named programs · 3 · from sources
What they call their work
Articles and Interviews
Publishing critical essays, obituaries, and artist interviews to contextualize and promote underrepresented musical work
Featured Collections
Curated series highlighting specific artists, themes, or movements such as Julius Eastman, Harry Partch, and women composers
Recent Releases
Production and distribution of new recordings by overlooked American composers, including box sets and individual albums
activities · 4 groups
What they do
-
Musicological Research and Scholarly Editions 2 activities
- Historical documentation of early LP releasesPublished and announced the first 100 LPs in its catalog, which were reviewed in academic journals such as The Musical Quarterly, marking a significant milestone in its archival and dissemination efforts.
- Publishing written features and analyses on composers and musical worksProduces and publishes articles, interviews, and critical analyses on composers and their works, including features on Lola Williams, Marty Ehrlich, Lisa Mezzacappa, and others, to support scholarship and public engagement with contemporary American music.
-
-
Digital Music and Performance Archiving 2 activities
- Producing and publishing video content and interviews on composers and musical worksCreates and shares video tributes, interviews, and discussions featuring composers and performers, including Ben Johnston, James Tenney, Joan Tower, and others, to document and promote understanding of contemporary American music.
- Publishing and distributing catalogs of audio releasesMakes available a downloadable print catalog of its music releases, providing access to its discography for researchers, collectors, and listeners.
-
-
Nonprofit Music Recording and Distribution 1 activity
- Documenting and releasing American music overlooked by commercial companiesProduces and distributes recordings of American music that is largely ignored by commercial recording companies, with a focus on contemporary composers and underrepresented voices in classical and experimental traditions.
-
-
Live Music Performances & Concerts 1 activity
- Presenting public programs or eventsOrganized and presented a program or event at The Stone in 2011, contributing to public engagement with experimental and contemporary music.
-
financials · form 990 · fy2022
revenue
Total revenue$331K
Contributions & grants$4K1%
Program service revenue$312K94%
Investment income$140%
Other revenue$15K
expenses
Total expenses$549K
Program expenses83%
Admin / overhead15%
Fundraising2%
Salaries & benefits$324K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$279K
Cash$64K
Investments$0
Liabilities$422K
Net assets$-142K
Liquid reserves1.4 mo
4 years on record · 2019–2022 · YoY revenue -27.4%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2022
Who runs it
paid leadership · 2
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| LISA KAHLDEN | PRESIDENT & TREASURER | 40 | $131K |
| PAUL TAI | VICE PRESIDENT & SECRETARY | 40 | $112K |
board members · 7
- AMY BEAL — TRUSTEE
- EMANUEL GERARD — TRUSTEE
- FRED LERDAHL — TRUSTEE
- HERMAN KRAWITZ — TRUSTEE
- LARRY POLANSKY — TRUSTEE
- ROBERT CLARIDA — TRUSTEE
- THOMAS T CARROLL — TRUSTEE
relationships · 19
Who they work with
- Bandcamp Partner — Features a label profile on Bandcamp.
- Ben Johnston Partner — Honored through a dedicated video tribute.
- Elliot Simpson Partner — Conversational participant with Larry Polansky.
- Eric Richards Partner — Subject of an in-depth interview.
- Harry Partch Network — Features and promotes the works of Harry Partch as part of its catalog.
- James Martin Partner — Subject of an interview as a baritone.
- James Tenney Partner — Featured in a video discussing theoretical tradition and visual perception.
- Joan La Barbara Partner — Subject of an interview as a vocalist and composer.
- Joan Tower Partner — Interviewed on the topic of women in composition.
- Julius Eastman Network — Features and promotes the works of Julius Eastman as part of its catalog.
- Larry Polansky Partner — Featured in a conversation with Elliot Simpson.
- Lisa Mezzacappa Partner — Subject of a feature titled "Crossing Over".
- Lola Williams Partner — Composer whose music was analyzed in a published feature.
- Marty Ehrlich Partner — Interviewed on the Julius Hemphill Legacy and large ensemble work.
- Michael Pisaro-Liu Partner — Subject of a conversation as a composer.
- Robyn Schulkowsky Partner — Subject of an interview as a percussionist.
- Sarah Moulton Faux Partner — Author of a feature on Lola Williams’ music.
- Stephen Byram Partner — Interviewed about CounterCurrents.
- The Stone Partner — Presented a program or event in collaboration with The Stone.
strategies · 4
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 Preservation through Documentationmethodology: cultural_preservationBy documenting underrepresented American musical traditions and overlooked composers, the organization preserves cultural heritage and ensures broader access to diverse musical works, because historical visibility fosters recognition and continuity of marginalized art forms.
- Eclectic Artistic Support as Inclusion Strategymethodology: eclectic_artistic_approachBy supporting a wide range of compositional methods—including electronic music, cross-cultural work, and site-specific performance—the organization fosters artistic innovation and inclusion, because embracing diverse creative practices enables underrepresented voices to define music on their own terms.
- Oral History for Contemporary Music Disseminationmethodology: oral_history and artist interviewBy using interviews and in-depth conversations with composers and performers, the organization deepens public understanding of contemporary music, because first-person narratives make complex artistic practices accessible and preserve contextual knowledge that formal scores or recordings alone cannot convey.
- Rediscovery and Promotion of Marginalized Composersmethodology: rediscovery_and_promotionBy curating articles and recordings focused on under-recognized composers—particularly Black American composers—the organization increases visibility and critical engagement, because representation in curated anthologies counters systemic exclusion in mainstream music discourse.