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DEATH OF CLASSICAL INC

Brooklyn, NY · EIN 844746058 · Form 990 · FY2025 · NTEE A60 · Arts, Culture & Humanities · Small ($100K-$1M) · deathofclassical.com
revenue
$352K
expenses
$300K
net assets
$88K
employees
0
program ratio
67%
mission · from form 990

DEATH OF CLASSICAL IS COMMITTED TO BRINGING NEW LIFE TO THE PERFORMING ARTS BY CREATING NEW AND UNEXPECTED CONCERT EXPERIENCES REACHING NEW AND BROADER AUDIENCES AND GIVING A VOICE TO UNDERREPRESENTED COMPOSERS AND PERFORMERS

profile · synthesized from sources

Death of Classical produces intimate concert series in unconventional venues such as crypts, catacombs, and cemeteries to revitalize classical music and reach new audiences. Based in Brooklyn, NY, the organization commissions new works and highlights underrepresented composers and performers. Its signature series include The Crypt Sessions and The Angel's Share.

irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024

What they reported doing

  1. #1 primary $76K
    THE CRYPT SESSIONSAN AWARD WINNING CLASSICAL MUSIC CONCERT SERIES PERFORMED IN THE CRYPT UNDER THE CHURCH OF THE INTERCESSION IN HARLEM, NEW YORK CITY. THE SERIES FEATURES ARTISTS PLAYING A VARIETY OF GENRES AND INSTRUMENTS, AS WELL AS COMPOSERS WITH OLD WORKS AND NEW PREMIERES. THE CRYPT SESSIONS ARE INTIMATE CONCERTS WITH LIMITED SEATING OFFERING A CLOSE UP MUSICAL EXPERIENCE FOR THE AUDIENCE.
  2. #2 $45K
    ANGELS SHAREA SECOND CONCERT SERIES WHICH TAKES PLACE IN THE CATACOMBS OF THE GREENWOOD CEMETERY IN BROOKLYN,NY AND CURATED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE GREENWOOD CEMETERY. THE SERIES TAKES THE NAME FROM FROM THE DISTILLERS TERM FOR WHISKEY THAT EVAPORATES WHILE MATURING IN THE BARREL, THUS GOING TO THE ANGELS. THESE CONCERTS TAKE PLACE IN A LONG AND WIDE CORRIDOR WITHIN THE CATACOMBS AND FEATURES A MORE CURRENT REPERTOIRE DUE TO CONSTRAINTS WITH THE SPACE AND ACOUSTICS.
named programs · 5 · from sources

What they call their work

From the Catacombs
Video concert series broadcast on ALL ARTS, featuring performances recorded in the Green-Wood Cemetery catacombs.
The Angel's Share
Concert series held in the catacombs of Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn, showcasing a contemporary repertoire curated in partnership with Green-Wood Cemetery.
The Crypt Sessions
Intimate classical music concerts held in the crypt under the Church of the Intercession in Harlem and later at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, featuring both established and emerging artists.
Tiergarten
Immersive cabaret event inspired by 1920s Weimar Berlin, directed by founder Andrew Ousley and hosted by Kim David Smith.
Waiting for the Barbarians
One-night-only musical exploration centered on the poetry of C.P. Cavafy, featuring new works by composers including Rufus Wainwright, Missy Mazzoli, and Nico Muhly.
activities · 3 groups

What they do

  • Performing Arts Ticket Access Programs 1 activity
    • Offers free and discounted access to performances to increase audience reach
      Makes select performances available to watch online for free and offers a rush ticket program providing day-of discounted tickets, enhancing accessibility to its concert series and special events.
  • Original Music-Theater and Opera Production 1 activity
    • Presents special one-off and collaborative performances and immersive events
      Produces unique, often genre-bending performances such as "Waiting for the Barbarians," "Tiergarten," and "An American Mosaic," frequently in collaboration with presenting partners like the PROTOTYPE Festival and the Alexander S. Onassis Benefit Foundation. These events include pre-show programming, site-specific staging, and performances by internationally recognized ensembles and artists.
  • Classical and Chamber Music Performances 1 activity
    • Produces intimate classical music and opera performances in unconventional, acoustically distinctive venues
      Produces award-winning concert series such as The Crypt Sessions, Angels' Share, and Relics & Martyrs in crypts, catacombs, and cemeteries across New York City, including the Church of the Intercession in Harlem, The Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn, and the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine. These recurring series feature diverse repertoire, world premieres, and performances by acclaimed artists, often selling out due to limited seating and immersive atmosphere.
financials · form 990 · fy2025
revenue
Total revenue$352K
Contributions & grants$95K27%
Program service revenue$257K73%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$300K
Program expenses67%
Admin / overhead28%
Fundraising5%
Salaries & benefits$48K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$88K
Cash$88K
Investments$0
Liabilities$0
Net assets$88K
Liquid reserves3.5 mo
4 years on record · 2022–2025 · YoY revenue +20.1%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2025

Who runs it

board members · 3
  • ANDREW OUSLEY — ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
  • JOHN OUSLEY
  • PHILIP DELVES BROUGHTON — TREASURER
relationships · 21

Who they work with

  • ALL ARTS Partner — Partners with ALL ARTS to make select performances available to watch online for free
  • Alexander S. Onassis Benefit Foundation Partner — Co-presented the 2023 performance "Waiting for the Barbarians."
  • Brooklyn Youth Chorus Partner — Participated in the 2023 performance "Waiting for the Barbarians."
  • Carnegie Hall Partner — Partnered with Death of Classical on concert presentations.
  • Cathedral of St. John the Divine Partner — Host venue for concert series in its Crypt space.
  • Cathedral of St. John the Divine Partner — Hosts concert series such as "Relics & Martyrs" and "The Light After" in the crypt under the cathedral
  • Green-Wood Cemetery Partner — Co-hosted a performance event with Death of Classical.
  • Green-Wood Cemetery Partner — Co-presents the concert series "The Angel's Share" in the Catacombs and Grounds of Green-Wood Cemetery.
  • Greenwood Cemetery Partner — Curates the Angels' Share concert series in partnership with Greenwood Cemetery.
  • L’Alliance New York Partner — Collaborates on a concert series featuring francophone cultures and French language programming.
  • Metropolitan Opera Partner — Collaborated on a performance event at Green-Wood Cemetery.
  • Metropolitan Opera Partner — Collaborates with the Met Opera on the event "Frida, Diego, and Day of the Dead"
  • Onassis Foundation Partner — Collaborated with Onassis Foundation to present a performance as part of the Archive of Desire Festival 2023.
  • PROTOTYPE Festival Partner — Collaborates with PROTOTYPE Festival on the immersive cabaret event Tiergarten
  • Printemps Partner — Collaborates with Printemps to present events at Printemps New York, a retail and hospitality destination in Manhattan.
  • The Church of the Intercession Partner — Host venue for The Crypt Sessions concert series
  • The Green-Wood Cemetery Partner — Co-presents opera and chamber music performances in a historic cemetery setting
  • The Green-Wood Cemetery Partner — Collaborates on events held in the Green-Wood Cemetery Catacombs.
  • The Green-Wood Cemetery Partner — Hosts concert programs including the Angel's Share series and other performances in the catacombs
  • The Knights Partner — Collaborated on the 2023 performance "Waiting for the Barbarians."
  • United Nations Partner — Collaborated with Death of Classical on events or programming.
strategies · 2

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.