Charleston Symphony Orchestra

Organization Overview

Charleston Symphony Orchestra is located in Charleston, SC. The organization was established in 1946. According to its NTEE Classification (A69) the organization is classified as: Symphony Orchestras, under the broad grouping of Arts, Culture & Humanities and related organizations. As of 06/2021, Charleston Symphony Orchestra employed 198 individuals. This organization is an independent organization and not affiliated with a larger national or regional group of organizations. Charleston Symphony Orchestra is a 501(c)(3) and as such, is described as a "Charitable or Religous organization or a private foundation" by the IRS.

For the year ending 06/2021, Charleston Symphony Orchestra generated $3.9m in total revenue. This represents relatively stable growth, over the past 6 years the organization has increased revenue by an average of 1.1% each year. All expenses for the organization totaled $2.8m during the year ending 06/2021. You can explore the organizations financials more deeply in the financial statements section below.

Mission & Program ActivityExcerpts From the 990 Filing

TAX YEAR

2021

Describe the Organization's Mission:

Part 3 - Line 1

OUR VISION IS TO BE A WORLD CLASS ORCHESTRA FOR A WORLD CLASS CITY. OUR MISSION IS TO INSPIRE AND ENGAGE OUR COMMUNITY THROUGH EXCEPTIONAL MUSICAL PERFORMANCES AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS. WE WILL EDUCATE, CHALLENGE, AND INSPIRE STUDENTS THROUGH MUSICAL EXPERIENCES.IN FISCAL YEAR 2021, THE CHARLESTON SYMPHONY CONTINUED TO BUILD ON ITS RECENT SUCCESSES BOTH ON AND OFF THE CONCERT STAGE. IT FULFILLED ITS MISSION BY ENGAGING AUDIENCES WITH THE HIGHEST QUALITY ARTISTIC PROGRAMMING AND PERFORMANCES AS WELL AS OFFERING SUBSTANTIAL EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT THE TRI-COUNTY AREA. ALL OF THIS WAS ACHIEVED WITH AN UNDERPINNING OF STRONG FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT HAVING COMPLETED NINE CONSECUTIVE SEASONS WITH OPERATING SURPLUSES PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC. THE CHARLESTON SYMPHONY CONTINUED TO BE A STRONG STEWARD OF INVESTMENT IN THE ORGANIZATION BY ALLOCATING 84% OF OVERALL EXPENDITURES INTO MISSION RELATED ACTIVITIES.

Describe the Organization's Program Activity:

