ARTIST FUND
I never would have imagined when we created our Artist Fund that over a year later we would still be wondering when in-person concerts would again be routine. In the intervening months, Music of Remembrance's online concerts have been more important than ever in providing our amazing artists with the opportunity to continue making music that gives meaning to their lives. Your support of the Artist Fund makes those performances possible.
By supporting Music of Remembrance, you’re recognizing our exceptional performers and sustaining our arts community at this challenging time. We are honored that we get to play a role supporting them.
For every $1,000 we raise, we are able to underwrite the performance of a contributing artist, and $2,500 underwrites a principal artist. Last year we were fortunate to secure significant support for the Artists Fund via the creation of the James and Sherry Raisbeck Principal Artist Chair to honor and fund the performances of violinist Mikhail Shmidt. We are hopeful we can continue building on that success. We have individual underwriting opportunities ranging from $1,000 to $150,000 and everything in between.
MOR also supports talented young musicians through our David Tonkonogui Memorial Award. The award's impact is captured in the words of our 2019 recipient violinist Zoe Longsinger, who said about her Music of Remembrance performance,
"It makes me think more about who I am, and what my music means to me. The part I played is for hope and is also a prayer -- a prayer for peace, a prayer for people who are struggling. So, it's been wonderful. MOR is a wonderful organization."
ONLINE PROGRAMS FUND
Creating music that spans years and miles has always been a key part of the mission of Music of Remembrance. Through music, we ensure events from other times and other places will never be forgotten. But it’s not enough when the music can be experienced only by people who are able to attend the concert. And it’s not enough if it’s allowed to disappear after the sound of the final note fades away.
At MOR we’re building a permanent legacy with nine CD releases, an opera DVD and three documentary films so far. When the pandemic kept audiences from coming to us, we brought timely music to them in their homes with all-new online concerts that have been praised for their artistic and production quality. Even in the post-pandemic world we hope to see soon, we’ll continue these online programs as an essential way of reaching people everywhere – and creating an enduring resource available to everyone.
Every concert, opera and education program we video record adds to our growing library of music. That makes a lasting difference. As baritone and director Erich Parce put it,
"I’ve worked with musical organizations – large and small – around the world, and none of them have produced such meaningful and important works as consistently as MOR."
Creating these digital concerts, however, is an expensive undertaking, and we depend on donations to make them possible. Each online performance costs us more than an in-person event while generating less income.
NEW COMMISSIONS FUND
Music of Remembrance is that rare small arts organization with the vision, passion and courage to bring new musical works making a difference into the world. MOR inspires and challenges audiences with exciting commissions by today’s leading composers.
"The breadth of timeless and contemporary themes addressed includes religious intolerance, the worldwide refugee crisis, the urgency of preventing nuclear war, and the separation of families at our border. MOR tells stories that absolutely must be heard!"
- Composer Jake Heggie
Over the years, we have commissioned and premiered nearly 40 works. This has been an immense undertaking. They include For a Look or a Touch by Jake Heggie and librettist Gene Scheer about the Nazi persecution of gay people; Return to Amasia about composer Eric Hachikian's journey to discover his connection to the Armenian Genocide; and Stormy Seas - five true stories of young refugees setting sail in search of safe shores by Sahba Aminikia.
Introducing pathbreaking works like these has been an immense undertaking. Major new works can cost $25,000 to $50,000 to commission and produce. MOR’s New Commissions Fund plays an indispensible role in making this major financial commitment possible.
For more information, please contact Nick Newcombe, Development Director at nick@musicofremembrance.org or 206-777-5864.