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AMHERST SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA ASSOCIATION INC
WILLIAMSVILLE, NY · EIN 160806883 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE A690 · Arts, Culture & Humanities · Small ($100K-$1M) · amherstsymphony.com
revenue
$100K
expenses
$100K
net assets
$216K
employees
0
volunteers
100
program ratio
93%
mission · from form 990

PROVIDE FREE CONCERTS TO THE COMMUNITY FEATURING VARIOUS KINDS OF MUSIC, CLASSICAL, POPS, CHRISTMAS ETC

profile · synthesized from sources

The Amherst Symphony Orchestra Association provides free classical and pops concerts to the Western New York community, primarily in Amherst and Williamsville. It supports music education through multiple annual scholarships for high school seniors pursuing music studies. The orchestra is composed of volunteer musicians and performs a seasonal concert series, including holiday and summer events.

irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024

What they reported doing

  1. #1 primary $6K
    THREE COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS FOR STUDENTS STUDYING MUSIC
  2. #2 $1K
    PROMOTION OF MUSIC TO YOUNG PEOPLE AND PUBLIC OUTREACH
named programs · 4 · from sources

What they call their work

Audrey C. Hurd String Scholarship
Annual $3,000 scholarship for Erie County high school seniors studying string instruments at the university level
FASO/Williamsville Rotary Club Scholarship
Annual scholarship for Amherst-area high school seniors pursuing music studies, funded by the Friends of the Amherst Symphony Orchestra and Williamsville Rotary Club
Free Concert Series
Seasonal concerts including holiday, summer, and classical performances held at Williamsville South High School and Island Park, open to the public at no cost
Valerie Heywood Scholarship
Annual $2,000 scholarship for music students in honor of the late Buffalo Philharmonic violist and educator
activities · 3 groups

What they do

  • Music Education Support 1 activity
    • Awards music scholarships to high school seniors
      Provides annual scholarships to high school seniors from Amherst or with ASO affiliation who plan to study music at the university level, including the $3,000 Audrey C. Hurd String Scholarship, the $2,000 Valerie Heywood Scholarship, and the FASO/Williamsville Rotary Club Scholarship, funded in part by member dues and administered through the Audrey Hurd Endowment Fund.
  • Classical and Chamber Music Performances 1 activity
    • Performs free public concerts
      Organizes and performs five free public concerts annually for residents of Amherst, Erie County, and Western New York, including regular season concerts, a holiday concert, and an annual outdoor summer concert at Island Park in Williamsville, with indoor rain location at Williamsville South High School Auditorium.
  • Community Music Performances & Education 1 activity
    • Promotes music education and engagement for youth
      Conducts public outreach to promote music among young people, including featuring youth musicians and local soloists in concerts, hosting holiday concerts with community participation, and organizing scholarship luncheons with musical performances by recipients.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$100K
Contributions & grants$89K89%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$6K6%
Other revenue$6K
expenses
Total expenses$100K
Program expenses93%
Admin / overhead5%
Fundraising1%
Salaries & benefits$0
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineProfessional Fees
balance sheet
Total assets$233K
Cash$44K
Investments$169K
Liabilities$17K
Net assets$216K
Liquid reserves25.6 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +17.2%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

board members · 14
  • ALEXA KURZIUS MATHES — DIRECTOR
  • ALLISON COLLINS — DIRECTOR
  • CLAUDIA STAINES — PRESIDENT
  • DIANE WOJTOWICZ — DIRECTOR
  • ELEANORE KLEPSER — TREASURER
  • ERIC BORENSTEIN — DIRECTOR
  • JANE G CARY — DIRECTOR
  • JOE BUCKLE — DIRECTOR
  • JOSEPH SANKOH — DIRECTOR
  • JUDY NILL BACON — DIRECTOR
  • KATHY PEASE — SECRETARY
  • MICHAEL RUSSO — DIRECTOR
  • PRISCILLA SEDGWICK — DIRECTOR
  • SHARON WALL — ASST TREAS/C
relationships · 19

Who they work with

  • Amherst Middle School Partner — Provides rehearsal space for the orchestra.
  • Andrea Bickford Partner — Collaborated with soprano Andrea Bickford as featured performer in the annual holiday concert.
  • Audrey Hurd Endowment Fund Funder — Sponsors the February Concert Soloists and the annual string scholarship.
  • Audrey Hurd Foundation Partner — Administers a scholarship for Erie County seniors studying string instruments, honoring a longtime ASO violinist.
  • Audrey Hurd Foundation Partner — Provides scholarships to student musicians.
  • Clarence Concert Association Partner — Business partner of the ASO.
  • Country Club of Buffalo Partner — Hosted the FASO-organized Scholarship Luncheon attended by 70 guests.
  • Eggertsville-Snyder Rotary Club Partner — Provided financial sponsorship and business management for the orchestra as a community service project.
  • Erie County Government — Funds ASO concerts through the county budget.
  • Friends of the Amherst Symphony Orchestra Partner — Co-sponsors the holiday concert cookie reception and provides scholarships for student musicians.
  • Rotary Club Partner — Business and service club partner of the ASO.
  • Town of Amherst Government — Funds ASO concerts.
  • Town of Amherst Arts and Culture in Public Places Committee Government — Recognized the Amherst Symphony Orchestra as Outstanding Organization in 2014.
  • Village of Williamsville Partner — Supports the ASO, including hosting the annual outdoor Summer concert.
  • Williamsville Rotary Club Partner — Co-awards scholarships to student musicians in partnership with FASO.
  • Williamsville Rotary Club Partner — Co-provides scholarships for high school seniors pursuing music studies in university.
  • Williamsville Rotary Club Partner — Co-sponsors the FASO/Williamsville Rotary Club Scholarship with the Friends Committee.
  • area schools Partner — Collaborates with area schools through new partnerships and educational initiatives.
  • community organizations Partner — Engages in new partnerships and collaborations with local community organizations.
strategies · 2

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.

  • Free Access Model for Community Engagement
    methodology: free_public_access
    By offering free admission to all concerts, the organization increases public accessibility to orchestral music and fosters broader community engagement, because removing financial barriers enables wider participation and inclusion.
  • Local Investment in Music Education via Scholarships
    methodology: local_investment_in_arts_education
    By directing scholarship support to locally connected students committed to advanced music study, the organization strengthens long-term community ties to the arts and promotes continuity in musical development, because targeted educational investment fosters local talent retention and deepens regional cultural engagement.