named programs · 5 · from sources
What they call their work
Art of Music and Ideas
Concert series featuring contemporary compositions by Czech and American composers, performed by S.E.M. Ensemble and Ostravská banda, with composer participation and dialogue.
Emerging Composers Workshop
Annual initiative since 1997 providing emerging composers time with musicians and conductor Petr Kotik to workshop and publicly perform new works.
Interpretations Concert Series
Season-long series produced by Mutable Music featuring major works by contemporary composers, including large-scale performances like Petr Kotik’s "Many Many Women".
Many Many Women
Six-hour-long opera by Petr Kotik based on Gertrude Stein’s text, performed continuously with staging and projections, last fully staged in NYC in 2013 and revived in 2022.
S.E.M. Ensemble & AACM Collaboration
Ongoing collaboration with the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians, featuring performances of works by Muhal Richard Abrams, George Lewis, Roscoe Mitchell, and others since 1995.
activities · 4 groups
What they do
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Classical and Chamber Music Performances 2 activities
- Collaborate on international festivals and special programsInitiates and participates in international festivals such as the Music of Extended Duration at Prague Castle, the Ostrava Days Festival, and NODO (New Opera Days Ostrava), often involving large-scale, site-specific, or multi-orchestra performances.
- Present contemporary music performances in New York City and internationallyProduces and performs contemporary and experimental music through an ongoing concert series in New York City venues such as Willow Place Auditorium, Paula Cooper Gallery, Carnegie Hall, and Lincoln Center, and tours annually in Europe with additional performances in South America and Japan.
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Commissioning New Musical Works 1 activity
- Host workshops and public performances for emerging composersOrganizes annual Emerging Composers Workshops and reading sessions that provide early-career composers with mentorship, rehearsal time, and public performances of their new works, held at venues like Willow Place Auditorium.
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Nonprofit Music Recording and Distribution 1 activity
- Produce and release recordings of contemporary musicRecords and releases performances of contemporary compositions, including works by Morton Feldman, Petr Kotik, Marcel Duchamp, and John Cage, through labels such as Asphodel Ltd., Wergo, and Dog w/a Bone.
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Uncategorized 1 activity
- Perform works by specific composers, especially Petr Kotik and John CageSpecializes in performing compositions by avant-garde composers including Petr Kotik, John Cage, Julius Eastman, Morton Feldman, and Christian Wolff, with frequent performances of Kotik’s large-scale works such as "Many Many Women" and Cage’s experimental scores.
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financials · form 990EZ · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$164K
Contributions & grants$96K59%
Program service revenue$66K40%
Investment income$2K1%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$164K
Program expenses—
Admin / overhead—
Fundraising—
Salaries & benefits$91K
Grants paid out$0
balance sheet
Total assets$112K
Cash—
Investments—
Liabilities—
Net assets$112K
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +10.6%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 2
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emma Mistele | Coordinator | 30 | $22K |
| Petr Kotik | Artistic Director | 40 | $15K |
relationships · 46
Who they work with
- 2B&2C Partner — Collaborated on presenting a concert at El Barrio's Artspace PS109 in May 2021
- Alfred T. White Community Center Partner — Shares space and facilities at Willow Place Auditorium with S.E.M. Ensemble.
- Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center Partner — High-profile venue for major concerts.
- Asphodel Ltd. Funder — Record label releasing recordings of The Orchestra of the S.E.M. Ensemble.
- Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians Partner — Collaborated with S.E.M. Ensemble on a 60th-anniversary performance.
- Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians Partner — Longstanding collaborative relationship since 1995 involving joint performances, large-scale concerts in Europe, and recordings of AACM composers' works.
- Bohemian National Hall Partner — Hosted multiple S.E.M. Ensemble events including the spring concert and a panel discussion.
- Bohemian National Hall Partner — Presented a performance at Bohemian National Hall in New York
- Bohemian National Hall Partner — Venue hosting performances by S.E.M. Ensemble
- Brooklyn College Partner — Hosted performances by the S.E.M. Ensemble at the Buchwald Theater at the Leonard & Claire Tow Center for the Performing Arts.
- Carnegie Hall Partner — High-profile venue for major concerts.
- Czech Center New York Partner — Co-hosted an event reflecting on the nationality of music in December 2024.
- Czech Center New York Partner — Collaborated on the production of a video and event related to the S.E.M. Ensemble's 50th anniversary.
- Czech Center New York Partner — Provided support for the S.E.M. Ensemble's 2022-23 season events.
- DOX Centre for Contemporary Art Partner — Hosted a concert by the Ostrava New Orchestra under Petr Kotik featuring works by Iannis Xenakis.
- De Singel Partner — Performed at De Singel in Antwerp, Belgium
- DiMenna Center for Classical Music Partner — Venue for concert performances
- Dog w/a Bone Funder — Record label releasing recent recordings of S.E.M. Ensemble.
- Heights Players Partner — Coshares the Alfred T. White Community Center facility with S.E.M. Ensemble.
- Kentler International Drawing Space Partner — Hosted a concert on May 20, 2021 as part of the ensemble's performance series
- Merkin Concert Hall Partner — High-profile venue for major concerts.
- National Moravian-Silesian Theater Partner — Co-founded the opera festival NODO (New Opera Days Ostrava) with S E M ENSEMBLE INC in 2012.
- ONO Orchestra Partner — Collaborated with ONO Orchestra in performances at the Ostrava Days Festival and DOX Art Center
- Ostrava Center for New Music Partner — Produced performances featuring Ostravská banda and members of the S.E.M. Ensemble, funded by the Czech Ministry of Culture and the City of Ostrava.
- Ostrava Days Institute Partner — Collaborates through shared artistic leadership and programming focus on contemporary music.
- Ostravska bandá Partner — Collaborative performance partner in the presentation of Petr Kotik's "Master-Pieces".
- Ostravská banda Partner — Collaborated with Ostravská banda at the Ostrava Days Festival
- Ostravská banda Partner — Performed works by Christian Wolff and Petr Kotik under conductor Petr Kotik at the Ostrava Days Festival.
- Paula Cooper Gallery Partner — Host venue for the S.E.M. Ensemble Winter Concert on December 2, 2025.
- Paula Cooper Gallery Partner — Hosted performances by the S.E.M. Ensemble, including world premieres of works by Miya Masaoka and Petr Kotik.
+ 16 more
strategies · 4
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.
- Artist-Led, Integrity-Driven Programmingmethodology: artist-led_programmingBy centering artistic integrity over commercial or critical approval, the ensemble fosters authentic innovation in contemporary music, enabling the realization of ambitious, non-conformist works that might otherwise be excluded from traditional performance venues.
- Collaborative International & Inter-Ensemble Networksmethodology: international_cooperation_in_contemporary_musicBy prioritizing international cooperation and collaboration with peer ensembles and cultural institutions, the organization ensures authentic, globally informed presentations of contemporary music that extend beyond national or institutional boundaries.
- Flexible, Accessible Engagement Modelmethodology: flexible-audience-attendanceBy staging long-duration experimental performances in public outdoor spaces with flexible audience attendance, the ensemble lowers barriers to entry and redefines listener engagement, making avant-garde music more approachable without compromising artistic rigor.
- Mentorship and Development Through Performancemethodology: mentorship-through-performanceBy providing emerging composers with performance readings, collaborative mentorship, and public premieres of their works, the ensemble cultivates the next generation of experimental musicians, turning developmental support into tangible artistic outcomes.