irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $69KReleased multiple recordings on streaming platforms by composers Christopher Cerrone and Ellis Ludwig-Leone. Released recordings as part of the soundtrack for the film The Wild Robot with music by Kris Bowers.
- #2 $47KSandbox Percussion is faculty and ensemble in residence at The New School College of the Performing Arts. Throughout the academic year we teach classes covering topics on composer/performer collaboration, entrepreneurship, and rehearsal techniques. We also teach percussion lessons. In the summer we invite students from around the United States and abroad for a week-long percussion chamber music seminar at The New School. Throughout the week, we rehearse and perform some of today's leading percussion repertoire with these students.
named programs · 3 · from sources
What they call their work
Creator Mentorship Program
Year-long commissioning program for early-career composers to develop and premiere new works with Sandbox Percussion, including funding for workshops and development
Ensemble-in-Residence Program
Teaching and performance residency at The New School and University of Missouri-Kansas City, including percussion lessons, chamber coaching, and collaboration with composition departments
Sandbox Percussion Seminar
Annual week-long chamber music seminar in New York City for percussion students from the U.S. and abroad to rehearse and perform contemporary repertoire
activities · 4 groups
What they do
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Music Education and Training Programs 1 activity
- Delivering educational programs and masterclassesProvides immersive educational seminars, masterclasses, and chamber music coaching for students and emerging artists at institutions including Juilliard, Yale, Curtis, and the University of Missouri-Kansas City. The organization also conducts the annual Sandbox Percussion Seminar in New York City, bringing together national and international students to study contemporary percussion repertoire.
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Artist Support Grants 1 activity
- Funding and mentoring emerging composers through the Creator Mentorship ProgramProvides funding, mentorship, and professional development opportunities for early-career composers through the Creator Mentorship Program, which supports the creation, workshop, recording, and premiere of new musical works. The program involves direct collaboration between the ensemble and selected composers over a year-long process.
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Commissioning New Musical Works 1 activity
- Performing and recording contemporary percussion worksProduces and performs original and commissioned contemporary percussion compositions, both live and through video and audio recordings, for global audiences. This includes performances at major venues such as Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and the Beijing Music Festival, as well as releases on streaming platforms and albums such as "Don’t Look Down" and "Bloom." The ensemble also records music for film soundtracks, including DreamWorks’ The Wild Robot.
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Digital Music and Performance Archiving 1 activity
- Producing and broadcasting virtual concert series and digital contentProduces a virtual concert series from its Brooklyn studio and participates in global virtual collaborations, including performances for NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert series. Also produces digital content such as the weekly YouTube discussion series #sandboxsunday, which features conversations with collaborators about their lives and work.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$612K
Contributions & grants$226K37%
Program service revenue$383K63%
Investment income$340%
Other revenue$3K
expenses
Total expenses$607K
Program expenses76%
Admin / overhead18%
Fundraising6%
Salaries & benefits$273K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$296K
Cash$120K
Investments$0
Liabilities$115K
Net assets$181K
Liquid reserves2.4 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +102.5%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 4
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ian Rosenbaum | Board Member | 40 | $54K |
| Jonathan Allen | Board Member | 40 | $54K |
| Terrence Sweeney | Board Member | 40 | $54K |
| Victor Caccese | Board Member | 40 | $54K |
board members · 8
- Jason Treuting — Board Member
- Johanan Ottensooser — Board Member
- Kevin Clark — Board Member
- Laifun Chung — Secretary
- Linda Rappaport — Treasurer
- Mark Dechiazza — Board Member
- Robert Sirota — Board Member
- Tomo Matsuo — Board Member
relationships · 50
Who they work with
- Alan Silverman Partner — Mastering engineer for the album "Don’t Look Down," recognized for GRAMMY Award-winning work.
- Albany Symphony Partner — Collaborated on the world premiere of a new work by Viet Cuong.
- Albany Symphony Partner — Collaborated with Sandbox Percussion on the recording of "Re(new)al".
