Form 990 for tax year 2024

Filed by KANSAS CITY SYMPHONY.

Totals

Total revenue: $21,089,139
Total expenses: $27,168,596
Contributions and grants received: $8,997,710
Grants paid: $0
Program service revenue: $8,573,477
Investment income: $3,350,142
Other revenue: $167,810
Total assets, end of year: $90,639,994
Total liabilities, end of year: $7,963,925
Net assets or fund balances, end of year: $82,676,069
Program services expenses (Part IX): $22,383,468
Management and general expenses: $2,865,354
Fundraising expenses: $1,919,774
Program service expenses (Part III): $22,383,468

Program services were 82.4% of total expenses calculated — Part IX's program-services column over total expenses, both as filed.

Line items

Every line the filer filed in Parts VIII, IX and X, as filed and in filed order. Blank columns are left out, and the lines are not forced to add up to the totals above.

Revenue

Part VIII, the statement of revenue.

1b · Membership dues

$27,823
1c · Fundraising events

$1,013,544
1e · Government grants (contributions)

$443,052
1f · All other contributions, gifts and grants

$7,513,291
1g · Noncash contributions included above

$327,565
2a · Program service revenue: TICKET SALES

total $7,475,723 · related or exempt $7,475,723
2b · Program service revenue: PERFORMANCE FEES

total $1,097,754 · related or exempt $1,097,754
2f · All other program service revenue

total $0 · related or exempt $0 · unrelated business $0 · excluded $0
3 · Investment income

total $3,291,206 · excluded $3,291,206
6c · Rental income or loss

real property $0 · personal property $0
7a · Gross sales of assets other than inventory

securities $2,925,093 · other assets $140,000
7b · Less cost or other basis and sales expenses

securities $2,888,696 · other assets $117,461
7c · Gain or loss

securities $36,397 · other assets $22,539
7d · Net gain or loss

total $58,936 · excluded $58,936
8a · Fundraising events: gross income

$554,786
8a · Fundraising events: contributions included on line 1c

$1,013,544
8b · Fundraising events: direct expenses

$442,162
8c · Net income from fundraising events

total $112,624 · excluded $112,624
11a · Other revenue: MISCELLANOUS REVENUE

total $55,186 · excluded $55,186
11d · All other revenue

total $0 · related or exempt $0 · unrelated business $0 · excluded $0
11e · Other revenue, total

$55,186

Functional expenses

Part IX, the statement of functional expenses.

5 · Compensation of officers, directors and key employees

total $1,146,040 · program services $599,158 · management and general $461,066 · fundraising $85,816
7 · Other salaries and wages

total $10,566,193 · program services $9,576,669 · management and general $426,587 · fundraising $562,937
8 · Pension plan contributions

total $784,259 · program services $756,603 · management and general $13,288 · fundraising $14,368
9 · Other employee benefits

total $1,767,475 · program services $1,638,886 · management and general $4,767 · fundraising $123,822
10 · Payroll taxes

total $915,904 · program services $814,085 · management and general $51,552 · fundraising $50,267
11b · Fees: legal

total $139,108 · management and general $139,108
11c · Fees: accounting

total $80,409 · management and general $80,409
11e · Fees: professional fundraising services

total $410,148 · fundraising $410,148
11f · Fees: investment management

total $27,215 · management and general $27,215
11g · Fees: other

total $3,946,739 · program services $3,676,432 · management and general $227,166 · fundraising $43,141
12 · Advertising and promotion

total $997,524 · program services $996,160 · fundraising $1,364
13 · Office expenses

total $726,047 · program services $272,167 · management and general $98,989 · fundraising $354,891
14 · Information technology

total $96,059 · program services $36,425 · management and general $59,634
16 · Occupancy

total $416,091 · program services $253,989 · management and general $138,697 · fundraising $23,405
17 · Travel

total $1,456,384 · program services $1,318,935 · management and general $75,318 · fundraising $62,131
22 · Depreciation, depletion and amortization

total $316,234 · program services $197,387 · management and general $87,434 · fundraising $31,413
23 · Insurance

total $165,517 · program services $147,740 · management and general $8,788 · fundraising $8,989
24a · Other expenses: CONCERT PRODUCTION EXPENSE

total $2,084,754 · program services $2,084,754
24b · Other expenses: CREDIT CARD PROCESSING FEE

total $194,164 · management and general $194,164
24c · Other expenses: DUES AND SUBSCRIPTIONS

total $59,628 · program services $14,078 · management and general $44,259 · fundraising $1,291
24d · Other expenses: BAD DEBT EXPENSE

total $96,396 · management and general $96,396
24e · All other expenses

total $776,308 · program services $0 · management and general $630,517 · fundraising $145,791

Balance sheet

Part X, book values.