Part 3 - Line 4a

IN FY21 THE CHARLESTON SYMPHONY, DESPITE THE CHALLENGES OF THE PANDEMIC, CONTINUED TO SERVE ITS COMMUNITY AND FULFILL ITS MISSION. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE GAILLARD CENTER AND UNDER THE PROFESSIONAL GUIDANCE OF MUSC (MEDICAL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA), WE WERE ABLE TO PERFORM OUR ENTIRE SCHEDULED PROGRAM. THE SYMPHONY WAS ONE OF A HANDFUL OF ORCHESTRAS TO PERFORM LIVE SYMPHONIC CONCERTS FOR LIVE AUDIENCES, INCLUDING 8 OF 9 BEETHOVEN SYMPHONIES IN 8 MASTERWORKS PROGRAMS, FOUR POPS PROGRAMS AND OUR CHAMBER MUSIC SERIES. ALL EVENTS WERE SOCIALLY DISTANCED ONSTAGE TO A SOCIALLY DISTANCED AUDIENCE. IN ADDITION, WE LAUNCHED A LIVESTREAM PLATFORM FOR THOSE PATRONS THAT FELT MORE COMFORTABLE SHARING THE SYMPHONY FROM THEIR HOME. WE MAINTAINED A STRONG COMMITMENT TO EDUCATION. OUR SUBSCRIBERS WERE INCREDIBLY LOYAL TO AND SUPPORTIVE OF THE SYMPHONY, ATTENDING PERFORMANCES BOTH IN PERSON AND VIRTUALLY AND CONTINUING TO DONATE GENEROUSLY. ALTHOUGH OUR SINGLE TICKET SALES WERE AFFECTED DRASTICALLY, THE SUBSCRIBERS' GENEROSITY HAS ALLOWED THE SYMPHONY TO COME OUT OF THE PANDEMIC IN A GREAT POSITION TO DO BOLD THINGS IN THE FUTURE AS CHARLESTON'S SYMPHONY. THE YOUTH SYMPHONY AND YOUTH STRINGS CONTINUED TO SAFELY MEET, ALSO WITH THE OVERSIGHT OF MUSC. ADDITIONALLY, WE LAUNCHED A DIGITAL EDUCATION PROGRAM, ALLOWING US TO ACCESS EVEN MORE STUDENTS. OTHER HIGHLIGHTS OF FY21 ARE: IN JUNE 2020, THE CSO PRESENTED "CALL AND RESPONSE: A CONCERT FOR EQUALITY" TO LEVERAGE THE POWER OF MUSIC AND SPOKEN WORD TO PROMOTE UNITY, LOVE, AND UNDERSTANDING. THIS CONCERT FEATURED THE MUSIC OF AFRICAN AMERICAN AND AFRO-BRITISH COMPOSERS, INTERSPERSED WITH TESTIMONIALS FROM COMMUNITY LEADERS WHO DELIVERED WORDS OF EXPERIENCE, EMPATHY AND UNITY AND CONCLUDED WITH CHARLESTON'S OWN GRAMMY-AWARD WINNING RANKY TANKY. THIS WAS THE FIRST CONVERSATION OF AN EVER-GROWING AND EXPANDING DISCUSSION ABOUT RACIAL PREJUDICE IN CHARLESTON THAT IS FILLED WITH MEANINGFUL REFLECTION AND EMPATHY FOR OTHERS. THE PROGRAM SIGNIFIED A CRITICAL LAUNCHING POINT FOR OUR NEW FOCUS ON SERVING ALL OF CHARLESTON. AS PART OF THE CHARLESTON SYMPHONY'S COMMITMENT TO ADVANCING DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION IN THE CLASSICAL MUSIC FIELD, A NEW AD HOC COMMITTEE WAS LAUNCHED IN 2020. WHILE THE DEI COMMITTEE'S MISSION IS STILL EVOLVING, THE MOST RECENT VERSION IS: "HELPING THE CHARLESTON SYMPHONY EMBODY AND CHAMPION DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION IN ALL ITS ENDEAVORS." THIS NEW TASKFORCE IS COMPRISED OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND VOLUNTEERS THAT BETTER REPRESENT CHARLESTON'S DIVERSE POPULATION COMPARED TO OUR TRADITIONAL AUDIENCES. THIS GROUP WILL HELP ADVISE THE CSO IN FUTURE PROGRAMMING AND OUTREACH EFFORTS TO PROMOTE A MORE INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENT. WE RECENTLY ANNOUNCED OUR NEW CHARLESTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA INCLUSION FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM IN PARTNER WITH THE COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON AND WILL OFFICIALLY WELCOME THE FIRST "CLASS" OF FELLOWS THIS FALL.LAUNCHED A NEW VIRTUAL CONCERT HALL FOR PATRONS, TEACHERS, AND CHILDREN TO ENJOY THE ORCHESTRA'S CONCERTS FROM HOME. AS A GIFT TO THE COMMUNITY, WE PROVIDED FREE ACCESS TO AUDIENCE-FAVORITES HOLIDAY POPS AND BEETHOVEN'S 5TH ON OUR NEW DIGITAL PLATFORM.PRESENTED MORE THAN 35 CONCERTS TO LIVE AUDIENCES INCLUDING OUR ENTIRE MASTERWORKS AND POPS SERIES. MUSC FACILITATED MORE THAN 1,000 COVID-19 TESTS FOR STAFF AND MUSICIANS PRIOR TO EVERY CONCERT OF THE SEASON.THE CSO EVEN COMPLETED ALL BUT ONE OF THE ENTIRE BEETHOVEN SYMPHONY CYCLE IN HONOR OF HIS 250TH BIRTHDAY.CONTINUED THE CHARLESTON SYMPHONY YOUTH ORCHESTRA PROGRAM DURING A DIFFICULT TIME OF ISOLATION FOR THE WORLD'S CHILDREN. YEAR-LONG REHEARSALS WERE HOSTED VIRTUALLY AND EVENTUALLY IN-PERSON FOR STUDENTS, AND THE PROGRAM CULMINATED WITH ALL THREE ENSEMBLES PERFORMING THREE FULL CONCERTS. MORE THAN 140 YOUNG PEOPLE PARTICIPATED IN-PERSON AND VIRTUALLY IN THE PROGRAM.


