Worcester Chamber Music Society

Annual Report 2017 – IMPACT

September 1, 2016 - August 31, 2017

MissionThe 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. 2016-2017 Highlights

3. Program Impact – Annual Family Concert

4. Neighborhood Strings

6. Board of Directors, Musicians and Staff

7. List of Supporters

10. Financial Statement

12. ChamberFest 2017

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Dear Friends,

Because of the commitment and support of our donors, volunteers, and community partners, we are able to offer engaging concerts and enriching music education programs that connect us in a deep and meaningful way to our Worcester community. Thank you!

A jam-packed season of concerts and events exceeded our expectations last year. Our season opened to a full house at Tower Hill Botanic Garden with our new pianist, Randall Hodgkinson. A mini-residency at Clark University followed, inspiring students with contemporary chamber works. All three Café Concerts at Nuovo Restaurant sold out, 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.

In the spring, we participated in a new course at Clark University, “Community, Music, and Social Action”, connecting college students with our Neighborhood Strings youth. It was a truly transformative experience for all. Also, we were honored with an “Outstanding Community Arts Education Collaborative” award for our Neighborhood Strings program presented by Arts Learning. Finally, we recently completed a five-year Program Assessment, which shows that we are meeting all of our goals for the program.

As we continue to grow and serve our community, we will embark on a new strategic plan to develop pathways for sustainability. 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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Our Fiesta Fundraiser filled Tilton Hall for a great evening of music-making!

2016-2017 HighlightsCommunity Music and Social Action

How can musicians, arts managers and administrators, arts educators and students contribute as citizens of a democracy? In what ways can people committed to the arts serve the wider world through their work? In this

new class at Clark University co-taught by Ariana Falk, Peter Sulski, and Matt Malsky, a WCMS Board Member and Dean of Clark University, the students participated in hands-on opportunities in the Neighborhood Strings program as well as explored related academic topics in arts education, theory and policy. We engaged important ideas from philosophy of aesthetics and education, civil society, and ways that art can play a role in readying people for democracy, and studied musicians and artistic initiatives that have been particularly focused on a positive social impact. It was a terrific and productive experience for all involved!

WCMS Receives 2017 Arts|Learning Champions for Arts Advocacy Award

We were selected to receive the prestigious 2017 Arts|Learning “Outstanding Community Arts Education Collaborative—Music” award for Neighborhood Strings! This award honors organizations and individuals who have developed model arts collaborative programs between school and community cultural resources. Recipients show evidence of superior teaching and interdisciplinary planning, professional involvement and leadership beyond the classroom, incorporation of arts into local educational reform efforts, including the use of State and National Arts Standards/ Frame-works, stimulation of community support, providing opportunities for multicultural learning, and ability to communicate effectively about the arts.

Program Impact – Annual Family Concert

Our Family Concert attracts over 800 people each year to Mechanics Hall and provides an accessible opportunity for children and their parents to experience classical music together in a world-class concert hall.

On March 5, 2017, WCMS musicians and guests performed the ever-popular Carnival of the Animals. The performance included an engaging narration designed to capture the attention and imagination of young and old alike. Drawings of the animal characters created by students at the Dawson Elementary School were projected behind the musicians during the concert and displayed in a gallery at the back of the hall.

40 students from our Neighborhood Strings program opened the concert with a 10-minute performance. This powerful experience for these budding musicians was an equally compelling experience for the audience.

The program culminated in a “hands-on” experience where the children rushed the stage to try the instruments and meet the performers!

The WCMS Family Concert is a collaborative event. With the help of the Girl Scouts, we collected hundreds of children’s books for Reliant Medical Group Foundation’s Reach Out and Read program. Donors were entered into a raffle to win a free family pass to the EcoTarium!

And to top it off, there were Girl Scout cookies for all at the juice and cookie reception!3

Post-concert “Meet and Greet”

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Neighborhood Strings

Neighborhood Strings had a successful fifth year and took many exciting steps toward the goal of connecting Worcester Chamber Music Society musicians with youth from Worcester’s Main South and Downtown communities.

