COMMON MAPS
Map version new-york activity top-down
Main site Contact
Menu
↑ parent activity group ·
research dossier

Opportunity Music Project
New York, NY · EIN 463720737 · Form 990EZ · FY2024 · NTEE A70 · Arts, Culture & Humanities · Small ($100K-$1M) · opportunitymusicproject.org
revenue
$152K
expenses
$228K
net assets
$68K
employees
—
program ratio
76%
mission · from form 990

We promote diversity in the arts, and expand access for young artists historically underrepresented in classical music. The mission of Opportunity Music Project is to create a community where all children, regardless of economic background, can pursue their passion for music and gain the valuable personal and collaborative skills associated with the rigors of learning an instrument. Opportunity Music Project began in April 2011 with seven students. The program now serves a community of 125 students ages 4 years old to 18 years old from all boroughs of New York City.

profile · synthesized from sources

Music education nonprofit serving young artists from low-income backgrounds in New York City. Provides free instrumental instruction, ensemble training, and performance opportunities to students aged 4 to 18, with a focus on increasing diversity in classical music. Founded in 2011 by Jessica Garand as a response to systemic inequities in the field.

named programs · 3 · from sources

What they call their work

Instrumental Instruction Program
Provides free, high-quality instrumental instruction in violin, viola, cello, bass, piano, and theory/composition to students from underserved communities in New York City
Music Advancement Program
Prepares students for admission to elite music training programs including Juilliard Pre-College and Manhattan School of Music Pre-College
Orchestra Program
Offers ensemble training and orchestral performance opportunities led by professional conductors for students aged 4 to 18
activities · 7 groups

What they do

  • Music Education and Training Programs 4 activities
    • Facilitating student performance and public concert opportunities
      Organizes regular performance opportunities for students, including recitals, service concerts, and appearances at prestigious venues such as Carnegie Hall’s Weill Institute, Harvard Graduate School of Education, and Mount Sinai Hospital. Also provides students and families with access to free concerts in New York City.
    • Providing comprehensive music education to underserved students
      Offers full-scholarship music training to students ages 4–18 from all five boroughs of New York City, including weekly private lessons in violin, viola, cello, double bass, and piano; music theory classes; orchestra training; and chamber music coaching. The program serves approximately 125 students annually and delivers over 4,000 hours of instruction each year.
    • Providing instruments and mentorship to support student development
      Supplies enrolled students with high-quality instruments to take home year-round and runs mentorship programs including a practice-buddy initiative that pairs students with college-level tutors to reinforce learning and foster self-motivation in music practice.
    • Running a Composition Lab for student creativity and expression
      Operates a Composition Lab that supports students in creating original musical works, with opportunities for premieres by professional musicians. The program includes in-person workshops and culminating performances with artists from the Juilliard Morse Fellowship Program.
  • Community Music Performances & Education 2 activities
    • Delivering music instruction through community partnerships
      Provides musical performances and instruction through partnerships with organizations serving underserved communities, including free chamber music coaching for children in Ann Arbor via the Artist Citizen program.
    • Expanding access through community and family engagement
      Conducts educational workshops in partnership with organizations such as Midori & Friends and the New York Public Library to promote cultural appreciation and accessibility. Offers a parent education series led by professional musicians and guest speakers, and organizes community engagement events.
  • Music Education Support 1 activity
    • Accepting instrument donations and managing student sponsorship
      Accepts donations of musical instruments to support student programs and offers a sponsorship program for individual students to ensure full financial support for participation.
  • Classical and Chamber Music Performances 1 activity
    • Advancing equity and representation in classical music
      Advances representation of women and other underrepresented gender identities in classical music through performance and education. Performs works by composers of underrepresented backgrounds to promote inclusion and community engagement.
  • Musicological Research and Scholarly Editions 1 activity
    • Conducting research on music education and intercultural understanding
      Conducts and publishes research in peer-reviewed journals on the impact of music study abroad programs and intercultural understanding through music.
  • Study Abroad and Global Immersion Programs 1 activity
    • Organizing international music study abroad programs
      Organizes and leads international study abroad trips for high school and college students to Asia and Europe, integrating music education with cross-cultural exchange.
  • High School Placement Support 1 activity
    • Supporting student artistic and academic advancement
      Supports students in gaining admission to competitive music programs such as Juilliard’s Pre-College and Music Advancement Program, Manhattan School of Music Pre-College, Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School, and top youth orchestras, as well as in enrolling at universities including Harvard, NYU, and Peabody Institute.
financials · form 990EZ · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$152K
Contributions & grants$143K94%
Program service revenue$9K6%
Investment income——
Other revenue—
expenses
Total expenses$228K
Program expenses76%
Admin / overhead16%
Fundraising8%
Salaries & benefits$72K
Grants paid out—
Largest expense lineProfessional Fees
balance sheet
Total assets$69K
Cash$126K
Investments$0
Liabilities$7K
Net assets$68K
Liquid reserves6.6 mo
4 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue -65.8%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

