Form 990 for tax year 2024

Totals

Total revenue

$2,529,838

Total expenses

$2,759,195

Contributions and grants received

$1,936,632

Grants paid

$0

Program service revenue

$476,323

Investment income

$67,868

Other revenue

$49,015

Total assets, end of year

$4,749,903

Total liabilities, end of year

$194,085

Net assets or fund balances, end of year

$4,555,818

Program services expenses (Part IX)

$2,115,771

Management and general expenses

$322,015

Fundraising expenses

$321,409

Program service expenses (Part III)

$2,115,771

Program services were 76.7% 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.

Mission and programs · 2024

• CLASSICS SERIES: IN THE 2024-25 SEASON, THE NHSO PERFORMED MAINSTAGE ORCHESTRA CONCERTS AT WOOLSEY HALL AT YALE UNIVERSITY, THE JOHN C. LYMAN CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS AT SOUTHERN CONNECTICUT STATE UNIVERSITY, ST. MARY'S CHURCH, SHELTON HIGH SCHOOL, AND SHELTON INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL.MUSIC DIRECTOR PERRY SO CELEBRATED HIS FIRST SEASON AS THE NHSO'S MUSIC DIRECTOR WITH CONCERTS LIKE DANZAS SINFONICAS THAT INCLUDED LATIN GRAMMY-WINNER TRUMPETER PACHO FLORES; A REIMAGINING OF BEETHOVEN'S ONLY BALLET, THE CREATURES OF PROMETHEUS, WITH SPOKEN WORD POETRY PERFORMED BY NEW HAVEN'S POET LAUREATE SHARMONT LITTLE; CANDLELIGHT CONCERTS; AND THE NEW HAVEN PREMIERE OF NATHANIEL DETT'S ORATORIO, THE ORDERING OF MOSES. PIECES PLAYED CAME FROM THE MUSICAL REPERTOIRE OF, LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN, JOHANNES BRAHMS, UNSUK CHIN, GABRIELA LENA FRANK, DANIEL FREIBERG, ALBERTO GINASTERA, JOSEPH HAYDN, ARTURO MARQUEZ, OTTORINO RESPIGHI, SILVESTRE REVUELTAS, NIKOLAI RIMSKY-KORSAKOV, CLARA SCHUMANN, ANTONIO VIVALDI, RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS, DU YUN.

  Expenses $1,008,435 · Revenue $287,606

• POPS SERIES: THE NHSO'S VENERABLE POPS SERIES CONCERTS BEGAN IN 1945 AT THE NEW HAVEN ARENA AND HAVE FEATURED SUCH ESTEEMED ARTISTS AS DAVE BRUBECK, JUDY COLLINS, DIZZY GILLESPIE, BENNY GOODMAN, MARVIN HAMLISCH, SKITCH HENDERSON, WYNTON MARSALIS, DUDLEY MOORE, BUDDY RICH, DOC SEVERINSON, ARTIE SHAW, JAMES TAYLOR, AND SARAH VAUGHAN.PRINCIPAL POPS CONDUCTOR CHELSEA TIPTON, II LED THE SYMPHONY'S POPULAR HOLIDAY EXTRAVAGANZA AS WELL AS IT'S MAGIC! JOAN ELLISON SWINGS IN HIGH FIDELITY. THE POPS SERIES, WHICH HELD PROGRAMS AT LYMAN CENTER AT SCSU AND SHELTON HIGH SCHOOL, CONCLUDED WITH A NEW SHOW CREATED IN COLLABORATION WITH VIDEO GAME FUNK-FUSION BAND DISCOCACTUS.

