Worcester Chamber Music Society

Annual Report 2018 – IMPACT

September 1, 2017 - August 31, 2018

Mission

The Worcester Chamber Music Society enriches the community through professional

concerts and educational programs.

We seek to engage people of all ages through our innovative programs, collaboration,

and outreach. We strive to uplift youth through music-making and mentorship.

Our goal is to contribute to the vibrant, cultural fabric of the Worcester community in

a meaningful way.

Table of Contents

1. Letter from the Executive Director

2. 2017-2018 Highlights

3. Neighborhood Strings

5. 2017-2018 At A Glance

6. Board of Directors, Musicians and Staff

7. List of Supporters

10. Financial Statement

12. Looking Forward

13. “Why I give”

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Dear Friends,

The passion and commitment of our patrons, donors, volunteers, and community partners provided us with the support we needed to make 2017-2018 an incredible year.

Sponsored by a generous patron, Season 12 opened with a free community concert which created access for our community to hear Mahler’s magnificent 4th Symphony and Schubert’s beloved Trout Quintet in majestic Mechanics Hall.

All three Café Concerts at Nuovo Restaurant sold out again last year, and we filled Mechanics Hall in March with families eager to introduce their children to the magic of classical music at our Annual Free Family Concert. Our education programs, Neighborhood Strings and ChamberFest, both continue to grow and flourish.

Financially we are on a strong footing with a healthy mix of earned and contributed revenue. Our organization is strengthened by the completion of a 3-year strategic plan creating a pathway towards securing the future of our concerts as well as deepening the impact of our community programs.

Your support, coupled with the hard work and passion of our Board of Directors, musicians, staff, and volunteers, allows us to fulfill our mission to enrich and inspire the Worcester community.

With gratitude,

Tracy KrausExecutive Director

From the Executive Director

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Issa Coubaily of Crocodile River leads Neighborhood Strings, Music on Main at Clark University, Nov.17, 2018

2017-2018 Highlights

WCMS Receives Creative Community Grant

WCMS was one of five organizations selected by the Greater Worcester Community Foundation to receive its first Creative Community

Engagement Grant, funded in part by the Barr Foundation. The program, Creative Worcester Initiative, was created to support small organizations who through their work, are actively seeking to deepen engagement with Worcester’s diverse community. We intend to use this funding to increase participation within the community living in the Downtown and Main South neighborhoods that surround our Neighborhood Strings program through expanded programming at the Clark Street school (serving new refugee children) and broadened concert programming.

Music on Main with Crocodile River Music

Music on Main is a series of concerts designed to provide an opportunity for Neighborhood Strings to perform for their community, to engage directly with the professional musicians of WCMS, and to gain exposure to a variety of styles through invited musical guests. Our first Music on Main concert of the season combined all of these elements in an exciting collaboration with Crocodile River Music (CRM), a local West African drumming ensemble. CRM held 3 workshops with Neighborhood Strings where they learned both string and drumming parts to participate in a new piece titled “Bamako Beyond” composed for this concert by Derek Jordan, combining the forces of CRM, WCMS, and Neighborhood Strings.

Neighborhood Strings

Neighborhood Strings is an intensive music program intended to make a daily, weekly, and long-term impact on the lives of urban youth. The program offers lessons and ensembles in string instruments and cultivates

mentorship by teaching artists, with the goal of nurturing young artists and citizens and ultimately changing the face of the community. Last year, Neighborhood Strings provided instruments, lessons, and ensemble, as well as performance opportunities and mentorship to 50 students (ages 7-16) at two teaching sites: Woodland Academy and Seven Hills Charter Public School.

Students performed 1-2 times per month in a variety of settings: for large audiences, as in Worcester’s renowned Mechanics Hall as the opening act of WCMS’s family concert; and for relatives and teachers at the “Music on Main” series. Some performances also serve as calls for social action, like participating in the “Stand Against Racism” rally, sponsored by the YWCA. All in all, most students performed 11 times last school year.

