irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $2.13MTouring: Each season CMS pursues a vigorous touring schedule across the United States, North and South America, Europe and Asia. While on tour our artists give master classes, coachings, and lectures for local students and audiences. In addition to long standing residencies CMS strives to bring chamber music to places where it is less common and strengthen interest where a tradition of chamber music already exists.
- #2 $1.26MEducation: Each year, thousands of children and adults participate in CMSs education and community engagement programs. For adults, we offer master classes, pre-concert composer talks, lectures on season repertoire, and entertaining program notes that enhance audience enjoyment. We also lead a competitive three-year residency program for early-career chamber musicians. Our youth initiatives include family concerts, a relaxed performance series for children who are neuro- diverse, and a classroom elementary school program that teaches music fundamentals, youth mentorship and performance training programs, and an open rehearsal series.
named programs · 3 · from sources
What they call their work
Education and Community Engagement
Offering master classes, pre-concert talks, family concerts, relaxed performances for neurodiverse children, school-based music programs, youth mentorship, and open rehearsals
Residency Program for Early-Career Musicians
Three-year competitive residency for emerging chamber musicians to develop artistic excellence and performance skills
Touring
Presenting chamber music performances across the United States, North and South America, Europe, and Asia, including master classes and lectures for local audiences and students
activities · 5 groups
What they do
-
Music Education and Training Programs 2 activities
- Delivers education and community engagement programsEngages over 15,000 students, families, and adults annually through education programs including master classes, lectures, family concerts, relaxed performances for neuro-diverse children, school music programs, youth mentorship, and open rehearsals. Offers free mainstage-level performances in the Bronx, Queens, and Brooklyn through the Barbaralee Diamonstein-Spielvogel Community Concert Series.
- Supports emerging chamber musicians through multi-season residenciesOperates the Bowers Program, a three-season residency that provides mentorship, performance opportunities, and integration into CMS concerts in New York and on tours for early-career chamber musicians.
-
-
Classical and Chamber Music Performances 2 activities
- Presents chamber music performances in New York City and on national and international toursPresents over 150 performances annually at Alice Tully Hall and other venues in New York City, as well as through a vigorous touring schedule across the United States, North and South America, Europe, and Asia. These include mainstage concerts featuring world-renowned artists and ensembles.
- Produces touring and residency programs with educational and community componentsOffers touring and residency programs that include chamber music performances, pre-concert talks, master classes, school visits, open rehearsals, and audience receptions, tailored to local community needs. These programs have featured thematic tours such as all-Beethoven, wind-focused, piano quintet, and American composer celebrations.
-
-
Commissioning New Musical Works 1 activity
- Commissions new chamber music worksHas commissioned over 200 new works from prominent composers to expand the chamber music repertoire, presented in performances and recordings.
-
-
Artist Support Grants 1 activity
- Funds recognition of excellence in chamber music compositionBiennially awards the Elise L. Stoeger Prize, a $25,000 grant to composers for significant contributions to chamber music composition.
-
-
Digital Music and Performance Archiving 1 activity
- Provides digital and broadcast access to chamber musicProduces national radio broadcasts and digital content, including a digital platform offering free access to nearly 2,000 archived concerts, events, lectures, and live recordings, expanding access to chamber music across the United States and during periods when in-person performances were limited.
-
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$18.60M
Contributions & grants$9.66M52%
Program service revenue$3.28M18%
Investment income$6.10M33%
Other revenue$-442K
expenses
Total expenses$13.07M
Program expenses76%
Admin / overhead8%
Fundraising16%
Salaries & benefits$4.78M
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$97.76M
Cash$11.07M
Investments$77.94M
Liabilities$2.33M
Net assets$95.43M
Liquid reserves81.7 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +20.6%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 4
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| SUZANNE DAVIDSON | Executive Director | 35 | $438K |
| MARIE-LOUISE STEGAL | Development Director | 35 | $226K |
| MICHAEL SOLOMON | Administration Directo | 35 | $173K |
| GREG ROSSI | Controller | 35 | $159K |
board members · 21
- BEATRICE A LIU — Trustee
- CATHERINE A GELLERT — Trustee
- DAVID W NIEMEC — Trustee
- JAMES P O'SHAUGHNESSY — Trustee
- JAMES STYNES — Trustee
- JOHN L LINDSEY — Trustee
- JOSEPH M COHEN — Trustee
- JUDY EVNIN — Trustee
- KATHE G WILLIAMSON — Trustee
- LINDA S DAINES — Trustee
- MATTHEW D HOFFMAN — Trustee
- PAUL B GRIDLEY — Trustee
- PETER DUCHIN — Trustee
- PETER REED — Trustee
- PETER W KEEGAN — Vice Chair
- PHYLLIS GRANN — Trustee
- PRISCILLA F KAUFF — Trustee
- RICHARD PRINS — Secretary
- ROBERT HOGLUND — Chairperson
- ROBERT S FELDMAN — Trustee
- SALLY DAYTON CLEMENT — Trustee
relationships · 21
Who they work with
- Apple Music Classical Partner — Collaborates as the premiere chamber music partner for album releases and digital distribution.
