irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $148KCARTER RECORDING IN APRIL 2025, TALEA RECORDED TWO WORKS BY THE AMERICAN COMPOSER ELLIOT CARTER FOR THE AMPHION FOUNDATION: CONCERTINO FOR BASS CLARINET (MICHAEL LOWENSTERN, SOLOIST) AND CHAMBER ORCHESTRA, AND FLUTE CONCERTO (TARA HELEN OCONNOR, SOLOIST). BOTH PIECES WERE CONDUCTED BY JAMES BAKER. - FLUTE CONCERTO: 35 MUSICIANS, FLUTE SOLOIST, AND CONDUCTOR - CONCERTINO: 22 MUSICIANS, CLARINET SOLOIST, AND CONDUCTOR
- #2 $19KU of CALIFORNIA - SAN DIEGO RESIDENCY IN APRIL 2025, TALEA WAS IN RESIDENCE AT UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT SAN DIEGO, TO WORKSHOP AND PERFORM NEW WORKS BY THE SCHOOLS COMPOSITION STUDENTS. THE ENSEMBLE ALSO PERFORMED THE WORLD PREMIERES OF PIECES BY RAND STEIGER AND ROGER REYNOLDS. THIS PERFORMANCE WAS THE CULMINATING EVENT AT A CORE SYMPOSIUM, AS PART OF THE ACTOR PROJECT.
named programs · 4 · from sources
What they call their work
Composer Spotlight Series
Concert series highlighting the work of individual composers through dedicated performances and collaborations, such as the 2026 event featuring Amadeus Regucera
Early Career Composer Commissioning Program
Biennial commissioning initiative that awards a selected early-career composer a $2,000 fee to create a new 10-15 minute work for premiere by the ensemble in New York City
Fall of Freedom Open Stage
Annual open-mic style event in Brooklyn that invites artists to perform original works in solidarity with free expression and democratic values, as part of a national arts movement
Recording Workshop
Annual program that supports early-career composers by workshopping and professionally recording their works with the ensemble, culminating in a public performance in New York City
activities · 7 groups
What they do
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Commissioning New Musical Works 2 activities
- Commissioning and premiering new works by early-career composersCommissions early-career composers to create new chamber music works, which are premiered in New York City and sometimes developed through workshops. The ensemble has premiered at least 80 commissioned major new works since 2008, including interdisciplinary productions combining music with theater and visual art.
- Supporting composer development through the Talea Access ProjectSupports early-career composers through the Talea Access Project, which combines commissioning opportunities with participation in the ensemble’s recording workshop to foster artistic growth and professional access.
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Artist Residencies and Studio Programs 1 activity
- Conducting artist residencies and collaborations with academic institutionsCompletes artist residencies at academic institutions such as the University of California, San Diego, where it workshops and performs new works by student composers and presents world premieres of pieces by faculty or affiliated artists as part of collaborative projects like the ACTOR Project.
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Nonprofit Music Recording and Distribution 1 activity
- Distributing recordings of contemporary musicDistributes professional recordings of contemporary compositions worldwide through multiple independent classical music labels, including recordings made in collaboration with foundations and at studios such as Oktaven Audio.
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Live Music Performances & Concerts 1 activity
- Hosting open-stage community performance eventsHosts open-stage performance events such as "Fall of Freedom" in Brooklyn, NY, inviting musicians of all genres to participate in free community events centered on themes of hope, freedom, and expression.
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Classical and Chamber Music Performances 1 activity
- Presenting concert series and festival performancesOrganizes a concert series of four events annually between September and April, curated by ensemble musicians and inspired by works like Mario Davidovsky's Synchronisms. Also performs at festivals including TIME:SPANS in New York and the Time of Music Festival in Finland, presenting world and U.S. premieres of contemporary works.
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Music Education and Training Programs 1 activity
- Producing a recording workshop for early-career composersConducts an annual recording workshop that includes professional development, rehearsal, recording, and a public performance of new works by early-career composers; participants receive free access and travel reimbursement up to $800. A public concert features the resulting works.
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Podcast and Radio Production 1 activity
- Producing the Open Forms podcastProduces a podcast series titled Open Forms that explores the role of contemporary music in daily life and its capacity to connect people to the world.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$562K
Contributions & grants$181K32%
Program service revenue$371K66%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$10K
expenses
Total expenses$489K
Program expenses88%
Admin / overhead7%
Fundraising5%
Salaries & benefits$59K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineProfessional Fees
balance sheet
Total assets$420K
Cash$225K
Investments$0
Liabilities$103K
Net assets$317K
Liquid reserves5.5 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +42.6%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ADRIAN MOREJON | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 4 | $35K |
board members · 5
- JEREMY SHATAN — CHAIRPERSON
- KATHARINA PISTOR — DIRECTOR
- NORMAN RYAN — DIRECTOR
- STEVEN TAKASUGI — DIRECTOR
- TANYA KALMANOVITCH — DIRECTOR
relationships · 43
Who they work with
- Aaron Copland Fund Funder — Provides financial support for Talea Ensemble's 2025-26 season projects
- Amphion Foundation Funder — Commissioned recordings of two works by Elliott Carter performed by TALEA Ensemble.
