named programs · 4 · from sources
What they call their work
Global Humanitarian Concerts
Flagship concert series at Carnegie Hall and other venues featuring world-renowned musicians, raising awareness and funds for humanitarian crises such as refugee emergencies, natural disasters, and public health issues.
Humanitarian Chamber Music Series
Local chamber music concerts in Short Hills, New Jersey, and the Tri-State area designed to bring music-driven social impact to regional communities.
Music Residency at Za'atari Refugee Camp
Weeklong residency program in Jordan where a string quartet provides music education and performances for Syrian refugee youth in partnership with Questscope and Tufts University.
Ubuntu-Shruti Professional Training Orchestra
Training orchestra for young musicians focused on community, empowerment, and education through music, particularly serving immigrant communities in New York City.
activities · 4 groups
What they do
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Benefit Events for Arts and Culture 2 activities
- Fund humanitarian and social sector organizations through concert proceedsContributes net proceeds from humanitarian concerts to organizations addressing humanitarian crises and public interest issues, including support for Doctors Without Borders, Darfur refugees, children of Syria, and Rohingya communities. Since 2006, over $3.3 million has been raised through these initiatives.
- Organize and present humanitarian concerts to raise awareness and fundsConceives and presents musical concerts and related events at major venues such as Carnegie Hall and the Cathedral of St. John the Divine to raise awareness and funds for global humanitarian crises, including those affecting refugees, disaster survivors, and vulnerable populations. These concerts have involved over 700 musicians from more than 150 orchestras and ensembles globally.
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Community Music Performances & Education 1 activity
- Conduct music education and performance residencies for refugee and underserved youthImplements music residencies and educational programs for children in refugee camps and underserved communities, including a weeklong string quartet residency and chamber music workshops for Syrian refugee youth at Za'atari Refugee Camp in Jordan, and masterclasses at the National Music Conservatory in Amman.
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Arts Education Professional Development 1 activity
- Deliver global lectures, lecture recitals, and training workshopsConducts lectures, lecture recitals, and corporate training workshops in business, higher education, diplomatic, and conference settings worldwide to promote socially engaged music and humanitarian causes.
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Arts and Cultural Workforce Training 1 activity
- Provide internship opportunities in socially engaged music administrationOffers internship positions for college students to support administrative operations and gain experience in management, development, and operations within the context of socially engaged music initiatives.
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financials · form 990EZ · fy2025
revenue
Total revenue$3K
Contributions & grants$3K100%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$4K
Program expenses—
Admin / overhead—
Fundraising—
Salaries & benefits$0
Grants paid out$0
balance sheet
Total assets$2K
Cash—
Investments—
Liabilities—
Net assets$-21K
5 years on record · 2020–2025 · YoY revenue -20.1%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2025
Who runs it
board members · 8
- Alan Stepansky — Director
- Craig Mumm — Director
- Leonard Hindell — Director
- Lianna Portnoy — Director
- Louise Schulman — Director
- Mark Kuss — Director, Treasurer, and Interim Chairman
- Palliath George Mathew — Artistic Director
- Peter Lloyd — Director
relationships · 32
Who they work with
- Acumen Partner — Beneficiary organization supported through fundraising concerts.
- Acumen Partner — Collaborator and beneficiary organization in MFLI's humanitarian concerts.
- American Jewish World Service Partner — Collaborator and beneficiary organization in MFLI's humanitarian concerts.
- Carnegie Hall Partner — Collaborates on a flagship global humanitarian concert series.
- Carnegie Hall Partner — Collaborates with Carnegie Hall to host humanitarian missions and causes.
- Carnegie Hall Partner — Hosted the "Shostakovich for the Children of Syria" benefit concert organized by Music for Life International.
- Carnegie Hall Partner — Venue for humanitarian concerts that generate funds for causes.
- Cathedral of St. John the Divine Partner — Hosted the Ubuntu-Shruti Orchestra for the New Year’s Eve Concerts for Peace.
- Cathedral of St. John the Divine Partner — Hosted the annual New Year's Eve Concert for Peace organized by Music for Life International.
- Catholic Medical Mission Board Partner — Beneficiary organization supported through fundraising concerts.
- Catholic Medical Mission Board Partner — Collaborator and beneficiary organization in MFLI's humanitarian concerts.
- Doctors Without Borders Partner — Beneficiary organization supported through fundraising concerts.
- Doctors Without Borders Partner — Received funds raised from the 2006 Beethoven's Ninth for South Asia concert for humanitarian aid to survivors of the Kashmir Earthquake.
- Doctors Without Borders USA Partner — Collaborator and beneficiary organization in MFLI's humanitarian concerts.
- HelpMeSee Partner — Beneficiary organization supported through fundraising concerts.
- HelpMeSee Partner — Collaborator and beneficiary organization in MFLI's humanitarian concerts.
- Institute for Global Leadership at Tufts University Partner — Collaborated with the Institute for Global Leadership at Tufts University on a string quartet residency for Syrian refugee youth at Za'atari Refugee Camp.
- National Council of Churches Partner — Collaborator and beneficiary organization in MFLI's humanitarian concerts.
- Questscope Partner — Collaborated on a music residency program for Syrian refugee children at Za'atari Refugee Camp in Jordan.
- Questscope Partner — Collaborator and beneficiary organization in MFLI's humanitarian concerts.
- Questscope Partner — Partnered to implement a music residency program in Za'atari Refugee Camp, Jordan.
- Questscope Partner — Partnered with Questscope on a string quartet residency for Syrian refugee youth at Za'atari Refugee Camp in Jordan.
- Refugees International Partner — Collaborator and beneficiary organization in MFLI's humanitarian concerts.
- The Cathedral of St. John the Divine Partner — Collaborator and beneficiary organization in MFLI's humanitarian concerts.
- UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Government — Attended the launch event for the 'Year for the Children of Syria' initiative.
- UN Women Partner — Collaborated on a performance to raise funds and awareness to end violence against women.
- UN Women Partner — Collaborator and beneficiary organization in MFLI's humanitarian concerts.
- UNDP Partner — Collaborator and beneficiary organization in MFLI's humanitarian concerts.
- UNICEF Partner — Beneficiary organization supported through fundraising concerts.
- UNICEF Partner — Collaborator and beneficiary organization in MFLI's humanitarian concerts.
+ 2 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.
- Cultural Amplification Through Prestigious Performance Platformsmethodology: cultural-amplificationBy staging concerts at high-profile venues like Carnegie Hall, the organization increases the visibility and legitimacy of humanitarian causes, because cultural prestige attracts influential audiences and media attention that amplify advocacy and fundraising outcomes.
- Music as Narrative Advocacy for Humanitarian Causesmethodology: music-as-narrative-advocacyBy using music-derived narratives in concerts, the organization generates powerful messaging that raises awareness and support for humanitarian crises, because music's emotional resonance and storytelling capacity create deeper public engagement than factual appeals alone.
- Music for Community Building in Crisis Contextsmethodology: music-for-community-buildingBy providing music education and performance opportunities in refugee settings, the organization builds community cohesion and creates pathways for displaced children, because collective musical engagement restores agency, belonging, and developmental structure in disrupted environments.
- Music-Informed Leadership and Social Change Modelsmethodology: music-informed leadership developmentBy applying principles from orchestral and chamber music—such as collaborative leadership, profound listening, and mutual accountability—the organization develops leadership models and promotes societal change, because these musical practices foster empathy, cohesion, and conflict resolution in non-musical sectors.