Neighborhood Strings served 46 students, ages 7-15, expanded from 38 students last year. New participants were chosen carefully for enthusiasm, appropriate behavior and creative potential by working closely with the principal and family coordinator at our partner schools, Woodland Academy and Seven Hills Charter Public School. All students came 2-3 times each week throughout the school year for programming with teaching artists, including private and group lessons and orchestra.

Our mentors are a critical part of our work; more than 20 mentors from Worcester high schools, colleges, and graduates worked intensely with youth, deepening the artistic progress and quality of relationships. Students performed at a variety of formal and informal events around Worcester, including two high-profile performances at Worcester’s magnificent Mechanics Hall, performances at the “Stand Against Racism” rally and other important community events.

Getting ready for our real instruments!

Results from Neighborhood Strings Five-Year Program Assessment:

• Student self-reflections suggest they are beginning to fulfill goals around personal agency and self-esteem—higher expectations, building confidence, recognizing options for the future.

• 100% students reported perception of improvement.

• 90% weekly attendance rate and 75% retention over a five-year period.

• 88% students noted that “music connects me more to my community” and have a better understanding how music can make a difference in their community.

Tabatha’s family is from Equador. She decided to learn the cello because she looked up to Ariana, and playing the same instrument as her was really cool! She likes playing the cello because of the super low notes and is learning to

pay attention to intonation so she can fix her mistakes quickly. Tabatha is an active participant in the NS Teen Club. She wants new musicians to remember to always be confident “because it’s so worth it when you finish a concert”!

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS

2017-2018

Richard Whitten, President

Daniel Carlson, Vice President

Cheri Carty, Treasurer

Jeffrey Paster, Clerk

Frances Jacobson

William Kadish

Evelyn Karet

Gary Keilson

Matthew Malsky

Elisabet Mandon

Peter Metz

Ann Molloy

Ellen More

Carol Seager

ADMINISTRATIONTracy Kraus, Executive DirectorAriana Falk, Education DirectorPeter Sulski, Assistant Director, Neighborhood StringsJason Tockey, Administrative Assistant/Marketing Coordinator

Worcester Chamber Music Society is a gem in the crown of the city’s educational and cultural community. I became involved in the Society because it not only provides beautiful Chamber music experiences for adults and me in the greater Worcester area, but it also supports my passion for providing enriching experiences for the children of the community. - Frances Jacobson, WCMS Board Member

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MusiciansMark Berger, violinKrista Buckland Reisner, violinAriana Falk, celloJoshua Gordon, celloRohan Gregory, violinRandall Hodgkinson, pianoTracy Kraus, fluteDavid Russell, cello

Peter Sulski, viola

April concert in Mechanics Hall with guest pianist Sonya Ovrutsky Fensome

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LEADERSHIP CIRCLE(Angel, Virtuoso, Encore & Suite) Angel ($10,000-$25,000)Amelia Peabody FoundationGreater Worcester Community FoundationNora KeilTracy & Morey KrausMassachusetts Cultural CouncilPEACE Fund of the Greater Worcester Community Foundation

Virtuoso ($5,000-$9,999)Claire Ellis & Charles GreenbergC. Jean McDonoughMildred H. McEvoy FoundationCharles and Nydia MoserGerd ReinigStoddard Charitable Trust

Encore ($2,000-$4,999)Associated Chamber Music Players FoundationDCU for Kids FoundationDeborah Feingold and David DimensteinFletcher FoundationFred Harris Daniels FoundationHoward and Frances JacobsonNancy JohnsonKaren Keefe and Jeffrey PasterLen PoulinCarol L. SeagerMichelle Rediker and Sue WeddaRuth Susan WestheimerSchwartz Charitable FoundationPhyllis and Richard Whitten

Suite ($1,000-$1,999)Carol Seager Associates, Inc.Clark University *Country BankD’Addario FoundationJ. Irving England & Jane L. England Charitable TrustLisa Kirby Gibbs and Peter Gibbs

Leslie Choquette and Paul KreswickEdward LandauSilvia and Laszlo LebKaren Ludington and Thomas LynchDebra Doerfer and David MagidEugene and Barbara McCarthyAnne Harper and Gregory NoblesPhilip and Marsha PlattAnn Molloy and Ken StillmanDonald and Judith StoddardOctavia and Stephen Taylor

