Pianist Laura Ward, soprano Magdalena Kuzma (center) and mezzo Sun-Ly Pierce at the Academy of Vocal Arts. Photo courtesy of The Chestnut Hill Local. By Baker Purdon, Music Fellow When I accepted The Presser Foundation’s Graduate Music Fellowship, I knew I would have the opportunity to see some of the best performances Philadelphia has at…
By Abby Rolland Conferences, regardless of the topic, are often exhausting, whirlwind experiences. But they are so rewarding. For my first in-person conference in three years, I flew to Minneapolis to attend Exponent Philanthropy’s annual conference. Exponent Philanthropy is a national membership organization of lean, small-staffed funders who seek to amplify their impact while funding…
By Abby Rolland As part of The Presser Foundation’s goal to best serve our partners, we review and adapt our applications and reports every year based on current circumstances and trends. Research and best practice in the foundation space recommends that applications and reports are simple and straightforward so that nonprofits spend less time answering…
By Joseph Richards This is the 2nd post in a 2-part series about The Presser Home for Retired Music Teachers. Read Part 1 here. Love in the Home At times, the Presser Home celebrated more than camaraderie and an appreciation for music; it celebrated love as well. At times, married couples who were…
By Joseph Richards Designed by Henry E. Baton, The Presser Home for Retired Teachers was built in 1914, next to Theodore Presser’s personal home. The two properties were then altered, into the three story, H-shaped building seen in many photographs. That building still stands today. Casa di Riposo per Musicisti Inspiration in Creating a Home…
Pictured, from top left clockwise: Terell Stafford, Lei X. Ouyang, Marietta Simpson, Eric Owens, Nicole Robinson By Abby Rolland At its annual Board of Trustees meeting in June, The Presser Foundation was pleased to welcome five new committee members to its ranks. These individuals, who will each serve on one committee, will share their…
By Abby Rolland On May 25, 2020, in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, George Floyd was murdered by police officers in Minneapolis, Minnesota. While this was not the first (nor unfortunately, the last) brutal murder of an unarmed BIPOC man or woman, it began a national reckoning with systemic racial injustices that have…
By Abby Rolland Questions around budgets, formatting budgets, and presenting budgets and financials motivated The Presser Foundation staff to put together a Next Movement virtual event on that topic. While we know at the Foundation that not all funders request financial information in the same format or have them presented in the same way, we…
This blog post was originally posted on Exponent Philanthropy’s blog. By Abby Rolland The Presser Foundation is the only foundation dedicated solely to funding music organizations in the Greater Philadelphia region. Its holistic approach to grantmaking also makes it unique among funders. The foundation gives to music organizations through special projects, general operating support, and…
By Abby Rolland, Grants & Communications Manager To understand The Presser Foundation now, it’s important to understand the Foundation’s history, including the life and mindset of its founder, Theodore Presser. It all starts in 1848, with an individual born in Pittsburgh whose passion for music would grow throughout his life and become his life’s work.…