THE CHARLESTON SYMPHONY SERVED 116 YOUNG MUSICIANS RANGING IN GRADES 4-12 FROM 35 SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT THE LOWCOUNTRY THROUGH THE CHARLESTON SYMPHONY YOUTH ORCHESTRA (CSYO) PROGRAM. DUE TO COVID-19, STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN A HYBRID SEASON, RECEIVING IN-DEPTH, HIGH-QUALITY MUSICAL INSTRUCTION IN-PERSON AND ONLINE. THE YOUTH ORCHESTRA MEMBERS ATTENDED IN 8 IN-PERSON REHEARSALS LEADING UP TO A CULMINATING PERFORMANCE THAT WAS RECORDED AND LATER LIVESTREAMED FREE TO FAMILY AND FRIENDS. THE RECORDED CSYO CONCERT RECEIVED OVER 700 VIEWS THROUGH THE CSO VIRTUAL CONCERT HALL. IN ADDITION, STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN MULTIPLE ONLINE SESSIONS, INCLUDING VIRTUAL SECTIONALS WITH CSO MUSICIANS AND MASTERCLASSES WITH RENOWN MUSICIANS SUCH AS NICHOLAS TZAVARAS, CELLIST OF THE SHANGHAI QUARTET AND JOHN KENNEDY, RESIDENT CONDUCTOR AND DIRECTOR OF ORCHESTRAS OF SPOLETO FESTIVAL USA. THE CSO ALSO CONTINUED TO SUPPORT LOCAL MUSIC EDUCATORS BY CREATING EDUCATIONAL VIDEO CONTENT WHICH WAS MADE AVAILABLE FOR FREE ON OUR VIRTUAL CONCERT HALL AND YOUTUBE PAGE, ALONG WITH ARRANGING VIRTUAL MASTERCLASSES WITH CSO MUSICIANS.


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Board, Officers & Key Employees

Name (title)Compensation
Kenneth King Kei Lam
Music Director
$128,750
Michael A Smith
Executive Director
$116,567
Yuriy Bekker
Concertmaster
$96,950
Michael Moody
President
$0
Susan Sullivan
Secretary
$0
Tracy Grooms
Treasurer
$0

Financial Statements

Statement of Revenue
Federated campaigns$0
Membership dues$0
Fundraising events$0
Related organizations$174,000
Government grants $1,418,676
All other contributions, gifts, grants, and similar amounts not included above$1,330,300
Noncash contributions included in lines 1a–1f $0
Total Revenue from Contributions, Gifts, Grants & Similar$2,922,976
Total Program Service Revenue$808,862
Investment income $150,617
Tax Exempt Bond Proceeds $0
Royalties $0
Net Rental Income $0
Net Gain/Loss on Asset Sales $0
Net Income from Fundraising Events $0
Net Income from Gaming Activities $0
Net Income from Sales of Inventory $0
Miscellaneous Revenue$0
Total Revenue $3,884,009

Grants Recieved

Over the last fiscal year, we have identified 15 grants that Charleston Symphony Orchestra has recieved totaling $383,268.

Awarding OrganizationAmount
Coastal Community Foundation Of South Carolina Inc

N Charleston, SC

PURPOSE: ARTS GRANT

$202,458
Schwab Charitable Fund

San Francisco, CA

PURPOSE: ARTS, CULTURE & HUMANITIES

$38,200
The Community Fdn Of Middle Tn Inc

Nashville, TN

PURPOSE: BENEFITING THE CHARLESTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA ENDOWMENT FUND

$25,000
Dr@bobby And Julie Baker Foundation

Charleston, SC

PURPOSE: TO CONTINUE THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION AND WORK IN THE COMMUNITY.

$25,000
The Community Fdn Of Middle Tn Inc

Nashville, TN

PURPOSE: FOR GENERAL SUPPORT

$25,000
Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation

Richmond, VA

PURPOSE: CHARLESTON SYMPHONY'S 21-22 PERFORMANCE AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS

$20,000
View Grant Recipient Profile

Endowment Analysis

Beg. Balance$658,797
Earnings$170,260
Admin Expense$4,087
Net Contributions$10,000
Ending Balance$834,970

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