1 · Cash, non-interest-bearing

beginning of year $135,471 · end of year $426,070
2 · Savings and temporary cash investments

beginning of year $13,136,897 · end of year $8,283,048
3 · Pledges and grants receivable

beginning of year $2,266,196 · end of year $3,381,037
4 · Accounts receivable

beginning of year $424,460 · end of year $182,315
5 · Loans and receivables from officers and key people

beginning of year $0 · end of year $0
6 · Loans and receivables from disqualified persons

beginning of year $0 · end of year $0
8 · Inventories for sale or use

beginning of year $6,995 · end of year $6,995
9 · Prepaid expenses and deferred charges

beginning of year $1,183,560 · end of year $687,705
10a · Land, buildings and equipment: cost or other basis

$4,414,461
10b · Land, buildings and equipment: accumulated depreciation

$1,845,752
10c · Land, buildings and equipment, net

beginning of year $2,487,607 · end of year $2,568,709
11 · Investments: publicly traded securities

beginning of year $66,219,434 · end of year $72,142,695
12 · Investments: other securities

beginning of year $0
13 · Investments: program-related

beginning of year $0
15 · Other assets

beginning of year $3,291,364 · end of year $2,961,420
17 · Accounts payable and accrued expenses

beginning of year $1,496,706 · end of year $1,590,068
19 · Deferred revenue

beginning of year $3,441,517 · end of year $3,268,675
22 · Loans and payables to officers and key people

beginning of year $0 · end of year $0
25 · Other liabilities

beginning of year $3,396,808 · end of year $3,105,182
27 · Net assets without donor restrictions

beginning of year $25,400,449 · end of year $23,219,205
28 · Net assets with donor restrictions

beginning of year $55,416,504 · end of year $59,456,864

Mission and programs · 2024

Mission

ITS MISSION IS TO PERFORM GREAT PERFORMANCES FOR GREATER AUDIENCES. THE KANSAS CITY SYMPHONY WILL ACHIEVE THIS MISSION BY: - DEVELOPING AN UNCOMPROMISING PERFORMANCE STANDARD. - ADVANCING THE PROFILE AND VALUE OF THE ORCHESTRA LOCALLY, NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY. - DEVELOPING THE FINANCIAL RESOURCES TO ALLOW THE ORCHESTRA TO THRIVE TODAY AND TOMORROW. - CREATING AN INTERNAL CULTURE THAT STIMULATES EFFECTIVE RELATIONSHIPS WITHIN AND BETWEEN BOARD, STAFF AND MUSICIANS. - DEVELOPING AUDIENCES AND PARTNERSHIPS THAT ALLOW THE ORCHESTRA TO THRIVE TODAY AND TOMORROW.

Activities or mission (Part I)

THE VISION OF THE KANSAS CITY SYMPHONY IS TO TRANSFORM HEARTS, MINDS AND COMMUNITIES THROUGH THE POWER OF SYMPHONIC MUSIC.

