From top left, clockwise: Hongxi Li; two photos from her performance; meeting with Chen Yi; and Li preparing for her performance. By Sarah Shoff, The Presser Foundation Summer 2026 Intern Invited annually, graduate schools of music present the Presser Graduate Music Award to an outstanding graduate music student whom they select. The award program is…
Photos courtesy of Ars Nova Workshop, Reading Symphony Orchestra, and Philly Youth Music Fest. While many musical performances take place during the academic year, grantees of The Presser Foundation are actively finding many ways to engage audiences and participants in music during the summer. Here, we highlight some of the opportunities you can take to…
By Roberta Johnson, organized by Abby Rolland As part of The Presser Foundation’s drive to be more transparent and to amplify the work of its partners, it uses information from grant reports to highlight its grantees. Each post will spotlight one partner, who has final say over the contents and structure of the post. In…
Philadelphia’s Highmark Mann Center for the Performing Arts turns 50 this summer, and the milestone is not just symbolic. The Mann has spent years quietly building toward this moment – expanding its campus, deepening its archives, and shaping a momentous season. This summer, the Mann’s history and future is on full display. On June 15,…
The Undergraduate Scholar Award was established by The Presser Foundation to celebrate undergraduate music students who have achieved a high level of musical and academic excellence, demonstrated leadership and service, and contributed to an inclusive community. Each year, one student in their final year at hundreds of higher education institutions across the country is chosen as the…
By Jeremy Jefferson, Graduate Music Fellow In my time at The Presser Foundation, I’ve found that access and opportunity are prevalent in most of our grantees’ performances. For this blog, I wanted to highlight Black Pearl Chamber Orchestra (BPCO) and how their performance at the Barnes Foundation shows off prestigious performers and an unforgettable experience…
By Dr. Ann Anderson, organized by Abby Rolland As part of The Presser Foundation’s drive to be more transparent and to amplify the work of its partners, it uses information from grant reports to highlight its grantees. Each post will spotlight one partner, who has final say over the contents and structure of the post.…
By Jeremy Jefferson, Graduate Music Fellow On March 6th, I enjoyed listening to members of The Philadelphia Orchestra play chamber music. I absolutely love the Orchestra and its big, full sound, but it’s an even better experience hearing individual members of the Orchestra through the Philadelphia Chamber Ensemble (PCE). PCE is comprised of talented musicians,…
The Presser Foundation is pleased to announce new Capital Support grants totaling $976,500 in single-year and multi-year grants to 24 music organizations, with $611,500 to be distributed this fiscal year. An additional $125,000 will be given this year for previous commitments. A complete listing by category of the grantee organizations is below. These grants are…
By The Presser Foundation Staff What does it take to break down barriers to music access? For music educating, performing, and presenting organizations, there are no quick fixes, and few challenges can be solved by one organization alone. As The Presser Foundation enters its second century of service, we set out to build a contemporary…