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Neighborhood Strings perform at WCMS Free Family Concert in Mechanics Hall, March 4, 2018

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Fostering youth leadership and reflection is at the core of our set of goals. We offer the “NS Club,” a teen leadership group that engages these principles. The teen group meets weekly for discussion of civic issues surrounding the arts and to play chamber music. Last year, the club received an “Amplify” grant from the Massachusetts Cultural Council to support their community project to bring classical music to those with little or no access to it. They performed at the Mustard Seed, a local food pantry, and performed live on WCCA TV. The NS Club was honored for their work at a ceremony at the Boston State House.

Jovan is from Puerto Rico, which he describes as “the best place ever.” He lovesspending time with his family, both visiting relatives in Puerto Rico and Floridaand playing outside a lot with his brother. This love for his family partly drives

his participation in Neighborhood Strings. Jovan says that playing his cello “makes[him] feel happy because [his] mom likes it, and [his dad], so it makes [him] feelhappy when they’re happy.” Additionally, he likes Neighborhood Strings becauseplaying the cello in front of people makes him feel proud of his talent and helpshim learn to work hard.

Jovan, age 11

student spotlight

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$7,190 scholarships awarded for ChamberFest Music Camp students

50 Main South and Downtown youth attended Neighborhood Strings

7 Main Stage, 3 Cafe, 3 free Community, and 2 Summer concerts

893 kids and adults attended Peter and the Wolf Free Family Concert

12 new instruments given to new Neighborhood Strings students

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

2018-2019

W. Peter Metz, President

Ellen More, Vice President

Cheri Carty, Treasurer

Jeffrey Paster, Clerk

Kenneth Bibeau

William Kadish

Gary Keilson

Elisabet Mandon

Matthew Malsky

Ann Molloy

Conrad Voellings

Richard Whitten

ADMINISTRATION

Tracy Kraus, Executive Director

Ariana Falk, Education Director

Peter Sulski, Assistant Director, Neighborhood Strings

Deborah Greenebaum, Program Manager/Community Liason, Neighborhood Strings

Jennifer Higgins, Development Manager/Grant Writer

Musicians

Mark Berger, viola

Krista Buckland Reisner, violin

Ariana Falk, cello

Joshua Gordon, cello

Rohan Gregory, violin

Randall Hodgkinson, piano

Tracy Kraus, flute

David Russell, cello

Peter Sulski, viola

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LEADERSHIP CIRCLE(Angel, Virtuoso, Encore & Suite) Angel ($10,000-$25,000)Amelia Peabody Foundation

Greater Worcester Community

Foundation

Nora Keil

Tracy & Morey Kraus

Massachusetts Cultural Council

PEACE Fund of the Greater

Worcester Community

Foundation

Virtuoso ($5,000-$9,999)Bay State Savings Bank

Claire Ellis & Charles Greenberg

Kirby Foundation of the East Bay

C. Jean McDonough

Mildred H. McEvoy Foundation

Ruth Westheimer

Encore ($2,000-$4,999)Associated Chamber Music

Players Foundation

DCU for Kids Foundation

Ruth H. and Warren A. Ellsworth

Foundation

Fletcher Foundation

Fred Harris Daniels Foundation

Karen Keefe and Jeffrey Paster

Thomas and Elena Powers

Gerd Reinig

Schwartz Charitable Foundation

Stoddard Charitable Trust

Phyllis and Richard Whitten

Suite ($1,000-$1,999)Carol Seager Associates, Inc.