During the 2025 fiscal year, the Kansas City Symphony offered 201 performances of 83 different programs across the full range of classical, pops, film, and other repertoire. In addition, the Symphony served as the pit orchestra in 64 performances of eight different programs for the Kansas City Ballet and the Lyric Opera of Kansas City. Symphony audiences hailed from 1,512 communities in all 50 states plus the District of Columbia and 10 foreign countries. In total, the Kansas City Symphony reached more than 209,000 people in person during the 2024/25 season. Classical audiences numbered 45,745, Pops totaled 18,855 and Family drew 2,109. Holiday programs attracted 17,307 to nine performances of Christmas Festival and Handel's Messiah. Film + Live Orchestra and special programs were especially popular with 40,653 attending 34 performances of 17 programs, including a concert featuring Ben Folds and films from the "Harry Potter" series. The Happy Hour series of informal chamber music programs had enthusiastic crowds totaling 7,335 at the four free concerts. Free outdoor Mobile Music Box neighborhood concerts introduced new audiences to the artistry of Symphony musicians, with 50 concerts reaching 10,747 people in 43 ZIP codes across Greater Kansas City. A Memorial Day weekend civic tradition, Bank of America Celebration at the Station delighted the crowd of 15,000 as they gathered between Kansas City's Union Station and Liberty Memorial. The program was broadcast live on Kansas City PBS and later rebroadcast on public television stations throughout the region. In addition, the Symphony served as the featured orchestra for Symphony in the Flint Hills, an annual outdoor concert on the Kansas plains. With an ongoing commitment to education, the Symphony's youth concerts served 27,063 students and teachers from 171 schools in 33 districts across 73 communities, in addition to 271 homeschool groups, as they participated in Young People's Concerts, Link Up, and KinderKonzerts. Numerous other Symphony education programs also helped meet the community need for high quality music education experiences, reaching nearly 32,000 young people overall.

Expenses $22,383,468 · Revenue $8,573,477

As filed on the 2024 return.