Continuo ($200-$299)Henry AbrahamKenneth BibeauBerni and Frank BirchMrs. Donald BloomLinda Foxworthy and Alan BrownShelia and Miguel CanizaresCheri CartyGerry & Cay CastonguayPatsy and Tom CecilLinda Russell and Jim DobsonMary Santos and Victor EvdokimoffGeoffrey and Janet GraeberPeter and Mary Ann GriggDiane and Brian HobbsRoger and Barbara KohinJanice MarshMarge and Erwin MillerSusan MoranMusic Worcester +Laura Myers +Mickie and Don NelsonCharlene NemethMatt Malsky and Nancy NewmanJoel and Zenie PopkinMary PorterMary Louise RetelleJulia SeverensLynda Young and Robert SorrentiMark SpuriaBarbara Jean & Katherine StannardJudith SullivanSusan and John Sweet

Ellen More and Micha HofriCatherine LevineJeanne B. LynchJanice Hitzhusen and James PeaseThomas and Elena PowersReliant Medical GroupJohn and Ellen SavickasDavid Schnare and Lisa PiehlerRichard and Glena SissonJennifer Campbell and Chuck StaplesSaint Vincent HospitalSusan Hardenbrook and Mary Jo WajtusikTJ Woods

Sostenuto ($500-$999)Lene Jensen and Jeffrey ArnettPaulette BluemelTimothy BoddyPhilip FalkDavid GetzJames and Emily HoldsteinSue Miller and Gary KeilsonStephen and Valerie LoringElisabet MandonMahroo and Barrett MorganMountain, Dearborn and Whiting, LLPOlive I. and Anthony A. Borgatti Jr. Fund of Greater Worcester Community FoundationKrista Buckland Reisner and Andrew ReisnerLance and Melissa SchachterleMarj Albright and David StevensJoanna Bauer and Joseph StyborskiLawrence and Katherine Van CuraWebster Five Foundation

Intermezzo ($300-$499)Daniel and Ann CarlsonOrest FedanDavid and Nancy HagbergBarbara and Warren L. HendersonEvelyn Karet

Thank you!SUPPORTERS September 1, 2016 – August 31, 2017

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Karmen Bogdesic and Dinko Vujic Wegmans*Sarah Buie and Walter WrightSusan Connors and Andrew ZimmermanJoan Zumpfe

Sonata ($100-$199)180 Advance +Marsha E. AddisWendy and Rich ArdizzoneHeather Robinson and Rob AdlerBob & Hildegard ArmstrongElizabeth and Edmund BaconIsabele and Dr. Frederick BayonPatty Ruze and John ChapmanShirley ClarkKathleen CorcoranBrenda and Dennis ConlonSamantha McDonald and Ossian CooneySarah and Dix DavisBrenda and Herbert DeanLinda Pape and David DollenmayerCarol and Ronald DorrisDenise Darrigrand and Dan DoughertySusan and Christopher DurhamCaroline and Matthew ErskinePhyllis EstusBarbara E. FargoJudy and David FinkelStu and Jayne FisherAnn and JP FlattGayle GoldenNaomi Botkin and Joshua GordonMargaret GuzmanAbraham and Linda HaddadHandel and Haydn Society +Hanover Theatre +David HennisJodi HirschmanWilliam Kadish and Marie HobartSandra and Robert HonigMartha P. Grace and Nathan HurowitzKatherine and Hartmut KaiserRichard KimballTracy Carlson and Alexander KozlovBarbara and David KrashesAnnette Rafferty and Elaine LamoureuxNel and Paul LazourMary Lee and Steve Ledbetter