  Expenses $351,300 · Revenue $133,453

• EDUCATION PROGRAMS:THE NEW HAVEN SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA'S COMPREHENSIVE EDUCATION PROGRAMS ANNUALLY BRING ORCHESTRAL MUSIC TO CHILDREN THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT. INNOVATIVE EDUCATION PROGRAMS INCLUDE:FAMILY CONCERT SERIES DESIGNED EXCLUSIVELY FOR SMALL ENSEMBLES THAT ALLOW FOR AN INTIMATE AND INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCE, THE NHSO OFFERED TWO FAMILY CONCERT PROGRAMS, EACH PERFORMED IN MULTIPLE NEIGHBORHOODS AND REGIONAL VENUES WITH NHSO OFFERING A SENSORY-FRIENDLY PERFORMANCE OF EACH PROGRAM. 2024-2025 OFFERINGS INCLUDED A NEW ORLEANS SUMMER SWING CONCERT WITH NHSO BRASS PLAYERS, AND AN EXPLORATION OF THE ANIMAL KINGDOM WITH THE PROGRAM THREE LITTLE PIGS AND ANANSI THE SPIDER.YOUNG PEOPLE'S CONCERTS YOUNG PEOPLE'S CONCERTS HAVE BROUGHT FULL ORCHESTRA PERFORMANCES TO PUBLICSCHOOL CHILDREN FOR MORE THAN 90 YEARS. THESE PERFORMANCES ARE PRODUCED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PUBLIC SCHOOLS ACROSS THE STATE. THE NHSO WELCOMES THOUSANDS OF YOUNG LISTENERS TO CONCERTS DESIGNED EXPRESSLY FOR ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS, SUPPORTED BY AN EXTENSIVE CURRICULUM GUIDE THAT SUPPORTS STATE AND NATIONAL TEACHING STANDARDS. MANY OF THE SCHOOLS HOST PRE-CONCERT VISITS TO THEIR CLASSROOMS BY NHSO TEACHING ARTISTS. A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF STUDENTS HEAR LIVE CLASSICAL MUSIC FOR THE FIRST TIME THROUGH THIS PROGRAM. THIS YEAR, THE NHSO OFFERED FREE, PUBLIC PERFORMANCES OF THIS PROGRAM IN NEW HAVEN, AS WELL AS IN-SCHOOL FIELD TRIP STYLE PERFORMANCES.CREATING MUSICAL READERSCREATING MUSICAL READERS HIGHLIGHTS INSTRUMENTS FROM EACH OF THE FOUR FAMILIES OF THE ORCHESTRA IN THE CONTEXT OF LITERACY ACTIVITIES. PROGRAMS ARE PERFORMED AT SCHOOLS, COMMUNITY CENTERS, LIBRARIES, AND THE CONNECTICUT CHILDREN'S MUSEUM. DESIGNED FOR PRE-K THROUGH 2ND GRADE, MUSIC AND STORYTELLING ARE COMBINED TO ENCOURAGE AVID READING AND BEGIN A LIFETIME OF MUSICAL AWARENESS. EACH 45-MINUTE PROGRAM FEATURES AN NHSO MUSICIAN ACCOMPANYING A STORYBOOK ON THEIR INSTRUMENT, WITH BOOK TITLES INCLUDING MOLE MUSIC (VIOLIN), TUBBY THE TUBA (TUBA), AND RALPH'S SECRET WEAPON (BASSOON). PRESENTING PARTNERS CONTINUE TO BRING NHSO TEACHING ARTISTS BACK DUE TO THE PROGRAM'S POSITIVE IMPACT ON YOUNG READERS.YOUNG COMPOSERS PROJECTTHE PROJECT IS A 2-YEAR EXTRACURRICULAR PROGRAM FOR TALENTED AND ENGAGED HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN ADVANCED MUSICAL STUDY. STUDENTS COMPLETE MUSIC THEORY COURSES; PARTICIPATE IN PRIVATE COMPOSITION LESSONS AND MONTHLY COMPOSITION SEMINARS; AND WORKSHOP DIRECTLY WITH PROFESSIONALS. THE PROJECT CULMINATES IN AN ANNUAL PREMIERE PERFORMANCE OF A CHAMBER WORK WITH THE MUSICIANS OF THE NHSO, WHICH IS RECORDED FOR THE STUDENTS. THE NHSO'S YOUNG COMPOSERS PROJECT HAS WON NATIONAL RECOGNITION FOR BOTH ITS DEPTH OF STUDY AND THE PRESTIGIOUS PERSONNEL INVESTED IN THE COMPOSERS' GROWTH.ALL PARTICIPANTS FROM THE PREVIOUS COHORTS HAVE GAINED ACCESS TO CONSERVATORY AND HIGHER-EDUCATION MUSIC PROGRAMS.

  Expenses $328,792 · Revenue $59,818

• HARMONY FELLOWSHIP FOR UNDERREPRESENTED MUSICIANS, CONDUCTORS, ARTS ADMINISTRATORS, AND BOARD LEADERSTHE NHSO'S HARMONY FELLOWSHIPS , ORIGINALLY FUNDED BY THE ANN & GORDON GETTY FOUNDATION THROUGH THE LEAGUE OF AMERICAN ORCHESTRAS, PROVIDE VITAL EARLY CAREER SUPPORT TO INSTRUMENTALISTS, CONDUCTORS, ARTS ADMINISTRATIVE, AND BOARD FELLOWS, BRINGING INCREASED DIVERSITY TO ALL AREAS OF THE SYMPHONY.THE INSTRUMENTAL FELLOWSHIP ACCEPTS A COHORT OF TWO MUSICIANS FROM UNDERREPRESENTED BACKGROUNDS EVERY YEAR FOR A TWO-YEAR FELLOWSHIP. FELLOWS RECEIVE LESSONS, PARTICIPATE IN PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SUCH AS MOCK AUDITIONS, AND HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY CONCERTS WITH THE ORCHESTRA. AT THE END OF THE TWO-YEAR FELLOWSHIP, EACH FELLOW WILL BE INVITED TO ANY FUTURE OPPORTUNITY TO AUDITION FOR THE NHSO AND PAST FELLOWS HAVE WON SPOTS ON THE NHSO SUBSTITUTE LISTEACH COHORT, ALONG WITH TWO NHSO ORCHESTRA MEMBERS, FORMS ONE OF TWO HARMONY QUARTETS. THE HARMONY QUARTETS ARE INTEGRAL TO NHSO EDUCATION PROGRAMS THAT FOCUS ON RESILIENCE AND CONFLICT RESOLUTION. CONDUCTING FELLOWS RECEIVE MENTORSHIP FROM MUSIC DIRECTOR PERRY SO AND PRINCIPAL POPS CONDUCTOR CHELSEA TIPTON WHILE ADMINISTRATIVE AND BOARD FELLOWS ARE PAIRED WITH STAFF AND BOARD MEMBERS TO WORK ON PROJECTS AND COMMITTEES THAT ALIGN WITH THEIR PROFESSIONAL GOALS.

  Expenses $427,244

As filed on the 2024 return. The filer continues this part on Schedule O, which is not shown here.

Listed in Part VII

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

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.

Related organizations on this return

Schedule R Part II: tax-exempt organizations related to the filer by control. It does not record shared board members or money.

• NHSO FOUNDATION INC

  501(C)(3) · OWNING AN ENDOWMENT FUND FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE NEW HAVEN SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA · CT

Provenance

Return type

form_990

Tax year

2024

Filed

2 December 2025

IRS schema version

2024v5.2

Source object

202533369349300028

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