2018 Grantees
The Musical Fund Society granted $52,500 to 14 organizations for projects in the 2017–18 season.
| American Composers Forum, Philadelphia Chapter | Support for a lecture demonstration in Philadelphia by the JACK String Quartet, offered for members of the American Composers Forum’s Philadelphia Chapter. After the demonstration, ACF Philadelphia will issue a call for ideas for new works in conjunction with JACK. | $3,000 |
| Astral Artists | Support for All Access, an Astral program that decreases barriers to attending traditional classical music concerts by giving urban youth free passes to any of Astral’s Center City Concerts and Meet and Greet with artists. | $3,000 |
| Bowerbird | Support for a performance of Maryanne Amacher’s 1965 composition Adjacencies, written for two percussionists playing in different rooms, with the sound transmitted through a set of directional microphones and speakers. | $4,500 |
| The Crossing | Support for the world premiere of Philadelphia-based composer Joshua Stamper's multi-disciplinary, site-specific work ’mid the steep sky’s commotion, presented as part of The Month of Moderns, The Crossing’s annual festival of new music. | $3,000 |
| Dolce Suono Ensemble | Support for the Claude Debussy Centennial Project, marking the 100th anniversary of the composer’s death. The project will consist of two concerts and the commission and premiere performances of three new works by Philadelphia-based composers Jan Krzywicki, Anna Weesner, and Thomas Whitman. | $4,500 |
| Lyric Fest | Support for a concert at the Academy of Vocal Arts featuring works by Benjamin C.S. Boyle, including the premiere of a commissioned song cycle performed by Daniel Teadt, baritone and Laura Ward, pianist. | $4,000 |
| Network for New Music | Support for Network at PAFA: American Creations, exploring connections between the visual arts and new music. Network for New Music and the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts partner in this project featuring two concert performances, two educational initiatives, three major chamber music commissions and several outreach events in April 2018. | $4,500 |
| Orchestra 2001 | Support for a new series of free and low-priced Micro-Concert and educational events at new venues in Philadelphia, curated by several of Orchestra 2001’s newest musicians and Artistic Director Jayce Ogren. | $4,000 |
| Philadelphia Orchestra | Support for the Philadelphia Orchestra’s partnership with the School District of Philadelphia's All City Orchestra to broaden these young musicians’ life and learning skills, including college and career preparedness, leadership building, entrepreneurship, and community engagement training. | $4,000 |
| Piffaro | Support for a concert by Piffaro and the Rose Ensemble, transporting audiences back in time 500 years. The concert commemorates the moment when Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the cathedral door in Wittenberg, transforming the Western world’s approach to worship and music. | $4,000 |
| PRISM Quartet | Support for the recording of David Ludwig’s The Anchoress, a new song cycle set to poetry by Katie Ford. PRISM Quartet joins forces with the Renaissance band Piffaro and soprano Hyunah Yu for the project. The Anchoress draws on Renaissance and contemporary musical languages through the melding of modern saxophones with ancient wind instruments. | $4,000 |
| Relache | Support for Relâche’s 40th-anniversary observance in June 2018. The weekend of concerts, discussions, and a gala party features the premiere of a new commission from Philadelphia-based composer Kile Smith. | $3,000 |
| Tempesta di Mare | Support for River Music, a vocal and orchestral program featuring water-themed works by Bach and Telemann at the Independence Seaport Museum. Featured works include Telemann’s Ouverture-Suite in C (“Hamburger Ebb’ und Fluth”) and Bach’s cantata “Schleicht, spielende Wellen”, BWV 206. The concert in May 2018 is preceded by a talk on the role of rivers in 18th-century society, presented by the Independence Seaport Museum’s curatorial staff. | $4,000 |
| Temple University Music Preparatory Division | Support for a series of instructional and coaching sessions aimed at helping students of Philadelphia to succeed in All-City ensemble auditions and performances. | $3,000 |