named programs · 4 · from sources
What they call their work
Alkemie Digital Concert Series
Online performance series offering on-demand access to recorded concerts
Educational Outreach Programs
Workshops and educational performances for students at universities and schools
May Day in Prospect Park
Annual outdoor concert celebrating spring with early music and dance in Brooklyn's Prospect Park
Wondrous Beasts
Family-friendly concert program featuring music and stories inspired by medieval bestiaries
activities · 7 groups
What they do
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Classical and Chamber Music Performances 3 activities
- Maintaining ensemble-in-residence partnershipsFormalized a residency with All Saints Episcopal Church in Manhattan as its first Ensemble in Residence, presenting all season concerts there and hosting post-concert receptions, strengthening community ties and providing a consistent performance venue.
- Presenting early music concert programsPerforms and tours early music concert programs nationally and locally, including themed productions such as "Eleanor," "Verdant Medicine," "Saltwinds & Spice," and "What's Your Sign?," presented at venues and festivals including the Amherst Early Music Festival, Five Boroughs Music Festival, Music Before 1800, and the Jalopy Theatre. The ensemble performs repertoire spanning medieval, Renaissance, and contemporary works using two dozen early music instruments.
- Presenting family-friendly and community concertsOffers accessible, family-oriented performances at cultural institutions such as the Morgan Library and the Met Cloisters, featuring interactive elements and music drawn from medieval bestiaries and liturgical sources to engage diverse audiences.
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Commissioning New Musical Works 1 activity
- Commissioning and premiering new worksCollaborates with contemporary composers, particularly women and non-binary artists, to commission and debut new works, such as through the Forward Music Project, and presents them in live performances and concert films like "A Worthy Mirror."
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Music Education and Training Programs 1 activity
- Conducting educational outreach and workshopsDesigns and delivers educational programs, workshops, and participatory performances for students and audiences at institutions including Ramaz High School, Fordham University, Case Western Reserve University, the Baroque Performance Institute at Oberlin, and the Morgan Library, often integrating audience participation in singing and improvisation.
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Community Festival & Event Production 1 activity
- Hosting festivals and special eventsOrganizes and presents annual events such as the May Day festival, including free, family-friendly celebrations in public spaces like Prospect Park, and revives these events as part of its performance season.
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Digital Music and Performance Archiving 1 activity
- Producing digital concert films and online contentCreates and distributes digital concert films such as "A Worthy Mirror," combining studio recordings with original footage, and makes them available for remote viewing, expanding access to performances beyond in-person audiences.
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Nonprofit Music Recording and Distribution 1 activity
- Recording and releasing early music albumsProduces and releases albums of early music, including “A Fine Companion” and “Love to My Liking” on the Bright Shiny Things label, and performs these works in live concert settings such as at Jalopy Theatre.
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Uncategorized 1 activity
- Creating soundtracks for video gamesComposed, curated, and recorded the soundtrack for the Peabody and BAFTA award-winning video game Pentiment, developed by Obsidian Entertainment and published by Xbox, bringing early music to a digital gaming audience.
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financials · form 990EZ · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$141K
Contributions & grants$93K66%
Program service revenue$48K34%
Investment income$400%
Other revenue$80
expenses
Total expenses$110K
Program expenses—
Admin / overhead—
Fundraising—
Salaries & benefits—
Grants paid out—
balance sheet
Total assets$51K
Cash—
Investments—
Liabilities—
Net assets$51K
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue -2.1%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
board members · 5
- Carrie Henneman Shaw — Director, Vice President
- James Hopkins — Director, Secretary
- Jessamyn Conrad — Director
- Joseph Quigley — Director, Board President
- Teal Baskerville — Director
relationships · 38
Who they work with
- All Saints Episcopal Partner — Hosts Alkemie as Ensemble in Residence, providing space for rehearsals, performances, and post-concert receptions.
- All Saints Episcopal Church Partner — Ensemble-in-residence partnership for concerts and programming
- All Saints Episcopal Church Partner — Hosted Alkemie's "Verdant Medicine" concert in its sanctuary in Manhattan.
- All Saints Episcopal Church Partner — Hosted Alkemie's "Verdant Medicine" performance in Manhattan.