- Barbaralee Diamonstein-Spielvogel Community Concert Series Partner — Partners with local presenting venues in the Bronx, Queens, and Brooklyn to deliver free chamber music performances to diverse NYC communities.
- City Council Government — Public funder supporting the current season in partnership with the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs
- David Rowe Artists Partner — US booking agent for Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center tours
- David Rowe Artists Management Partner — Manages booking for Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center performances in North America.
- Emerson String Quartet Partner — Served as the first resident string quartet of The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center from 1982 to 1989.
- Harris Theater for Music and Dance Partner — Hosts performances by The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center.
- Hauser Foundation Funder — Established The Hauser Fund for Media & Technology with a $5 million gift to support CMS’s digital programming and expand access beyond the concert hall.
- Jerome L. Greene Foundation Funder — Season sponsor of CMS through a leadership gift supporting the organization’s programming.
- Joan Harris Government — Served on the President’s Commission for the National Endowment for the Arts and as Commissioner of the Department of Cultural Affairs for the City of Chicago; supported CMS through leadership at the Harris Theater.
- Lincoln Center Government — Collaborates with Lincoln Center on artistic planning and production.
- Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts Network — Member organization of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, presenting concerts as part of the larger arts campus.
- Milan Stoeger Funder — Provided a generous gift to establish the Elise L. Stoeger Prize in memory of his wife.
- New York City Department of Cultural Affairs Government — Public funder supporting the current season
- New York Magazine Partner — Recognized a CMS program as one of the Top Ten Classical Music Events of 2012.
- New York State Council on the Arts Government — Public funder supporting the current season with support from Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature
- Wei Zhou Partner — Asia booking representative for Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center tours
- Wei Zhou Partner — Individual contact at Weiber Consulting for booking Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center in the Far East.
- Weiber Consulting Partner — Handles booking for Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center performances in the Far East.
- other non-profits Partner — Collaborates with other nonprofits to provide tailored arts education resources.
- presenters in the US and around the world Partner — Collaborates with local presenting organizations to deliver chamber music performances in communities outside New York City.
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.
- Collaborative and Community-Tailored Programmingmethodology: community-tailored_programmingBy co-creating performances with presenters and tailoring residency programs to local identities and needs, CMS fosters deeper audience engagement and lasting relationships with communities, because locally relevant and collaboratively designed art increases ownership and connection.
- Curated Repertoire and Thematic Programmingmethodology: curated_repertoire_mixBy blending standard, unusual, and new works—organized around instruments, cultural themes, or timbral exploration—CMS engages diverse audiences, because thoughtful curation creates accessible entry points and deepens artistic appreciation across different listener backgrounds.
- Expanded Access Through Integrated Outreachmethodology: inclusive_access_programmingBy combining touring with education, media, and inclusive formats like relaxed performances and classroom residencies, CMS broadens access to chamber music, because multi-channel engagement lowers barriers and fosters lifelong participation among underserved and neuro-diverse audiences.
- Integrated Artist Development and Mentorshipmethodology: artist_residency_and_integrationBy fully integrating emerging artists into performance and touring activities with mentorship from established musicians, CMS develops the next generation of chamber music leaders, because immersive professional experiences accelerate artistic growth and career sustainability.
- Intimate Performance Experiencemethodology: intimate_performance_engagementBy presenting chamber music in acoustically refined, intimate spaces, CMS deepens audience engagement, because proximity and sonic clarity enhance emotional connection and perceptual focus on musical detail.