Elana Rudavsky and Avi FischerRobin Foley +Robin and Jack FoleyGeri and Chris FuhrmannTrudy GoettingDwight GoodaleJohn HenchChristine HmuraMary and Lyal HoodKaren JacobsonJoanne and James KeeEllen Kirkemo-SautterSuzanne KohinPaulette and George LaBarreLaurie LeBrecqueOttilie and Jeffrey LevineHeather MangioneMora McAveyAngela and Don McClainDave McLellan +Cynthia and Edwin McMullenToni and Glen MeltzerRich and Patti MerrillRoland MorinRegina MynttinenRosalie OldsJay OstroskyGeraldine and Richard PedriniThomas PrunierKate RafeyLaurel SandersonLowerre and Edward SimsarianSophia Sayigh and J. Richard SladkeyCandace and Neel SmithWilliam M. SteinSharon StrzalkowskiJoseph and Joyce TamerJason TockeyTower Hill Botanic Garden +Paul VingerElise UnderhillSusan VogelCharlotte Richardson and Paul YoungShoshanah and Yitzach ZarittCharlotte and Manny ZaxAlice Valentine and John Zeugner

Gail Scully and James LiebmannHonee Hess and Phil MagnussonAngela Early and Damien MahietLaura and Mac McDanielSandra MeltzerBarbara NazzaroNuovo Restaurant +Matthew PanagiotuBarbara PantosDianne and Wayne ParadisKatherine PerkinsCarla and Larry PetersonCynthia and Stephen PitcherRichard PragerMarge PurvesSarah and Joseph RibeiroGale Nigrosh and Bob SakakeenyRuth SewardNancy SwayzeDonna and David TalmanRobin Van LiewVirginia VaughanJoyce and Don VirostekConrad and Lisa VoellingsKatherine Bagdis and Matt WallySteve Taviner and Matthias WaschekStuart and Ludovica WeisbergerJames WeluJanice and David WitmanThe Music Club of WorcesterMichiko Yamaguchi

Prelude ($1-$99)Joan ArnoldPat AustinPauline and Henry BergassiDon Berth Big Y *Leslie and Susanne BlattLeah and Marc BomanJohn CanavariCynthia CarruthersJane CartelliAlan CatalanoBonnie CattoMary Ellen CliffordAmy Weinstock and Michael ColnJoanne and Stephen CorcoranSusan CorcoranSallie and Tom CostelloSalvadore De la CruzEd Hyder’s Mediterranean Marketplace +Gretchen Schultz-Ellison and Richard EllisonDeborah and Dan Fins

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WORCESTER CHAMBER MUSIC SOCIETY GRATEFULLY ACKNOWLEDGES Gifts in Honor of:Nora KeilDr. Frederick LaBrecqueDr. W. Peter MetzPhyllis Pollack and Peter MetzLisa Piehler Carol SeagerRichard WhittenPhyllis and Richard Whitten

Gifts in Memory of:May Vauden EertweghRonald FuntCharles and Nydia MoserCharles SevernsHelen Whitehack Whitten

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

Media SponsorsCharter TV 13Worcester Business JournalWorcester Magazine

Very Open Rehearsal Hosting (2016-2017) Lisa Kirby Gibbs & Peter GibbsEllen and John Savickas Ruth Westheimer

*In-Kind Donations+Fiesta Auction Donation

VolunteersKen BibeauBerni BirchLillian CainDebra DoerferJohn GirardRob HardenJodi HirschmanJoshua GoldsteinRick KimballNoah MagidZoe MagidMora McAveyLaura MyersRuth SewardJudith SullivanPriscilla Vasquez

Eva ZhangJack Zhu

Season Program Book AdvertisersBay State Savings BankBean Counter BakeryBriarwood Continuing Care RetirementBurkart Flutes and PiccolosCarol Seager Associates, Inc.Carriage House ViolinsCharter TV 13Handel & Haydn SocietyHanover TheatreJohnson String InstrumentJoy of Music ProgramM. Steinert & SonsMaster Singers of WorcesterMCPHS UniversityMechanics HallMusic WorcesterMusicians of the Old Post RoadPakachoag MusicReliant Medical GroupSalisbury SingersWorcester Business JournalWorcester ChorusWorcester Historical MuseumWorcester Music AcademyWorcester Youth Orchestra

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.