board members · 7
  • Husani Oakley — Director
  • Jean Ricot Saint Fleury — Director
  • Lindsey Dia — Director
  • Lisa Siegel — Director
  • Murat Beyazit — Director
  • Ross Clark — Director
  • Sumeet Shah — Director
relationships · 17

Who they work with

  • Carnegie Hall PlayUSA Partner — Partnered with Carnegie Hall PlayUSA in 2022.
  • Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts Partner — Students have been admitted to LaGuardia High School, a specialized NYC music high school.
  • InterSchool Orchestra Partner — Student participation in a prominent New York City youth orchestra.
  • Juilliard Morse Fellowship Program Partner — Partners with the Juilliard Morse Fellowship Program to provide college student ambassadors to OMP students.
  • Juilliard School’s Morse Fellowship Program Partner — Collaborates with the Juilliard School’s Morse Fellowship Program for live culminating workshops and performances.
  • Juilliard’s Music Advancement Program Partner — Student placement and participation in a selective training program at The Juilliard School.
  • Laguardia High School Partner — Student enrollment in a leading public performing arts high school.
  • Manhattan School of Music Partner — Students have gained admission to Manhattan School of Music Pre-College program.
  • Midori & Friends Partner — Partners with Opportunity Music Project faculty to conduct educational music workshops.
  • Music-COMP Partner — Partner organization in the Composition Lab program.
  • New York Public Library Partner — Hosts educational music workshops led by Opportunity Music Project faculty.
  • Opera America Partner — Provides rehearsal hall space for Opportunity Music Project student recitals.
  • Reaching for the Arts Partner — Collaborates with Opportunity Music Project to bring music to underserved communities.
  • The Bowery Mission Partner — Susan Wang serves as an Associate Board Member of The Bowery Mission, indicating a leadership-level organizational affiliation.
  • The Juilliard School Partner — Collaborates with The Juilliard School through student admissions, faculty engagement, and mentoring programs.
  • University of Michigan Partner — Hosts the Artist Citizen program where Opportunity Music Project faculty provide free music education to children.
  • Wufoo Partner — Uses Wufoo to host instrument donation forms
strategies · 5

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.

  • Equity-Centered Access to Classical Music Education
    methodology: equity-in-access
    By removing financial and systemic barriers to classical music education, we increase participation and personal development among historically underrepresented youth, because access is a prerequisite for representation and belonging in the field.
  • Inclusive Representation Through Curriculum and Performance
    methodology: representation-through-performance-and-education
    By centering works and stories of underrepresented composers—particularly women and Black and BIPOC composers—in performance and education, we foster identity exploration and belonging, because seeing oneself reflected in the canon increases engagement and cultural validation.
  • Mentorship as a Catalyst for Artistic Voice Development
    methodology: mentorship_and_shared_responsibility
    By pairing students with mentors through peer, college-level, and seminar-based models, we support the growth of individual musical identity and perseverance, because sustained relational guidance deepens creative confidence and skill acquisition.
  • Music Education for Intercultural and Personal Development
    methodology: arts-for-personal-development
    By integrating music learning with international experiences and expressive practice, we cultivate intercultural understanding and personal growth, because cross-cultural engagement through art expands empathy and self-expression.
  • Music as a Social and Relational Practice
    methodology: music-as-social-act
    By using group music-making, peer mentorship, and family engagement, we build communication, shared responsibility, and community support, because musical development is strengthened through relational trust and collective goals.