Roger Shapiro Fund for New Music
Innovate/integrate
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
RSF's founder Dina Koston cited interest in promoting music in the "Western modernist tradition". At the moment, modernism in music is at a turning point. It no longer has to scare audiences away. The problem is stagnation in tired old modernist sounds, and stagnation in facile reaction to the modernists.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
ISCM Mid-Atlantic
ISCM Mid-Atlantic is RSF's section & delegation to the International Society for Contemporary Music. RSF sends delegates to the ISCM's World Music Days Festivals and monitors developments in music around the world.
Where we work
External reviews
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
The techniques that proliferated in the 20th Century are now thoroughly decoupled from the sounds we associate with 20th C. high modernism. At this point RSF sees the future of modernist compositional practice in its thorough integration with 21st Century aesthetics. Integration is leading to innovations. RSF hopes to make a case for the best products of 21st C. integration.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
With instructions from our founder Dina Koston to support "music in the Western modernist tradition", RSF is one of the last organizations in the US that continues to support and cultivate the aging 20th Century modernists from the US and abroad, many of whom are writing music that is absolutely unique, of rare quality and not to be dismissed.
On the other hand, RSF is concentrating on the the work of younger composers who demonstrate the power of integration of 20th C. techniques with 21st Century aesthetics. Integration leads to further innovation.
The RSF website lists projects, commissions, recordings, and news items, all of which are aimed at promoting new music that embraces innovation, transformation, integration.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
RSF has a small budget of $150,000 per year. RSF leverages resources as much as possible, collaborating with Ballet Opera Pantomime, in Montreal, the Ekmelic Music Institute in Salzburg, with ISCM World Music Days, the Morgan Library and Museum, among others.
RSF is absolutely unique in its ability to fund projects anywhere in the world. This allows RSF to build communities. RSF has a global focus and, and that is unique the community of US funders of the work of living composers.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
RSF commissioned Anna Weesner's *My Mother in Love*, which recently won a $40,000 award from the Virgil Thomson Award in Vocal Music, administered by the American Academy of Arts and Letters.
https://artsandletters.org/pressrelease/composer-anna-weesner-wins-virgil-thomson-award-in-vocal-music/
RSF commissioned Anthony Korf's violin concerto for the Riverside Symphony. Korf's chamber work, *Combo* was selected for a performance by the Beijing Modern Music Festival and presented on their ISCM World Music Days lineup in May, 2018.
RSF supports composer Jonathan Dawe and the Ballet Opera Pantomime (BOP), which presented Dawe's opera, Nero and Fall of Lehmann Brothers. The production was a major achievement for BOP, and for Dawe:
https://www.ledevoir.com/culture/musique/530524/un-opera-a-wall-street-saisissant
The RSF website offers news and announcements of exciting projects.
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
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Roger Shapiro Fund for New Music
Board of directorsas of 04/29/2019