named programs · 8 · from sources
What they call their work
American Modern Ensemble
Professional ensemble dedicated to contemporary music by living composers, performing in venues such as Carnegie Hall and National Sawdust.
American Modern Recordings
Boutique record label specializing in modern classical music by living composers, distributed by Naxos and critically acclaimed.
FAB5
String quartet with percussion performing crossover pop and classical music in hospitals, public spaces, and care facilities to bring healing and accessibility to live music.
Lumiere Records
Classical crossover record label with music featured in films and TV, distributed by Naxos.
Mostly Modern Festival
International music festival in Saratoga Springs, NY, featuring world premieres, 20th/21st century classics, and an educational institute for performers, composers, and conductors.
Mostly Modern Festival | The Netherlands
European edition of the festival in Middelburg, Zeeland, showcasing modern music with concerts, dance, art, and culinary experiences.
Music & Medicine
Outreach program providing live music performances in hospitals, vaccination centers, senior centers, and parks to support community well-being.
Paterson Prize
Grant program funding arts organizations to perform, commission, or record works by composer Robert Paterson.
activities · 7 groups
What they do
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Live Music Performances & Concerts 2 activities
- Operates FAB5 ensemble performancesProduces live performances by FAB5, a 20-piece string orchestra with percussion that creates a crossover pop-classical experience, including high-visibility events such as Manhattan Plaza in 2020 and rush-hour commutes, with a focus on reactivating live music and supporting unemployed professional musicians.
- Organizes Mostly Modern Festival | The NetherlandsRuns an international edition of the Mostly Modern Festival annually in April in Middelburg, Zeeland, in partnership with Muziekschool Zeeland, expanding its programming to include European musicians and audiences.
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Classical and Chamber Music Performances 2 activities
- Organizes Mostly Modern Festival in Saratoga SpringsHosts an annual international music festival in June at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, New York, featuring world premieres and 20th–21st century classical works. The festival includes performances, educational programming, and thematic concerts focused on living composers.
- Runs American Modern EnsembleOperates the American Modern Ensemble, which performs contemporary classical music with thematic programming centered on works by living composers, presented in diverse cultural and public venues.
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Nonprofit Music Recording and Distribution 2 activities
- Produces recordings through American Modern RecordingsOperates American Modern Recordings, a boutique record label founded in 2011 that produces critically acclaimed recordings of modern classical music by living composers, distributed by Naxos.
- Produces recordings through Lumiere RecordsOperates Lumiere Records, a boutique label founded in 2005 that produces classical crossover music; its albums are top sellers and have been featured in major films and television series.
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Live Music Performances for Seniors and Isolated Populations 1 activity
- Delivers live music in healthcare and aging facilitiesPerforms live music for patients, residents, and staff in hospitals, senior centers, and care facilities including Mount Sinai Hospital, Lenox Hill, The Center on Aging at Cornell Weill, and facilities serving Alzheimer’s patients, as part of its outreach and Music & Medicine program.
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Artist Support Grants 1 activity
- Funds performance and recording of Robert Paterson's music via grantmakingAwards grants through the Paterson Prize program to arts organizations to perform, commission, record, or produce video of Robert Paterson's music, supporting broader dissemination of his work.
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Music Education and Training Programs 1 activity
- Offers educational programs for musicians and composersProvides annual educational programming for approximately 150 musicians—including instrumentalists, singers, composers, and conductors—through the Mostly Modern Festival Institute, open to individuals aged 18 and older, who perform alongside faculty in ensembles and orchestras.
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Free Outdoor Music Concerts 1 activity
- Provides live musical performances in public and non-traditional venuesDelivers free live music performances in parks, urban spaces, transit hubs (including The Oculus at World Trade Center, Moynihan Train Hall), and public areas such as Congress Park and Chelsea Market, often during rush hours or lunchtimes to reach broad audiences.
