE LESSER | TRUSTEE | 2 | $2K |
board members · 10
- BARBARA CHACOUR — TRUSTEE
- DIANA SOLOMON-GLOVER — VICE PRESIDE
- JAY SHAH — TRUSTEE
- JOHN GRIMES — TREASURER
- LILY NGARUIYA — TRUSTEE
- MARY GAILLARD — RESIGNED 6.1
- PETER CLARK — TRUSTEE
- PHYLLIS JO KUBEY — PRESIDENT
- READE RYAN — RESIGNED 6.1
- WENDE PERSONS — TRUSTEE
relationships · 19
Who they work with
- Chorus America Network — Dr. Keene served on the Board of Directors and was honored with the Louis Botto Award, indicating active participation in the national choral service organization.
- Church of the Ascension Partner — Dr. Keene serves as Organist and Choirmaster, indicating a sustained institutional affiliation.
- Church of the Ascension Partner — Longstanding organizational and community connection; Sarah Cogan has maintained a deep connection to both entities.
- Delos International Partner — Longstanding recording partnership beginning in 1993, producing multiple acclaimed albums.
- George London Foundation Partner — Partner institution in the Voices of Promise emerging artist program
- GuideStar Network — Profiled by GuideStar, indicating participation in its nonprofit transparency and accountability network.
- James McVinnie Partner — Collaborates with organist James McVinnie on performances including the world premiere of Nico Muhly’s Nativity Cycle.
- Joseé Limón Dance Partner — Artistic collaboration partner
- Kathy Saltzman Romey Partner — Guest conductor Kathy Saltzman Romey leads a program as part of the Choral Visionaries series.
- Mark Morris Dance Group Partner — Artistic collaboration partner
- Metropolitan Opera Lindemann Program Partner — Partner institution in the Voices of Promise emerging artist program
- Mostly Mozart Festival Partner — Artistic collaboration partner
- National Endowment for the Arts Government — Dr. Keene served on the Choral Panel, indicating affiliation with federal arts funding body.
- New York State Council on the Arts Government — Dr. Keene served on the Music Panel, indicating affiliation with state arts funding body.
- Nico Muhly Partner — Features newly commissioned works by composer Nico Muhly, including the Nativity Cycle written specifically for Voices of Ascension.
- OvationTix Partner — Platform used for ticket sales and concert registration
- San Francisco Symphony Partner — Artistic collaboration partner
- Santa Fe Opera Apprentice Program Partner — Partner institution in the Voices of Promise emerging artist program
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art Partner — Artistic collaboration partner
strategies · 3
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Artistic Excellence Through Collaboration and Developmentmethodology: artistic-excellence-through-performance-and-commissionBy advancing artistic excellence through commissions, guest collaborations, and artist development programs, the organization nurtures emerging talent and evolves choral performance, because sustained investment in artists ensures long-term artistic vitality and innovation.
- Equity-Integrated Artistic Practicemethodology: equity_integrationBy embedding racial and gender equity into recruitment, programming, and partnerships, the organization cultivates a more inclusive and artistically vibrant choral community, because systemic inclusion strengthens artistic authenticity and community trust.
- Historical-Contemporary Synthesis in Choral Musicmethodology: historical-modern synthesisBy combining historical choral traditions with newly commissioned works, the organization advances artistic excellence and expands expressive possibilities in sacred music, because integrating old and new repertoires deepens cultural relevance and artistic innovation.