Clark University *

Country Bank

D’Addario Foundation

Deborah Feingold and David

Dimenstein

J. Irving England &

Jane L. England Charitable

Trust

Lisa Kirby Gibbs and Peter Gibbs

Howard and Frances Jacobson

Catherine Levine

Abraham and Linda Haddad

Barbara Haller

Richard Kimball

Elizabeth Ryder and Peter Martin

Jane and Andres Molina

Mickie and Don Nelson

Matt Malsky and Nancy Newman

Cynthia and Stephen Pitcher

Joel and Zenie Popkin

Mary Porter

Lynda Young and Robert Sorrenti

Virginia Vaughan

Wegmans*

Sonata ($100-$199)Anonymous

Arzoon and Janet Abrahamian

Wendy and Rich Ardizzone

Bob & Hildegard Armstrong

Isa and Dr. Frederick Bayon

Peter and Liz Cardoza

Alan Catalano

Patty Ruze and John Chapman

Kathleen Corcoran

Sarah and Dix Davis

Linda Russell and Jim Dobson

Carol and Ronald Dorris

Denise Darrigrand and

Dan Dougherty

Susan and Christopher Durham

Phyllis Estus

Tony Smith and Andrea Erickson

Grant and Kathryn Evans

Barbara E. Fargo

Elana Rudavsky and Avi Fischer

Joan G. and Bill Forbes

Gayle Golden

Laurie Gorlick

Peter and Mary Ann Grigg

Barbara Haller

Eliza Hale

William Kadish & Marie Hobart

Barbara and David Krashes

Mary Lee and Steve Ledbetter

Elisabet Mandon

Eugene and Barbara McCarthy

Angela and Don McClain

Laura and Mac McDaniel

Sandra Meltzer

Pauline E. Metras

Jeanne B. Lynch

Reliant Medical Group

John and Ellen Savickas

Carole L. Seager

David Schnare and Lisa Piehler

Richard and Glena Sisson

Jennifer Campbell and

Chuck Staples

Joanna Bauer and

Joseph Styborski

TJ Woods Insurance

Sostenuto ($500-$999)David Getz

Ellen More and Micha Hofri

James and Emily Holdstein

Elaine Johnson

Roger and Barbara Kohin

Gary Keilson and Sue Miller

Barrett and Mahroo Morgan

Krista Buckland Reisner and

Andrew Reisner

Lance and Melissa Schachterle

Barbara and Edward Scolnick

Marj Albright and David Stevens

Webster Five Foundation

Intermezzo ($300-$499)Kenneth Bibeau

Bernadine and Frank Birch

Patsy and Tom Cecil

Amy Weinstock and Michael Coln

Brenda and Dennis Conlon

Orest Fedan

Barbara and Warren L. Henderson

Evelyn Karet

Edward Landau

Silvia and Laszlo Leb

Charlene Nemeth

Barbara Pantos

Carla and Larry Peterson

Susan Vogel

Continuo ($200-$299)Raluca Buttner

Cheri Carty

Gerry & Cay Castonguay

Victor Evdokimoff

Thank you!SUPPORTERS September 1, 2017 – August 31, 2018

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Marge and Erwin Miller

Susan Moran

Laura Myers

Barbara Nazzaro

Dianne and Wayne Paradis

Katherine Perkins

Richard Prager

Charles and Cyndee Radziewicz

Mary Louise Retelle

Sarah and Joe Riberio

Scott and Judy Rolph

Gale Nigrosh and Bob Sakakeeny

Ruth Seward

Stillman Family Foundation of the

Greater Worcester

Community Foundation

Donald and Judith Stoddard

Joanna Bauer and

Joseph Styborski

Judith Sullivan

Susan and John Sweet

Conrad and Lisa Voellings

Steve Taviner and

Matthias Waschek

Stuart and Ludovica Weisberger

Stuart and Jane Weisman

Joan and Robert Yood

Shoshanah and Yitzach Zaritt

Alice Valentine and John Zeugner

Prelude ($1-$99)Victoria Aberhart

Nina Astarjian

Maryann and Rob Adams

Carolyn Bellil

Don Berth

Big Y *

Leslie and Susanne Blatt

Cynthia Carruthers

Leonard Conte

Kathleen Comer

Joanne and Stephen Corcoran

Susan Corcoran

Sallie and Tom Costello

Julie and Jonathan Daisy

Brenda Verduin and

Herbert Dean

James Dolan

Linda Pape and David

Dollenmayer

The Fins Family

Jeanne Gallagher

Allison and Jeffrey Gingo

Harvey and Patti Gould

Gloria Hall

David and Nancy Hagberg

Robert Hersh

Instrument donationsAnonymous

Martin Gohary

Local Cultural Councils (funded by the Massachusetts Cultural Council)Acton/Boxborough, Bolton, Grafton, Paxton, Shrewsbury and Worcester