- Amanda Gookin’s Forward Music Project Partner — Collaborated to commission and debut 11 new works by women and non-binary composers.
- Amherst Early Music Festival Partner — Received educational outreach programs designed by Alkemie members.
- Baroque Performance Institute at Oberlin Partner — Received educational outreach programs designed by Alkemie members.
- Beth Beauchamp Partner — Collaborated with artist advocate and former Executive Director Beth Beauchamp, who supports Alkemie's mission of valuing artists' work and building collaborative artistic communities.
- Capitol Early Music Series Partner — Received educational workshop programming designed by Alkemie members.
- Case Western Reserve University Partner — Received educational outreach programs designed by Alkemie members.
- ChamberQUEER Partner — Planned collaboration with the Brooklyn-based collective on an upcoming performance.
- Chanticleer Partner — Collaborative performance engagement in Berkeley
- Chanticleer Partner — Performed together at the Berkeley Early Music Festival in 2024.
- Columbia University Partner — Co-sponsored the "Verdant Medicine" concert at St. Paul Chapel through Music Humanities and the Office of the Core Curriculum.
- Columbia University Partner — Hosted Alkemie's "Verdant Medicine" performance.
- Columbia University Partner — Presented "Verdant Medicine" performance
- Early Music Access Project Partner — Collaborated with Alkemie members on educational outreach programming.
- Early Music Access Project (EMAP) Partner — Co-presented an encore performance of "What's Your Sign?" at the University of Virginia.
- Ellie Sutherland Partner — Co-curator of the zodiac-themed concert program with Tracy Cowart.
- European Early Music Network Network — Participated in the virtual Early Music Day festival.
- Fairmont State University Partner — Hosted Alkemie in residence.
- Fordham University Partner — Received educational outreach programs designed by Alkemie members.
- Met Cloisters Partner — Hosted Alkemie for a family-friendly performance in the Fuentidueña chapel.
- Music Humanities Partner — Co-sponsored Alkemie's "Verdant Medicine" performance at Columbia University.
- National Sawdust Partner — Presented "A Worthy Mirror" performance
- Obsidian Studios Partner — Collaborated on the creation of the soundtrack for the video game Pentiment.
- Office of the Core Curriculum of Columbia University Partner — Co-sponsored Alkemie's "Verdant Medicine" performance at Columbia University.
- Ramaz High School Partner — Received educational outreach programs designed by Alkemie members.
- Rose of the Compass Partner — Collaborated on a project titled "Saltwinds & Spice".
- Rose of the Compass Partner — Collaborated with members of Rose of the Compass in a concert performance.
+ 8 more
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.
- Cultural Memory and Identity Restorationmethodology: cultural_memoryBy centering marginalized historical narratives and connecting them to contemporary queer and trans identities through performance, the ensemble strengthens community belonging and counters historical erasure, because reclaiming ancestral stories through art fosters identity affirmation and resilience.
- Historical-Contemporary Fusion for Cultural Resonancemethodology: historical-contemporary fusionBy blending medieval music traditions with contemporary artistic sensibilities and genres, the ensemble creates immersive experiences that increase public appreciation and cultural relevance of early music, because modern artistic integration makes historical works more accessible and emotionally resonant for today’s audiences.
- Interdisciplinary Artistic Narrativesmethodology: interdisciplinary_artistic_narrativeBy integrating music with visual art, poetry, folklore, and spiritual traditions, the ensemble creates layered performances that connect medieval themes to contemporary life, because interdisciplinary storytelling strengthens emotional resonance and cultural continuity across time.
- Multi-Sensory and Participatory Immersionmethodology: participatory_improvisationBy engaging audiences through multi-sensory experiences and participatory improvisation, the ensemble deepens connection to early music, because immersive formats that include touch, smell, taste, movement, and co-creation transform passive listening into embodied understanding and lasting engagement.
- Thematic Programming for Enduring Cultural Connectionsmethodology: thematic-programmingBy organizing performances around timeless themes like the zodiac or cosmology, the ensemble bridges historical and modern worldviews, because shared symbolic frameworks make medieval music relatable and meaningful to contemporary audiences.