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THE HARMONY PROGRAM INC
NEW YORK, NY · EIN 050606695 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE A68 · Arts, Culture & Humanities · Medium ($1M-$10M) · harmonyprogram.org
revenue
$2.2M
expenses
$2.9M
net assets
$2.8M
employees
123
volunteers
5
program ratio
71%
mission · from form 990

THE HARMONY PROGRAM BELIEVES THAT MUSIC SHOULD BE AN INTEGRAL PART OF EVERY CHILD'S EDUCATION AND THAT GREAT EXPECTATIONS LEAD TO EVEN GREATER ACHIEVEMENT.

profile · synthesized from sources

The Harmony Program provides free, ensemble-based music education to K-12 students in New York City. It offers after-school and summer programs that emphasize skill development, performance, and community building through orchestral and choral training. The organization recruits professional musicians as teaching artists and provides them with pedagogical training to ensure high-quality instruction.

irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024

What they reported doing

  1. #1 primary $320K
    THE HARMONY PROGRAM UNDERSTANDS THAT THE SUMMER MONTHS CAN BE CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TO STUDENTS' ABILITY TO RETAIN, HONE, AND BUILD UPON THE SKILLS THEY LEARNED DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR. OUR SUMMER CAMP GIVES STUDENTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRACTICE AND RECEIVE INSTRUCTION DURING THE SUMMER, AND THE EXTENDED HOURS ENGAGE THEM IN TOPICS NOT INCLUDED IN OUR AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM, INCLUDING CHAMBER PLAYING, MUSIC THEORY, IMPROVISING, VOCAL WORK, AND DIFFERENT MUSIC GENRES.
  2. #2 $57K
    THE HARMONY PROGRAM'S UNIQUE MODEL ADDRESSES A SHORTAGE OF WELL-TRAINED MUSIC TEACHERS BY RECRUITING ACCOMPLISHED MUSICIANS, TRAINED AT THE NATION'S TOP CONSERVATORIES AND UNIVERSITIES, TO TEACH WITH US. THE QUALITY OF OUR PROGRAMMING IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE PREPARATION OF OUR TEACHERS, WHO COME WITH EXCEPTIONAL MUSICAL TRAINING BUT LIMITED TEACHING EXPERIENCE. OUR TEACHERS RECEIVE UP TO 65 HOURS OF TRAINING PER YEAR IN PREPARATION FOR THEIR WORK WITH OUR STUDENTS.
named programs · 7 · from sources

What they call their work

Children’s Choir
Vocal program for students in grades K-5 with no prior experience required, building confidence and vocal skills
Children’s Orchestra
Beginning-level orchestra for students with 2+ years of experience, meeting weekly to develop foundational skills
Junior Choir
Choral ensemble for students in grades 4-8, developing harmony and musical expression through collaborative performance
Junior Orchestra
Intermediate orchestral ensemble for students with 3+ years of experience, focusing on technical development and ensemble precision
Summer Camp
Free, three-week immersive music program at The Juilliard School for NYC students, featuring ensemble instruction, music theory, improvisation, and vocal work
Youth Choir
Advanced choral ensemble for students in grades 8-12, emphasizing vocal technique and artistic expression
Youth Symphony Orchestra
Advanced orchestral ensemble for students with 4+ years of experience, offering rigorous repertoire and performance opportunities
activities · 3 groups

What they do

  • Music Education and Training Programs 4 activities
    • Conduct weekly ensemble rehearsals with structured musical development
      Runs weekly ensemble rehearsals that include skill-building exercises, sectionals, and full-ensemble practice with defined goals, grouped by age and experience level. These rehearsals are central to student development and prepare participants for public performances and advanced musical opportunities.
    • Deliver community-based music education to K-12 students in New York City
      Provides free, ensemble-based music instruction to students in grades K-12 across New York City, with a focus on low-income communities; serves over 1,200 students annually at 17 program sites through in-school and after-school programs. Offers vocal and instrumental training, including beginner classes in flute, clarinet, trombone, viola, and trumpet, with free instruments and supplies provided for the duration of participation.
    • Operate summer music camp at The Juilliard School
      Runs a three-week summer camp program at The Juilliard School providing intensive music instruction in chamber playing, music theory, improvisation, vocal work, and various music genres. The program enables year-round engagement and offers priority access to ensemble students.
    • Support student advancement through audition preparation and selective programs
      Provides audition preparation, tuition assistance, and college/career guidance to help students gain admission into prestigious external music programs such as Juilliard’s Music Advancement Program, Interlochen Arts Camp, Carnegie Hall ensembles, and the Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra. Offers an “All Stars” program that connects advanced students with professional musicians for study and performance.
  • Classical and Chamber Music Performances 1 activity
    • Organize public performances and high-profile performance opportunities
      Produces at least two to three public performances annually per ensemble and facilitates high-profile performance experiences at major venues including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Sony Hall, and Rubenstein Atrium. Students have co-performed with musicians from the New York Philharmonic and participated in events such as the Encounters Festival in Mexico City with Gustavo Dudamel.
  • Arts Education Professional Development 1 activity
    • Provide professional development training for teaching artists
      Offers over 75 hours of paid annual professional training for music teachers and teaching artists to prepare them for effective instruction within the program’s pedagogical framework.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$2.23M
Contributions & grants$1.70M76%
Program service revenue$439K20%
Investment income$97K4%
Other revenue$-3K
expenses
Total expenses$2.87M
Program expenses71%
Admin / overhead16%
Fundraising13%
Salaries & benefits$2.20M
Grants paid out$13K
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$3.47M
Cash$1.96M
Investments$736K
Liabilities$630K
Net assets$2.84M
Liquid reserves11.3 mo
6 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue -49.5%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