Concert and Media SponsorsKaren Amlaw MusicBay State Savings BankCarol Seager Associates, Inc.Charter TV 13Country BankDCU For Kids FoundationNora KeilL & R SalesReliant Medical GroupTJ Woods InsuranceUni BankWorcester Business Journal

Worcester Magazine

Season Program Book AdvertisersBay State Savings Bank

Bean Counter Bakery

Briarwood Retirement

Community

Carriage House Violins

Charter TV 13

Country Bank

Handel Haydn Society

Hanover Theatre

Joy of Music School

Karen Amlaw Music

Mechanics Hall

Music Worcester

Pakachoag Music

Powers Generator

Salisbury Singers

Worcester Historical Museum

Worcester Music Academy

Worcester Youth Orchestra

Very Open Rehearsal Hosting (2016-2017)

Emily and James Holdstein

Ruth Westheimer

*In-Kind Donations

Diane and Brian Hobbs

Christine Hera

Sandra and Robert Honig

Mary and Lylal Hood

Darlene and Steven Hyjek

David Jaffee

Katherine and Hartmut Kaiser

Alison Kenary

Dennis and Anne Moore

Laurie LaBrecque

Annette Rafferty and

Elaine Lamoureux

Francis Langille

Otillie and Jeffrey Levine

Janice Marsh

Serafin Menocal

Shannon Molloy

Jennifer Nesin

Pamela Osborn

Jay Ostrosky

Matthew Panagiotu

Janice Hitzhusen and James Pease

Susan Peck

Marge Purves

Ann-Cathrine Rapp

Norman M. Ross III

Laurel Sanderson

Anne and Peter Schneider

Dan Secor

Kate Sheehan

Lowerre and Edward Simsarian

Ruth Silver

Sophia Sayigh and

J. Richard Sladkey

Melinda Stewart

Sharon Strzalkowski

Roderick Sullivan

Robin Van Liew

Mark Wagner

Terry and Martin Young

Charlotte and Manny Zax

Joan Zumpfe

WORCESTER CHAMBER MUSIC SOCIETY GRATEFULLY ACKNOWLEDGES Gifts in Memory of:Charles and Nydia Moser

Metrowest Allergy Associates PC

Nydia Moser

Allison and Jeffrey Gingo

Jane and Andres Molina

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We sincerely thank all of our

donors and corporate sponsors

for their support. We apologize

for any errors or omissions in this

listing. Please contact us so that we

may address the error for future

publications.

VolunteersLarissa Beecher

Kenneth Bibeau

Berni Birch

Joan Cross

Joshua Davidson

Debra Doerfer

Michael Gaiewkik

John Girard

Rob and Barbara Harden

Maryanna Heister

Jodi Hirschman

Nora Keil

Rick Kimball

Jeanmarie Loss

Henry Lynch

Noah Magid

Mora McAvey

Caille Ostrowski

Judith Sullivan

Community PartnersClark University

Mechanics Hall

Seven Hills Public Charter School

Straight Ahead Ministries

Woodland Academy

Worcester Historical Museum

Neighborhood Strings MentorsLarissa Beecher

Stella Fischer-Chaves

Alyssa Goins

Dylan Hu

Elizabeth Jones

Callie Ostrowski

Jack Zhu

Emmye Vernet

Justin Wang

Kate Yuan

Eva Zhang

Jack Zhu

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Peter Metz and Phyllis Pollack - PEACE Fund of the Greater Worcester Community Foundation

Music has been a source of hope and healing for

centuries. We are pleased to support WCMS and its

diverse programming through our GWCF PEACE

Fund. WCMS has a unique place in the Worcester

Arts community with its stunning and always

inspiring chamber music performances which bring

us much joy.

The future of chamber music is with the children in

our community. WCMS has impacted a growing

number of students in the Neighborhood Strings

program in Downtown and Main South. It

provides after-school group and private lessons

(and instruments) to youth, as well as mentoring

opportunities for high school and college students.