Listed in Part VII

Daniel Beckley

Chief Executive Officer

Total calculated

$414,289

From this org

$351,008

From related orgs

$0

Other

$63,281

Hours/week

50

Schedule J breakdown matched by us

Base

$320,108

Bonus

$30,900

Other

$0

Deferred

$32,404

Nontaxable benefits

$30,877

Filer's total

$414,289
Kenneth V Hager

Vice Chair & Secretary/Treasurer

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

1
Linda Gill Taylor

Board Chair

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

1
Shirley Bush Helzberg

Chair Emerita

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

1
Bebe Kemper Hunt

Director

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

1
Dr Valerie Chow

Director

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

1
Grant Burcham

Director

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

1
Jeff Hargroves

Director

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

1
Jesse Yukimura

Director

Total calculated

$98,164

From this org

$74,183

From related orgs

$0

Other

$23,981

Hours/week

30
Jill Marchant

Director

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

1
Joseph Lefevre

DIRECTOR

Total calculated

$134,469

From this org

$90,953

From related orgs

$0

Other

$43,516

Hours/week

30
Julian Kaplan

Director

Total calculated

$128,234

From this org

$105,006

From related orgs

$0

Other

$23,228

Hours/week

30
Linda S Stevens

Director

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

1
Marny Sherman

Director

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

1
Michael Gentry

Director

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

1
Patrick A Valadez

Director

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

1
Scott S Boswell Sr

Director

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

1
Shannon Finney

DIRECTOR

Total calculated

$121,844

From this org

$95,669

From related orgs

$0

Other

$26,175

Hours/week

30
Susan Chambers

Director

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

1
Susan Newburger

Director

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

1
Timothy P CookTIMOTHY P COOK

DIRECTOR

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

1
Ursula Terrasi

Director

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

1
Willy Pegues IV

Director

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

1
Sara Lohe

Chief Financial Officer

Total calculated

$159,651

From this org

$115,557

From related orgs

$0

Other

$44,094

Hours/week

40

Schedule J breakdown matched by us

Base

$115,557

Bonus

$0

Other

$0

Deferred

$12,539

Nontaxable benefits

$31,555

Filer's total

$159,651
Ann Bilderback

Principal Bassoon

Total calculated

$136,150

From this org

$102,000

From related orgs

$0

Other

$34,150

Hours/week

30
John RoloffJOHN ROLOFF

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

Total calculated

$165,086

From this org

$141,705

From related orgs

$0

Other

$23,381

Hours/week

40

Schedule J breakdown matched by us

Base

$113,974

Bonus

$0

Other

$27,731

Deferred

$11,873

Nontaxable benefits

$11,508

Filer's total

$165,086
Jun Iwasaki

Concertmaster

Total calculated

$294,432

From this org

$222,270

From related orgs

$0

Other

$72,162

Hours/week

30

Schedule J breakdown matched by us

Base

$219,770

Bonus

$2,500

Other

$0

Deferred

$37,894

Nontaxable benefits

$34,268

Filer's total

$294,432
Mark Gibbs

Principal Cello

Total calculated

$162,955

From this org

$109,588

From related orgs

$0

Other

$53,367

Hours/week

30

Schedule J breakdown matched by us

Base

$107,088

Bonus

$2,500

Other

$0

Deferred

$40,530

Nontaxable benefits

$12,837

Filer's total

$162,955
Stirling Trent

Associate Concertmaster

Total calculated

$175,314

From this org

$118,978

From related orgs

$0

Other

$56,336

Hours/week

30

Schedule J breakdown matched by us

Base

$116,478

Bonus

$2,500

Other

$0

Deferred

$26,619

Nontaxable benefits

$29,717

Filer's total

$175,314
Kristina Fulton

FORMER DIRECTOR

Total calculated

$135,952

From this org

$108,358

From related orgs

$0

Other

$27,594

Hours/week

30

Schedule J breakdown matched by us

Base

$105,858

Bonus

$2,500

Other

$0

Deferred

$13,328

Nontaxable benefits

$14,266

Filer's total

$135,952
Michael Stern

FORMER Music Director

Total calculated

$63,370

From this org

$46,273

From related orgs

$0

Other

$17,097

Hours/week

10

Schedule J breakdown matched by us

Base

$46,273

Bonus

$0

Other

$0

Deferred

$1,413

Nontaxable benefits

$15,684

Filer's total

$63,370

Compensation is as filed in Part VII: reportable pay from this organization and from related organizations, other compensation, and hours per week. The total, marked calculated, is our sum of the three dollar columns, with a blank column counted as $0; the form itself has no total. On a Form 990-EZ the columns are Part IV's instead, and on a Form 990-PF Part VIII's — compensation, contributions to benefit plans, and expense account — and the total sums those. A Schedule J breakdown is as filed: base pay, bonus, other, deferred compensation and nontaxable benefits from this organization, with any from related organizations beside each, and the filer's own total. It is shown with the Part VII listing of the same name on the same return. The form gives no key between the two, so that pairing is ours, and is marked matched by us.

Schedule J

Answered yes

1a · Tax indemnification and gross-up payments
1b · Written policy on the line-1a expenses
2 · Substantiation required before reimbursing expenses
3 · Written employment contract
3 · Compensation survey or study
3 · Approval by the board or compensation committee

Answered no

4a · Severance or change-of-control payment
4b · Supplemental nonqualified retirement plan
4c · Equity-based compensation arrangement
5a · Pay contingent on this organization's revenues
5b · Pay contingent on a related organization's revenues
6a · Pay contingent on this organization's net earnings
6b · Pay contingent on a related organization's net earnings
7 · Other non-fixed payments
8 · Paid under the initial-contract exception

The filer's explanations (Part III)

Schedule J, Part I, Line 1a Tax indemnification and gross-up payments: ALL DIRECTORS THAT WERE COMPENSATED RECEIVED A GROSSED UP PAYMENT. THESE AMOUNTS WERE INCLUDED IN THE INDIVIDUALS' W-2 AS TAXABLE COMPENSATION.

Part I's answers as filed. A line not listed was left unanswered; on lines 1a and 3 that means the box was not checked.

Grants on this return

No itemized grants to organizations on this return.

Taxable family on this return

Schedule R Parts I, III and IV, as filed. These record ownership and control, not shared board members or money moved.

Disregarded entities

Part I: entities that legally are the filer and file no return of their own.

MORE MUSIC LLC

CONCERT VENUE · MO · income $0 · assets $0

Directly controlled by KC SYMPHONY

Provenance

Return type: form_990
Tax year: 2024
Filed: 1 May 2026
IRS schema version: 2024v5.1
Source object: 202611219349302011

Check it against the return as filed: the GivingTuesday Data Lake hosts a public copy of the original XML.

The source document this was parsed from is served over the API, which is where bulk and document access live.