- Bergamot Quartet Partner — Participated in the collaborative adaptation of Canto Ostinato for large ensemble.
- Caramoor Partner — Planned venue for socially distant live-streamed concerts.
- Chamber Music America Funder — Funder of Sandbox Percussion's 2025-26 season through the Ensemble Forward program
- Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center Partner — Performed in the _Sonic Spectrum IV_ program featuring Lou Harrison’s Concerto for Violin with Percussion Orchestra.
- Chris Cerrone Partner — Longtime collaborator and composer whose music is featured on the album "Don’t Look Down."
- Christopher Cerrone Partner — Longtime collaborative composer who has written multiple works for and premiered pieces with Sandbox Percussion.
- Christopher Theofanidis Partner — Composer and professor who moderated the album release event talk on February 12, 2025.
- Conor Hanick Partner — Collaborator on prepared piano for the title piece of "Don’t Look Down."
- Conor Hanick Partner — Pianist who collaborated with Sandbox Percussion in the premiere and recording of "Don’t Look Down."
- Curtis Institute Partner — Conducted masterclasses and coachings.
- David Alan Miller Partner — Conducted the Albany Symphony in collaboration with Sandbox Percussion on the recording of "Re(new)al".
- DreamWorks Partner — Recorded percussion music for the animated film _The Wild Robot_.
- Elspeth Davis Partner — Collaborator on vocals for "Goldbeater’s Skin" on the album "Don’t Look Down."
- Elspeth Davis Partner — Mezzo-soprano featured in the performance of "Goldbeater’s Skin," combining voice with percussion.
- Emerald City Music Partner — Ensemble-in-residence and collaborating partner for the FIVE! program and other performances.
- Erik Hall Partner — Collaborated on the arrangement, production, and performance of Canto Ostinato, contributing piano and compositional expertise.
- Metropolis Ensemble Partner — Collaborated on the re-orchestration and performance of Canto Ostinato, including outdoor performances and studio recording.
- Mike Tierney Partner — Engineer for the album "Don’t Look Down," recognized for GRAMMY Award-winning engineering work.
- NPR Partner — Featured performer in the Tiny Desk Concert series.
- NPR Partner — Featured performer in the Tiny Desk concert series.
- NPR Partner — Invited Sandbox Percussion to perform for the Tiny Desk concert series.
- NYC Department of Cultural Affairs Government — Provider of a Cultural Development Fund award supporting Sandbox Percussion's 2025-26 season
- NYU Partner — Host institution for the annual Sandbox Percussion seminar.
- New York State Council on the Arts Government — Government funder of Sandbox Percussion's 2025-26 season with support from Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature
- PENTATONE Government — Classical music label that released the "Don’t Look Down" album on February 21, 2025.
- PS21 Partner — Planned venue for socially distant live-streamed concerts.
- Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University Network — Faculty members during the 2025–26 season.
+ 20 more
strategies · 3
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.
- Composer-Collaborative Innovationmethodology: composer_collaborative_innovationBy collaborating directly with living composers — including through long-term relationships and commissioning — the ensemble expands and innovates the percussion repertoire, ensuring artistic relevance and emotional expressiveness in contemporary chamber music. This approach transforms creative challenges into community-shared artistic experiences because co-creation fosters deeper artistic ownership and representation.
- Expanded Percussion Practice Through Innovationmethodology: expanded_percussion_practiceBy expanding traditional percussion performance to include unorthodox instruments, experimental sound modification, and electronic integration, the ensemble redefines the sonic possibilities of the genre. This strategy produces novel artistic experiences because inventive techniques and instrumental flexibility enable new forms of expression that challenge and engage audiences.
- Immersive Education-Integrated Artistic Developmentmethodology: immersive_education_modelBy integrating education with performance through immersive, collaborative formats, the organization develops emerging artists and deepens community engagement. This strategy works because direct interaction with professionals in intensive settings fosters skill development and artistic connection that traditional instruction alone cannot achieve.