Community PartnersClark UniversityMechanics HallSeven Hills Charter Public SchoolStraight Up CafeWoodland AcademyWorcester Historical Museum

Marketing InternsKelly HancockAlex HullTess ReichartKathleen Scannel Micky Strachota

Neighborhood Strings MentorsLarissa BeecherBen BergeronDevon BonadonnaJoe BurkeHannah ComeyTeresa Dancewicz-HelmersStella Fisher-ChavesAlyssa GoinsAngelina HowardDylan HuElizabeth JonesAlina KuzmaBen LawtonAlana MerlyLina NguyenVirginia Peck-PhillipsSydney PepperWaverly ShiEmmye VernetJustin WangKate Yuan

9Neighborhood Strings perform at the Annual Family Concert in Mechanics Hall

Statement of Financial Position as of August 31, 2017 2017 2016Assets Operating cash $ 70,695 $ 83,302 Grant and other receivables $ 3,504 $ 1,843 Prepaid expenses $ 2,862 $ 5,052 GWCF Agency Fund* $ 85,570 $ 81,725 Total Current Assets $162,631 $ 171,922 Equipment, net $ 46,429 $ 0 Total Assets $ 209,060 $ 171,922 *Greater Worcester Community Foundation

Liabilities & Net Assets Liabilities Accounts payable and accrued expenses $ 13,248 $ 8,202 Deferred revenue $ 7,118 $ 17,227 Total Liabilities $ 20,366 $ 25,429 Net Assets Unrestricted $ 143,284 $ 122,493 Temporarily restricted $ 45,410 $ 24,000 Total Net Assets $ 188,694 $ 146,493

Total Liabilities and Net Assets $ 209,060 $ 171,922

Revenues Program revenue $ 139,776 $ 130,614 Contributions $ 161,082 $ 136,333 Grants and foundations $ 74,350 $ 74,330 Investment income $ 7,175 $ 3,289 Total Revenues $ 382,383 $ 344,566

Expenses Program expenses $ 259,265 $ 246,740 Fundraising $ 30,138 $ 39,493 Administrative $ 50,779 $ 34,865 Total Expenses $ 340,182 $ 321,098

Change in Net Assets $ 42,201 $ 23,468 Net assets, beginning $ 146,493 $ 123,025 Net assets, ending $ 188,694 $ 146,493

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Independent Financial Review, Daniel J. Fins, CPA

Endowment 2%

Grants andFoundations

29%

Contributions31%

Programs 36%

OtherEvents

8%

Concerts42%

Camp24%

NeighborhoodStrings26%

Revenue Sources

Program Expenses

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SpecialEvent 11%

ChamberFest 2017

Youth and adults from all over New England came together for an inclusive chamber music experience. Some students were on the cusp of professional careers; others were the first in their families to attend a music camp. Camp

participants included experienced teens diving into hearty chamber music repertoire, adult amateurs enjoying a rare chance to immerse themselves in music, and students from three different community-based programs who were attending a music camp on full scholarship for the first time. In their working time, participants played in two different groups with daily coachings by WCMS amd guest faculty. In their recreational time, participants enjoyed the natural beauty around Massachusetts with outdoor sports, a lake trip, and the chance to converse with faculty about life and music after hours. Two faculty concerts brought together the camp community with the professional musicians of WCMS. Overall, the impact of camp is year-round: the inspiration to commit to practicing chamber music, the robust musical community of WCMS, and the camaraderie of people who come from many places, but whose memories of ChamberFest bond them together forever.

The Impact of Your Gift

Our Annual Fund supports expenses associated with our concert series, helps to provide free and reduced tickets for underserved members of our community, funds our Neighborhood Strings program, and provides scholarships for our ChamberFest Music Camp.

Legacy Giving

Please consider making a gift that will impact your community for years to come! To learn more, please contact Tracy Kraus, tracy@worcesterchambermusic.org or call 508-757-5006.

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ChamberFest participants perform with Crocodile River Music

We support Worcester Chamber Music Society because they are incredibly talented and engaging. We especially enjoy their Very Open Rehearsal events because we witness their process and learn so much. Their work empowering youth in our community through music is awesome!

- Ellen and John Savickas, WCMS supporters

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Annual Family Concert in Mechanics Hall

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.