- Amphion Foundation Funder — Provides financial support for Talea Ensemble's 2025-26 season projects
- Anchor Partner — Hosts the Open Forms podcast series
- Artun Çekem Partner — Commissioned composer whose work will receive a world premiere by Talea Ensemble.
- Birmingham Contemporary Music Group Partner — Co-commissioned Rebecca Saunders's "Scar (Triptych II)" with financial support from the Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation.
- Catapult Opera Partner — Collaborated on a new production of Nadia Boulanger’s opera La Ville Morte, including its U.S. premiere.
- Chamber Music America Funder — Recipient of the Chamber Music America/ASCAP Award for Adventurous Programming
- Chamber Music America Network — Recipient of the Chamber Music America/ASCAP Award for Adventurous Programming
- Church of St. Luke & St. Matthew Partner — Hosted venue for the Composer Spotlight Series event.
- Church of St. Luke & St. Matthew Partner — Venue hosting Talea Ensemble performances.
- Church of St. Luke & St. Matthew Partner — Venue partner hosting Talea Ensemble's concert series.
- Donaueschingen Musiktage Partner — Performance partner through festival engagement
- Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation Funder — Provided financial support for the commission of Rebecca Saunders's "Scar (Triptych II)".
- Ernst von Siemens Musikstiftung Funder — Provides financial support for Talea Ensemble's 2025-26 season projects
- Fall of Freedom Partner — Collaborates with the Fall of Freedom movement to host an open-stage performance event centered on artistic resistance and free expression.
- Fan Fox & Leslie R. Samuels Foundation Funder — Provides financial support for Talea Ensemble's 2025-26 season projects
- Festival Acht Brücken | Musik für Köln Partner — Co-commissioned Rebecca Saunders's "Scar (Triptych II)" with financial support from the Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation.
- Fromm Music Foundation Funder — Provides financial support for Talea Ensemble's 2025-26 season projects
- Gravina Musica Partner — Label partner for distribution of ensemble recordings
- Howard Gilman Foundation Funder — Provides financial support for Talea Ensemble's 2025-26 season projects
- Innova Partner — Label partner for distribution of ensemble recordings
- Internationales Musikinstitut Darmstadt Partner — Performance partner through festival engagement
- KAIROS Partner — Label partner for distribution of ensemble recordings
- Lincoln Center Festival Partner — Performance partner through festival engagement
- Miller Theatre Partner — Co-presents performances with Talea Ensemble
- NY Philharmonic Partner — Performance partner through Artist Spotlight Series engagement
- New World Records Partner — Label partner for distribution of ensemble recordings
- New York State Council on the Arts Government — Supports Talea Ensemble's season with funding from the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature
- Open Forms Partner — Collaborates on the production of the Open Forms podcast.
+ 13 more
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.
- Deep Audience and Artistic Engagement through Dialogue and Interdisciplinaritymethodology: dialogue-based engagementBy integrating post-performance dialogue, interdisciplinary formats (such as installation, video, and performance art), and collaborative curation, TALEA ENSEMBLE INC deepens audience connection and artistic relevance because these practices make contemporary music more accessible, contextually rich, and sensorially engaging.
- Early-Career Composer Development through Immersive, Barrier-Free Opportunitiesmethodology: early_career_supportBy providing fully funded, immersive experiences—including commissions, recording workshops, and performance opportunities—to early-career composers with limited professional access, TALEA ENSEMBLE INC fosters artistic growth and equity in contemporary classical music because removing financial and experiential barriers enables underrepresented voices to develop and showcase their work at a professional level.
- Music as Civic Activism and Democratic Engagementmethodology: civic-art-activismBy framing collective musical expression as a form of resistance, TALEA ENSEMBLE INC strengthens democratic values and cultural resilience because shared artistic experiences celebrate free expression, challenge authoritarianism, and affirm diverse identities through contemporary music.
- Musician-Led Curation for Artistic Innovationmethodology: musician-led curationBy empowering ensemble musicians to curate programs inspired by seminal works like Mario Davidovsky’s Synchronisms, TALEA ENSEMBLE INC ensures artist-driven programming that advances contemporary classical music because performer-led vision fosters deeper interpretive commitment and innovative repertoire choices.