This is a precious gift to our community.

“

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Statement of Financial Position as of August 31, 2018 2018 2017+

Assets Operating cash $ 110,344 $ 70,695 Grants and other receivables $ 2,922 $ 3,504 Prepaid expenses $ 16,624 $ 2,862 GWCF Agency Fund* $ 102,811 $ 85,570

Total Current Assets $ 232,701 $ 162,631 Equipment, net $ 39,286 $ 46,429

Total Assets $ 271,987 $ 209,060

*Greater Worcester Community Foundation

Liabilities & Net Assets

Liabilities

Accounts payable and accrued expenses $ 8,558 $ 13,248 Deferred revenue $ 15,851 $ 7,118

Total Liabilities $ 24,409 $ 20,366

Net Assets

Unrestricted $ 130,838 $ 143,284 Temporarily restricted $ 116,740 $ 45,410

Total Net Assets $ 247,578 $ 188,694

Total Liabilities and Net Assets $ 271,987 $ 209,060

Revenues

Program revenue $ 101,963 $ 139,776 Contributions $ 118,834 $ 161,082 Grants and foundations $ 175,304 $ 74,350 Investment income $ 5,309 $ 7,175

Total Revenues $ 401,410 $ 382,383

Expenses

Program expenses $ 287,597 $ 259,265 Fundraising $ 7,227 $ 30,138 Administrative $ 47,702 $ 50,779

Total Expenses $ 342,526 $ 340,182

Change in Net Assets

Net assets, beginning $ 188,694 $ 146,493 Net assets, ending $ 247,578 $ 188,694

+Bi-annual gala10

Independent Financial Review, Daniel J. Fins, CPA

Revenue Sources

Program Expenses

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Looking Forward

Last Spring, our Board of Directors approved a new 3-year strategic plan addressing growth, community, and sustainability. Highlights of that plan include:

• Expand our visibility and further enrich the Worcester cultural community through increased efforts to promote diversity and inclusion throughout our programs.

• Continue to deepen the quality and professionalism of our concerts and open doors to musical experiences that bring value into the lives of our patrons and the Greater Worcester community.

• Expand our reach and depth with our current educational programs, developing creative outlets and empowering youth through music-making.

March 4, 2018 Peter and the Wolf free family concert

The greatest impact that Worcester

Chamber Music Society has on my life

comes from its diversity and quality of

programming. We are so fortunate to have

such extraordinary talented, accomplished,

and dedicated musicians providing a broad

spectrum of world-class performances,

that bring to life the best chamber

music that composers around the world have created. Critics

have described these musicians as “ passionate, exhilarating,

stunning, adventurous, daring, thought-provoking, elegant,

invigorating, nuanced, and spot on, with an intoxicating balance

and articulation.” Every concert is an adventure in which I learn

new musical ideas, techniques, interpretations, and history, that I

never knew existed.

Live chamber music is a metaphor for life. It demands a

delicate but intense give and take, that requires continuous

sensitivity, compromise, and resolution. It exposes the musician’s

vulnerabilities, passions, and willingness to take risks, all leading

to energizing fulfillment when they excel. Live concerts provide

a place where we can all belong and collectively share and assess

how great music transcends our cultural differences and biases.

I am inspired to see young music students striving to

become proficient musicians. ChamberFest music camp and

Neighborhood Strings programs provide ample opportunities for

our youth to learn, grow, and become respectable citizens. We are

grateful that our musicians are teaching and serving as exemplary

role models for our youth.

I donate to Worcester Chamber Music, to help make these

wonderful programs available and affordable to our entire

community. Music should not be elitist, passive, or extorted. We

all benefit from its vitality.

- Dick Whitten

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WHY I GIVE

Worcester Chamber Music Society |323 Main Street, Mechanics Hall, Worcester, MA 01608Tickets & info: 508-217-4450 | www.worcesterchambermusic.org

Worcester Chamber Music Society

Our Passion. Our Community.

2018 ChamberFest student recital