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C4 CHORAL COMPOSER CONDUCTOR COLLECTIVE

NEW YORK, NY · EIN 262810798 · Form 990EZ · FY2024 · NTEE A6B · Arts, Culture & Humanities · Micro (<$100K) · c4ensemble.org
revenue
$60K
expenses
$39K
net assets
$72K
employees
mission · from form 990

TO COMMISSION AND PERFORM CHORAL WORKS

profile · synthesized from sources

C4: The Choral Composer-Conductor Collective is a semi-professional choral ensemble based in New York City that performs, commissions, and premieres contemporary choral works written within the last 25 years. The ensemble is collectively run by its members and focuses on advancing new music through performances, workshops, and commissioning competitions. It also mentors emerging composers, conductors, and singers in the field of contemporary choral music.

named programs · 3 · from sources

What they call their work

C4 Network (c4net.work)
A national database and network of new music choruses that shares repertoire and resources, searchable by voicing, mood, composer, and other criteria.
C4 Summer Workshops
Annual workshops for singers and composers focused on contemporary choral music, providing opportunities for skill development and collaboration.
IGNITE Commissioning Competition
An annual competition that selects three composers to write new works for C4; the pieces are premiered in New York City with prize awards of $1,500, $1,000, and $600 for first, second, and third place.
activities · 5 groups

What they do

  • Commissioning New Musical Works 3 activities
    • Building field capacity with choral music database
      Launched c4net.work, a searchable online database of new choral music organized by mood, voicing, and composer, to support other choruses in programming contemporary works.
    • Commissioning and premiering new choral works
      Commissions, performs, and presents world premieres of new choral compositions by U.S. and international composers, including through annual concert cycles and special programs such as "Premieres I: Inhale" and Rockquiem. The organization retains performance rights for ongoing professional performances of commissioned works.
    • Supporting composer development through rehearsal collaboration
      Provides composers with opportunities to revise and refine their works during collaborative rehearsals with feedback from singers, conductors, and artistic staff, supporting the development of new choral music.
  • Artist Support Grants 1 activity
    • Awarding grants through commissioning competitions
      Funds new choral music creation by awarding cash prizes ($1,500, $1,000, $600) and travel stipends (up to $500) to winners of the IGNITE Commissioning Competition, selected from a global pool of applicants.
  • Artist Residencies and Studio Programs 1 activity
    • Collaborating with visual artists in programming and promotion
      Features visual artists’ works—such as paintings, photographs, and photogravures—in concert materials, album covers, and promotional content, and incorporates donated artwork into season programming through residencies and featured collaborations.
  • Opera and Vocal Arts Training Programs 1 activity
    • Conducting ensemble auditions and mentoring emerging artists
      Conducts regular auditions in Manhattan assessing vocal range, timbre, sight singing, and ensemble blending, and mentors emerging singers, composers, and conductors in contemporary choral music.
  • Classical and Chamber Music Performances 1 activity
    • Presenting annual concert series with thematic programming
      Organizes and presents an annual series of concerts in New York City since 2005, featuring curated thematic programming that includes both early works from its repertoire and new premieres.
financials · form 990EZ · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$60K
Contributions & grants$48K80%
Program service revenue$11K19%
Investment income
Other revenue
expenses
Total expenses$39K
Program expenses
Admin / overhead
Fundraising
Salaries & benefits
Grants paid out
balance sheet
Total assets$73K
Cash
Investments
Liabilities
Net assets$72K
4 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +23.7%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

board members · 4
  • JOHN BICKERTON — BOARD MEMBER
  • ROBERT COYNE — BOARD MEMBER
  • SARAH QUINN — BOARD MEMBER
  • STANLEY V SMITH — BOARD MEMBER
relationships · 24

Who they work with

  • Creatives Without Borders Partner — Co-produced the European Premiere curated by Zsuzsanna Ardó
  • Kala Pierson Partner — External judge on the panel selecting finalists for the 2020-21 IGNITE Commissioning Competition.
  • Kala Pierson Partner — Judge for the 2020-21 IGNITE Commissioning Competition
  • New York Choral Consortium Network — C4 is a member of the New York Choral Consortium
  • New York Choral Consortium Network — C4 is a member of the New York Choral Consortium.
  • New York Choral Consortium Network — C4 is a member of this regional choral network
  • New York Choral Consortium Network — C4 is a member of this regional choral network.
  • New York Choral Consortium Network — C4 is a member organization of the New York Choral Consortium.
  • New York Choral Consortium Network — Member of the New York Choral Consortium, a network of choral organizations.
  • New York Choral Consortium Network — Member organization of the New York Choral Consortium
  • Rea Charitable Trust Funder — Provided funding support for C4's programs
  • Tarik O'Regan Partner — External judge on the panel selecting finalists for the 2020-21 IGNITE Commissioning Competition.
  • Tarik O'Regan Partner — Judge for the 2020-21 IGNITE Commissioning Competition
  • The Rea Charitable Trust Funder — Funded C4's programming
  • The Rea Charitable Trust Funder — Funded C4's programs.
  • The Rea Charitable Trust Funder — Funder of C4's programs
  • The Rea Charitable Trust Funder — Funder supporting C4's programming, including the IGNITE commissioning competition.
  • The Rea Charitable Trust Funder — Funds C4's programs and activities.
  • The Rea Charitable Trust Funder — Provided funding support for C4's programs.
  • The Rea Charitable Trust Funder — Provided funding support to C4
  • The Rea Charitable Trust Funder — Provided funding support to C4.
  • Trevor Weston Partner — External judge on the panel selecting finalists for the 2020-21 IGNITE Commissioning Competition.
  • Trevor Weston Partner — Judge for the 2020-21 IGNITE Commissioning Competition
  • Vincent FitzGerald Partner — Donated photogravures by Judith Turner for use in C4's 2015-16 season materials and CD.
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.

  • Commissioning and Collaborative Development of New Choral Works
    methodology: collaborative_composition_development
    By commissioning new choral works and enabling composers to revise them during rehearsals with direct feedback from performers and artistic staff, we produce higher-quality, performable contemporary music because real-time collaboration between composers, conductors, and singers improves artistic refinement and practical feasibility.
  • Equity-Centered Artist Selection and Development
    methodology: equity-centered-composer-selection
    By prioritizing composers from marginalized genders and underrepresented ethnicities through a blind review process and mentoring emerging artists, we produce a more diverse and innovative choral repertoire because equitable access and developmental support counter systemic exclusion and foster new artistic voices.
  • Interdisciplinary Integration of Visual Art and Music
    methodology: interdisciplinary_artistic_integration
    By integrating visual art into choral programming through collaborations with artists whose creative process is rhythmically and visually aligned with music, we produce deeper audience engagement and enriched musical interpretation because the fusion of sensory media amplifies emotional and spatial resonance.
  • Singer-Led Collective Model for Artistic Direction
    methodology: singer-led_collective_model
    By operating as a collective of singer-members who direct and manage the ensemble, we produce greater artistic ownership and developmental opportunities for emerging conductors and composers because performer-led governance aligns leadership with lived performance experience and peer mentorship.
  • Thematic and Dual-Focus Programming
    methodology: thematic_programming
    By structuring concert seasons around thematic cycles that combine newly commissioned works with retrospective repertoire, we produce deeper conceptual coherence and historical continuity because thematic framing connects contemporary innovation with past traditions, enhancing audience understanding and artistic significance.