TURNmusic, Waterbury Center

What TURNmusic, Waterbury Center does

TURNmusic is a Vermont-based 501(c)(3) performing arts non-profit founded in 2014 by conductor Anne Decker, focused on presenting and commissioning music written by living composers. The organization operates as both a presenter (booking touring artists) and a producer (its in-house TURNmusic Ensemble), anchored by a 60-seat listening room called The Phoenix Gallery & Music Hall in downtown Waterbury, Vermont. Its core programming spans five concert strands — the in-house Ensemble, TURNmusic Presents (touring artist mainstage), Music in the Alley (free summer outdoor series), Outer Sounds (experimental/avant-garde), and TURNyouth/TURNcares (education and outreach, including a partnership with Music-COMP for K-12 student composers). Complementary revenue programs include artist residencies at a Hunger Mountain retreat home and event space rentals at The Phoenix.

The business model is a diversified non-profit revenue stack: sliding-scale ticket sales ($15-$50), three annual membership tiers ($100/$500/$1000), tax-deductible individual and corporate donations, tiered event sponsorships ($250-$3,000), event space rentals ($325-$995), and artist residency fees ($450/person plus cleaning fee). Operations are supported by foundation grants from the Vermont Arts Council, Vermont Humanities, Ben & Jerry's Foundation, and Alchemist Foundation, plus content partnerships with New Amsterdam Records (Brooklyn) and venue partnerships across Vermont (Main Street Landing, Barre Opera House, The Current in Stowe, Frank Suchomel Memorial Arts Center, Highland Center). The organization has a small paid leadership team (Founder/Director, Production & Education Manager) and a volunteer board of directors with backgrounds in education, nonprofit management, accounting, and the restaurant industry. No proprietary technology platform exists; the tech footprint is limited to a Squarespace website, PayPal donation processing, and Seven Days Tickets as primary ticketing vendor.

Name

TURNmusic, Waterbury Center

Legal name

TURNmusic Corp.

Website

https://turnmusic.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Short description

TURNmusic is a Vermont 501(c)(3) non-profit founded in 2014 that presents and commissions music by living composers through its in-house ensemble, a 60-seat Phoenix Gallery venue, summer outdoor series, artist residencies, and youth outreach programs serving Central Vermont audiences and the broader new-music community.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Live Performing Arts / Contemporary Music Presentation

NAICS

Performing Arts Companies (7111), Musical Groups and Artists (71113), Other Performing Arts Companies (711190)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Concerts & Music Festivals (THAJAFAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Live Music Clubs & Venues (MPAGAIAB), Performing Arts & Music Lessons (Dance, Drumming, Instrument Lessons, Theater) (THAJAKAC)

Keywords

• Contemporary music presentation
• Live performing arts
• New music concerts
• Chamber music ensemble
• Artist residency programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Waterbury

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue from concerts and performances at The Phoenix Gallery & Music Hall and touring shows
2. Memberships: Annual membership program with tiers at $100, $500, and $1000 offering benefits including free entry, vouchers, and swag
3. Donations: Tax-deductible donations supporting new music in Vermont, including individual sponsorships and corporate sponsorships
4. Event Space Rental: Rental of The Phoenix venue for private events with three tiers: Basic ($325), Musical Offering ($825), and Music & Staffing ($995)
5. Artist Residency Fees: Residency program at $450 per person plus shared cleaning fee for composers and performing artists
6. Sponsorships: Corporate sponsorships including Full Season Underwriter ($3000), Half Season ($1500), Music in the Alley Underwriter ($1000), Single Concert ($250), and TURNcares Outreach ($500-750)

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

TURNmusic is a non-profit performing arts organization that presents and produces live concerts of contemporary and new music written by living composers. Its core offerings include the in-house TURNmusic Ensemble performing commissioned works, the TURNmusic Presents touring artist concert series at The Phoenix Gallery & Music Hall, the Music in the Alley outdoor summer series, the Outer Sounds experimental concert series, and TURNcares outreach (Music-COMP K-12 composer mentorship, TURNteens open stage, music educator workshops). The organization also operates artist residencies, rents its 60-seat venue for private events, and runs monthly jazz jams and adult/teen workshops.

Product overview

TURNmusic is a performing arts organization offering a portfolio of concert series, educational programs, and venue services. Core offerings include the TURNmusic Ensemble (in-house ensemble performing contemporary and new music), TURNmusic Presents (main concert series at The Phoenix), Music in the Alley (summer outdoor concert series), Outer Sounds (experimental music concert series), and TURNcares outreach programs (including music-COMP, TURNteens, and educator continuing education). Additional services include artist residencies, event space rentals at The Phoenix Gallery & Music Hall, workshops for adults and teens, and monthly jazz jams. The organization functions as a registered non-profit serving as a hub for new music in Central Vermont since 2014.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• TURNensemble: In-house ensemble featuring Vermont's premiere musicians performing music written by living composers.
• Music in the Alley
• TURNcares
• Outer Sounds
• TURNing10! Festival