paid leadership · 1
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
ANNE FITZGIBBON EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 40 $282K
board members · 15
  • ADRIANA DIAZ — MEMBER
  • ANTHONY MCGILL — MEMBER
  • CHIZU MENDOZA — MEMBER
  • DOUG HENCK — TREASURER
  • DR KALMON POST — CHAIR
  • ELIAH SETON — MEMBER
  • ERIN WILLIAMS — MEMBER
  • EVAN GOGEL — MEMBER
  • GEORGE MELAS — MEMBER
  • KERI KUNZLE — MEMBER
  • KEVIN GORE — MEMBER
  • KIRSTEN KERN — MEMBER
  • NANCY HAGER — MEMBER
  • RICK SONG — MEMBER
  • ROY NIEDERHOFFER — MEMBER
relationships · 26

Who they work with

  • All Angels Church Partner — Hosts beginner instrumental classes for viola in Manhattan.
  • Carnegie Hall Partner — Provides performance opportunities for students at Carnegie Hall, including through the New York Pops Kids on Stage ensemble.
  • Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center Partner — Collaborated with Arnaud Sussmann of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center for a performance at Sony Hall in 2023.
  • Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center Partner — Collaborates with the Harmony Program in education and community engagement efforts.
  • Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center Partner — Partnership to enhance chamber music education and performance experiences.
  • City University of New York (CUNY) Partner — Temporary partnership to foster growth and sustainability, launching first instructional site in Brooklyn.
  • G. Schirmer Partner — Partnership to create the “Living Harmony” series of original repertoire for beginner musicians through commissions from notable composers.
  • Juilliard School Partner — Partnership bringing Morse Fellows into classrooms to support student learning.
  • Juilliard School Partner — Supports student advancement through placements in Juilliard’s Music Advancement Program and Pre-College Division.
  • Lincoln Center Partner — Hosts student performances at Lincoln Center events.
  • Michiko Studios Partner — Hosts beginner instrumental classes for flute, clarinet, and viola in Manhattan.
  • New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg administration Government — Founded the Harmony Program while the Executive Director was working as a policy advisor in the administration.
  • New York Philharmonic Partner — Co-performed with musicians of the New York Philharmonic at Rubenstein Atrium in 2019.
  • New York Philharmonic Partner — Formalized partnership to support music education programming.
  • New York Philharmonic Partner — Partners with musicians from the New York Philharmonic through the “All Stars” program for student instruction and performance.
  • New York Philharmonic Partner — Provides instruction to Harmony Program students through its musicians.
  • Orpheus Chamber Orchestra Partner — Partnership to support student engagement and performance opportunities.
  • SiriusXM Partner — Industry partner connecting Harmony Program alumni through the Alumni Corps initiative.
  • St. Paul & St. Andrew UMC Partner — Hosts beginner instrumental classes for trombone and trumpet in Manhattan.
  • The Juilliard School Partner — Hosts the Harmony Program Summer Camp on its campus.
  • Warner Music Group Partner — Partnership established after The Harmony Program was selected as beneficiary of the Warner Music Prize.
  • West Point Band Partner — Partnership where members coach and perform for Harmony Program students.
  • Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles (YOLA) Partner — Collaborates with YOLA to provide performance and educational opportunities for students.
  • community-based organizations Partner — Partners with community-based organizations to provide musical training programs.
  • iHeartMedia Partner — Industry partner connecting Harmony Program alumni through the Alumni Corps initiative.
  • public schools Partner — Collaborates with public schools to deliver in-school and after-school music programs.
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.

  • El Sistema Adaptation for Social and Musical Development
    methodology: el_sistema_adaptation
    By adapting the El Sistema model—originally from Venezuela—into a community-based music education framework, the organization fosters both musical skill development and social-emotional growth in underserved youth, because ensemble participation builds peer relationships, community, and personal responsibility.
  • Progressive, Age-and-Experience-Based Ensemble Instruction
    methodology: differentiated_ensemble_instruction
    By structuring music education through age- and experience-based grouping within a multi-year pathway, the organization balances challenge and support to sustain engagement and skill development, because differentiated instruction in ensemble settings enables both musical progression and peer accountability.
  • Teaching Artist Development Pipeline
    methodology: musician_to_teacher_pipeline
    By recruiting accomplished musicians and training them in pedagogy, the organization ensures high-quality, authentic music instruction, because professional musicians bring deep artistic expertise that, when combined with teaching skills, enhances student engagement and learning outcomes.