The Presser Foundation Announces Nearly $1.6 Million in Special Project Grants to Music Organizations and Undergraduate & Graduate Awards

PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 23, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- In a continued response to the COVID-19 pandemic and its devastating impact on the greater Philadelphia area's rich ecosystem of music performance, education, and community engagement, The Presser Foundation announces Special Project grants to 42 music organizations. These grants, totaling $517,300, are in addition to previous commitments of $40,000 to The Mann Center for the Performing Arts and to Allentown Symphony Association. The grants will be paid immediately to help these organizations to continue to weather the current COVID-19 crisis, which has forced so many music organizations to reimagine operations, performances and other activities.

Peter Burwasser, Chair of the Special Projects Committee, commented "The ongoing pandemic has created financial challenges to our beloved musical institutions of an unprecedented magnitude. In response, the Presser Foundation has felt obliged, but also greatly honored, to dramatically increase our support to these groups through our Special Projects granting committee. Forty-two organizations of a great variety of scale and purpose will receive funding. They are comprised of six newer organizations, five pilot programs and 32 creative proposals, including many that requested funding for vital technology to enable virtual musical presentations."

The Presser Foundation is also pleased to announce the selection of 220 undergraduate schools of music and 16 graduate schools of music from across the country to receive Undergraduate Scholar and Graduate Music Awards ranging from $4,000 to $10,000 and totaling $1,040,000.   These Awards are designed to encourage and support in a special way the education and career of music students who exemplify high academic accomplishment, leadership, and citizenship.

Special Project Grants: (in alphabetical order)

American Composers Forum

Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts

Ars Nova Workshop

Art Sphere, Inc.

Astral Artists, Inc.

Bucks County Choral Society

Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia

Chester Children's Chorus

Choir School of Delaware

Encore Series Inc./The Philly POPS

Intercultural Journeys

Jazz Philadelphia

Kleine Kammermusik

LiveConnections DBA World Café Live

Lyric Fest

Mamadele Foundation

Mendelssohn Club of Philadelphia

Music for Everyone

Musicopia

Nashirah: The Jewish Chorale of Greater Philadelphia

Network for New Music

Opera Philadelphia

OperaDelaware

Orchestra 2001

Philadelphia Chamber Music Society

Philadelphia Youth Orchestra Music Institute

Piffaro, The Renaissance Band

PRISM Quartet, Inc.

Singing City

Susquehanna Chorale

Tempesta di Mare, Inc.

The Bach Choir of Bethlehem

The Crossing

The Friends of Chamber Music of Reading, Inc.

The Georgia E. Gregory Interdenominational School of Music

The Philadelphia Orchestra

The Polyphonia Society

Trenton Music Makers

Wilmington Children's Chorus

Wilmington Concert Opera

Variant 6

Yun International Music Foundation

About The Presser Foundation

The Presser Foundation was established in 1939 under the Deeds of Trust and Will of the late music publisher Theodore Presser. It is one of the few private foundations in the United States dedicated solely to music education and music philanthropy. The Presser Foundation supports a broad range of classical symphonic, chamber, choral and vocal music performance and education through general operating and program grants to music organizations; capital grants for music building projects; undergraduate and graduate student awards; and assistance to retired music teachers. Much of the grant making focus of the Foundation is on organizations and institutions in the 75-mile radius surrounding Center City Philadelphia. For more information: www.presserfoundation.org.

Contact: 
Teresa Araco Rodgers
Executive Director
267.519.5350                                                                                     
[email protected]

SOURCE The Presser Foundation