While Presser’s philanthropy began with the building and completion of the Home, he also sought to leave a deeper legacy of giving. He arranged his will so that the vast majority of his wealth was organized into various trusts (the early versions of The Presser Foundation) for giving to music. After his passing, a Board of trusted advisors formed to administer those trusts did just that – they supported the building of 16 Presser Halls at universities across the country to honor Presser, and created other programs to support music philanthropy and music education.
For the past 100 years, The Presser Foundation has done just that. Much has changed – such as the creation of the Advancement of Music grantmaking area in the late 1950s (decades before giving general operating support became a “best practice” in philanthropy), the expansion of music genres served, the growing use of communications to share the Foundation’s and our grantees’ efforts, and the dedication to supporting equitable access to music. However, we remain steadfast in our commitment to supporting music and strengthening the music community, both in Greater Philadelphia and at hundreds of music programs in higher education institutions across the country. Supporting retired music teachers also remains a cornerstone of the Foundation’s efforts through the Assistance to Music Teachers grantmaking program.
As we celebrate the foresight and thoughtfulness of Theodore Presser and 100 years of The Presser Foundation, the Foundation has partnered with Temple University’s Special Collections Research Center (SCRC) to create an exhibit at the Charles Library in honor of the Foundation’s history. The exhibit guides visitors through Theodore Presser’s life story, from the founding of The Etude Music Magazine and Presser Publishing Company to the establishment of the Home, as well as the Foundation’s century of work, featuring significant artifacts from Presser’s personal journey and the Foundation’s 100-year history. For example, you can see the National Medal of Arts awarded by President George W. Bush in 2008 that marks the special contributions the Foundation has made to music throughout its history.
We encourage you to walk through the exhibit during the open reception on November 21. We will celebrate 100 years and honor our grantees, who continue Theodore Presser’s musical legacy. Their vital efforts ensures that our community has access to the transformative power of music for years to come.
If you’re unable to attend the reception and would like to visit the exhibit, it is open from now through December. Hours are Monday-Friday from 8am-8pm, Saturday from 9am-5pm, and Sunday from 12-8pm.
The Foundation thanks the SCRC for curating the exhibit and for storing hundreds of archival materials related to Theodore Presser and The Presser Foundation.
