- Revenue 2024
- $4,082,630
- Expenses 2024
- $4,873,887
Program services were 82.9% of total expenses calculated — Part IX's program-services column over total expenses, both as filed.
As filed
- Subsection
- 03
- NTEE code
- A690
- Classification
- 1000
- Street
- PO BOX 40006
These codes are the IRS's own and are shown exactly as filed. What each one means is in the Business Master File documentation (opens in a new tab).
Mission and programs · 2024
Mission
TO ENRICH THE LIVES OF OUR DIVERSE COMMUNITY THROUGH EXCEPTIONAL MUSIC AND DYNAMIC PROGRAMS.
-
THE MEMPHIS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA STRIVES TO ENRICH THE LIVES OF OUR DIVERSE COMMUNITY THROUGH EXCEPTIONAL MUSIC AND DYNAMIC PROGRAMS. MORE THAN 400 MUSICIANS, STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS MAKE UP THE MEMPHIS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, MEMPHIS SYMPHONY CHORUS AND MEMPHIS SYMPHONY LEAGUE, OPERATING EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, ORGANIZING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EVENTS AND PERFORMING CONCERTS
Expenses $4,040,600 · Revenue $1,273,714
As filed on the 2024 return.
Officers and directors · 2024
As listed in Part VII of the 2024 return, in the order the filer printed them. Each return names its own; this is not a roster the organization keeps with us.
-
Abell PeterABELL PETER
PRESIDENT/CEO
- Total calculated
- $143,399
- From this org
- $133,046
- From related orgs
- $0
- Other
- $10,353
- Hours/week
- 40
-
Merrill Irma WMERRILL IRMA W
CHAIRPERSON
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 1
-
Farmer JasonFARMER JASON
IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIR
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 1
-
Marus RamonMARUS RAMON
TREASURER
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 1
-
Ellison Dr DavidELLISON DR DAVID
SECRETARY
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 1
-
Moody RobertMOODY ROBERT
MUSIC DIRECTOR
- Total calculated
- $224,231
- From this org
- $211,523
- From related orgs
- $0
- Other
- $12,708
- Hours/week
- 40
Schedule J breakdown matched by us
- Base
- $211,523
- Bonus
- $0
- Other
- $0
- Deferred
- $6,346
- Nontaxable benefits
- $6,362
- Filer's total
- $224,231
-
Brezina Dr PaulBREZINA DR PAUL
DIRECTOR
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 1
-
Collier DabneyCOLLIER DABNEY
DIRECTOR
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 1
-
Crosby MarkCROSBY MARK
DIRECTOR
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 1
-
Gerard JereGERARD JERE
DIRECTOR
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 1
-
Heppel ScottHEPPEL SCOTT
DIRECTOR
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 1
-
Johnson-Dean Dr CarolJOHNSON-DEAN DR CAROL
DIRECTOR
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 1
-
Makowsky GaryMAKOWSKY GARY
DIRECTOR
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 1
-
Mauldin BacarraMAULDIN BACARRA
DIRECTOR
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 1
-
McKissack Michelle RobinsonMCKISSACK MICHELLE ROBINSON
DIRECTOR
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 1
-
Mendel Dr Lisa LucksMENDEL DR LISA LUCKS
DIRECTOR
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 1
-
Porter SonyaPORTER SONYA
DIRECTOR
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 1
-
Sargeant LarethaSARGEANT LARETHA
DIRECTOR
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 1
-
Tucker MaryTUCKER MARY
DIRECTOR
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 1
-
Whitney SusannaWHITNEY SUSANNA
DIRECTOR
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 1
-
Knisley Brandon EKNISLEY BRANDON E
KEY EMPLOYEE
- Total calculated
- $120,453
- From this org
- $110,768
- From related orgs
- $0
- Other
- $9,685
- Hours/week
- 40
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. Earlier years are each on their own filing page.
Filings
-
2024
- Revenue
- $4,082,630
- Expenses
- $4,873,887
- Contributions
- $2,684,190
- Grants paid
- $0
-
2023
- Revenue
- $5,679,056
- Expenses
- $4,552,708
- Contributions
- $4,475,588
- Grants paid
- $0
-
2022
- Revenue
- $4,684,929
- Expenses
- $4,720,503
- Contributions
- $3,560,014
- Grants paid
- $0
The four totals the IRS asks for on Part I of the Form 990, as filed. A dash means the figure was not present on the return — not that it was zero.
Other returns filed
-
2024 · 990-T
- Revenue
- not reported
- Expenses
- not reported
- Assets (EOY)
- not reported
-
2023 · 990-T
- Revenue
- not reported
- Expenses
- not reported
- Assets (EOY)
- not reported
-
2022 · 990-T
- Revenue
- not reported
- Expenses
- not reported
- Assets (EOY)
- not reported
-
2021 · 990
- Revenue
- $4,582,397
- Expenses
- $3,768,983
- Assets (EOY)
- $6,274,797
-
2021 · 990-T
- Revenue
- not reported
- Expenses
- not reported
- Assets (EOY)
- not reported
-
2020 · 990
- Revenue
- $3,407,953
- Expenses
- $2,654,687
- Assets (EOY)
- $5,663,618
-
2020 · 990-T
- Revenue
- not reported
- Expenses
- not reported
- Assets (EOY)
- not reported
-
2019 · 990
- Revenue
- $4,178,515
- Expenses
- $3,904,836
- Assets (EOY)
- $3,710,690
-
2018 · 990
- Revenue
- $5,603,475
- Expenses
- $4,121,855
- Assets (EOY)
- $3,114,026
-
2017 · 990
- Revenue
- $4,231,564
- Expenses
- $4,212,264
- Assets (EOY)
- $1,645,684
Nonprofiteer parses Forms 990, 990-EZ and 990-PF, in a window of recent tax years. These returns are recorded from the IRS e-file index, so their figures were extracted by that index rather than read from the return here — treat them as a different source from the filings above, not as more of the same record. A dash means the index carries no figure; Form 990-T listings carry none at all. Showing the 10 most recent; the API carries the rest.
Grants made
No itemized grants to organizations. Schedule I is filed only by organizations that granted more than $5,000 to a recipient, so most filers have none.
Grants received
-
COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF GREATER MEMPHIS INC
$1,385,054
2023 GENERAL OPERATIONAL SUPPORT
-
2024 GENERAL OPERATIONAL SUPPORT
-
2022 GENERAL OPERATIONAL SUPPORT
-
2022 ARTS, CULTURE
-
2024 RELIGION
-
$62,500
2024 OPERATING SUPPORT
-
$62,000
2023 OPERATING SUPPORT
-
$60,000
2022 OPERATING SUPPORT
-
2022 ARTS, CULTURE
-
$20,774
2023 FOR EXEMPT PURPOSE
The 10 largest by cash amount. The API serves every itemized grant.
Other IRS files
Auto-Revocation List
Not listed. The IRS publishes this list for organizations whose exemption was automatically revoked for failing to file for three consecutive years.
Publication 78
Listed as of 13 October 2026, under deductibility PC.
These are two separate IRS files on two separate schedules, shown as published and not reconciled with each other. Neither is a statement about whether a contribution is deductible today: 19,245 organizations appear in Publication 78 while the IRS's own revocation file lists them as currently revoked, more than half of those revoked before 2019. Absence from Publication 78 is evidence of nothing, and presence is not evidence either. Verify current status with the IRS before relying on it.
What this page reflects
The registration facts above come from the IRS Business Master File published 13 October 2026 and read 29 October 2026, for every organization at once. Returns through tax year 2024, the newest we have parsed for this organization.