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financials · form 990 · fy2022
revenue
Total revenue$988K
Contributions & grants$374K38%
Program service revenue$605K61%
Investment income$2K0%
Other revenue$8K
expenses
Total expenses$957K
Program expenses95%
Admin / overhead5%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$111K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineFacilities
balance sheet
Total assets$211K
Cash$24K
Investments$25K
Liabilities$57K
Net assets$154K
Liquid reserves0.6 mo
4 years on record · 2019–2022 · YoY revenue -0.4%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2022
Who runs it
board members · 9
- DAVID AMADO — DIRECTOR
- GEORGE DENNIS O'BRIEN — PRESIDENT
- JOHN CANNING — DIRECTOR
- OBIE BENZ — DIRECTOR
- RICK TELLER — DIRECTOR
- ROBERT E LEE — DIRECTOR
- ROBERT PATERSON — ARTISTIC DIR
- SABINE RODGERS — DIRECTOR
- VICTORIA PATERSON — EXECUTIVE DI
relationships · 45
Who they work with
- ASCAP Foundation Funder — Institutional supporter
- Adirondack Trust Company Funder — Institutional supporter
- Albany Pro Musica Partner — Performer of Robert Paterson's music.
- Alice M. Ditson Fund Of Columbia University Funder — Institutional supporter
- Amphion Foundation, Inc. Funder — Institutional supporter
- Ashley Family Foundation Funder — Institutional supporter
- Austin Symphony Partner — Performer of Robert Paterson's music.
- Birdland Partner — Venue where Victoria Paterson has performed.
- Blue Hills Digital Partner — Website development partner
- Broadcast Music, Inc. Funder — Institutional supporter
- Brooklyn Academy of Music Partner — Co-producer of the opera Three Way.
- Buffalo Philharmonic Partner — Performer of Robert Paterson's music.
- Carnegie Hall Partner — Performance venue and professional affiliation for Robert Paterson and associated artists.
- Congress Park Partner — Hosts free outdoor classical music performances in partnership with Mostly Modern Projects.
- FAB5 Partner — Collaborates with FAB5 to present live musical performances in public spaces.
- Gerson Family Foundation Funder — Institutional supporter
- Jacob Javits Center Partner — Partnered with the Jacob Javits Center to perform at its 40th Anniversary celebration and rebrand launch event.
- Jacob Javits Vaccination Center Partner — Hosted FAB5 musicians for daily live performances during vaccination operations in 2021.
- Late Night with Seth Meyers Partner — Television program where Victoria Paterson has performed.
- Lenox Hill Partner — Venue where FAB5 performs live music for patients, staff, and visitors.
- Louisville Orchestra Partner — Performer of Robert Paterson's music.
- Madison Square Garden Partner — Venue where Victoria Paterson has performed.
- Maurice Amado Foundation Funder — Institutional supporter
- Minnesota Orchestra Partner — Performer of Robert Paterson's music.
- Mount Sinai Hospital Partner — Venue where FAB5 performs live music for patients, staff, and visitors.
- Musica Sacra Partner — Performer of Robert Paterson's music.
- Muziekschool Zeeland Partner — Partnership to operate the Mostly Modern Festival, The Netherlands in Middelburg.
- Nashville Opera Partner — Co-producer of the opera Three Way.
- National Endowment for the Arts Government — Public funding partner
- New York City Department of Cultural Affairs Government — Public funding partner in partnership with the City Council
+ 15 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.
- Crossover Programming for Audience Expansionmethodology: crossover_programmingBy blending classical music with pop and other accessible genres, the organization attracts diverse and broader audiences, because hybrid performances lower cultural barriers to entry and reframe classical music as inclusive and experientially engaging.
- Living Composer-Centered Programmingmethodology: contemporary-repertoire-focusBy centering contemporary works and living composers in concert programming, the organization makes classical music more relevant and engaging to 21st-century audiences, because it positions classical music as a dynamic, evolving art form rather than a static historical tradition.
- Music for Healing and Wellness in Non-Traditional Settingsmethodology: healing_power_of_musicBy bringing live music into healthcare and public spaces, the organization increases emotional well-being and access for underserved populations, because music functions as a therapeutic and humanizing force in clinical and high-stress environments.
- Side-by-Side Artistic Development Modelmethodology: side-by-side-collaboration-trainingBy pairing emerging musicians with established professionals in collaborative performance settings, the organization fosters high-level artistic growth and creates alternative career pathways, because immersive peer learning with master artists accelerates development and professional integration.