Products and services

• TURNmusic Ensemble The in-house ensemble of TURNmusic featuring Vermont's premiere musicians performing music written by diverse living composers, with commissioned new works. For audiences seeking contemporary chamber music and for composers seeking performance and commissioning opportunities.
• TURNmusic Presents Concert series presenting performing artists on the mainstage at The Phoenix Gallery & Music Hall, featuring touring musicians and contemporary music and jazz composers. For ticketed audiences and touring artists seeking an intimate Vermont venue.
• Music in the Alley Free summer outdoor music series featuring innovative music in Jack's Alley in Waterbury, VT, open to everyone. For community audiences seeking accessible outdoor concerts in a downtown setting.
• Outer Sounds Concert series exploring experimental, electronic, avant-garde, improvised, ambient, drone, minimalist, free jazz, and modern composition music. For audiences and artists engaged with experimental and contemporary sound art.
• TURNcares Outreach program including Music-COMP (online mentoring for K-12 student composers), TURNteens (Teen Open Stage nights), music educator continuing education, and subsidized student tickets. For young musicians, student composers, and music educators.
• TURNyouth Youth programming including workshops and opportunities for young musicians and composers. For K-12 students and emerging young musicians in Vermont.
• Artist Residency 3-5 day paid residencies for musicians and composers at a retreat center at the foot of Hunger Mountain, including optional public performance at The Phoenix. For composers and performing artists seeking focused creative time with access to venue and organizational support.
• Event Space Rentals at The Phoenix Rental of The Phoenix Gallery & Music Hall for private events in three tiers: Basic ($325, 5-hour block), Musical Offering ($825, includes 1-hour 4-piece ensemble curated by TURNmusic), and Music & Staffing ($995, includes ensemble and event staff). For local businesses, event organizers, and individuals seeking an intimate venue with optional live music.
• Adult & Teen Workshops Workshops for adults and teens including Adam Tendler's Inheritances project and other community music education offerings. For community members, teens, and lifelong learners seeking deeper engagement with contemporary music and creative practice.
• Jazz Jam Monthly jazz jam hosted at The Phoenix, open to musicians and listeners of all skill levels. For local jazz musicians and community audiences.
• The Phoenix Gallery & Music Hall The 60-seat listening room venue serving as TURNmusic's home stage, featuring a Steinway Model M piano (1929) and sound system. Hosts in-house TURNmusic Ensemble performances and TURNmusic Presents touring artists, and serves as rain location for Music in the Alley.

Quantifiable outcome

• Sold-out performance of 'Hurtling Toward Oblivion' concert
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• New Amsterdam RecordscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTURNmusic has formed a partnership with New Amsterdam Records out of Brooklyn, NY. TURNmusic will host 3-4 NewAm recording artists each season, providing performance space, sound support, publicity, room and board, and guaranteed compensation for visiting artists. This partnership continues TURNmusic's support of music writers and performers who create outside the walls of genre.
• Blackback PubcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-sponsor for Music in the Alley outdoor summer concert series. Provides food and beverage for purchase during concerts. Listed as concession sponsor for events.
• The Current (Stowe)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCollaborative partner for presenting live music at The Current venue in Stowe, Vermont. TURNmusic presents featured artists at their summer opening festival and other events.
• Music-COMPcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with online mentoring program for K-12 student composers. TURNmusic presents their culminating performance 'Opus 38' annually. In April 2024, presented to a full house at Ely Long Music Center.
• The Phoenix Gallery and Music HallcoreOthersTURNmusic's performance home at The Phoenix Art Gallery & Music Hall in Waterbury, Vermont showcases artists and curates performances. Rain location for outdoor Music in the Alley series.
• Main Street LandingminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner venue in Burlington, VT where TURNmusic Ensemble performs select programs including Erik Nielsen's 'The Current Beneath' works.
• Barre Opera HouseminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner venue in Barre, VT where TURNmusic presented Adam Tendler's 'Inheritances' performance.
• Frank Suchomel Memorial Arts CenterminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner venue in Calais, VT where TURNmusic Ensemble performed in August 2025.
• Waterbury ArtsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner organization for Music in the Alley outdoor concert series.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Bang on a Can: New York-based nonprofit presenting organization and touring ensemble dedicated to innovative contemporary music by living composers. Most direct comparable given shared mission of championing living composers, multi-venue presenting model, and education/outreach programming.
• Avaloch Farm Music Institute: New Hampshire-based nonprofit hosting residencies and chamber music performances for emerging and established artists, focused on contemporary repertoire. Closely comparable rural-New-England venue-plus-residency model with similar chamber-music presenting focus.
• Yellow Barn Music Festival: Vermont-based chamber music festival and presenting organization with artist residencies and intensive programming. Highly comparable as a rural-Vermont contemporary-classical presenter combining festivals, residencies, and education.
• Big Ears Festival: Knoxville-based multi-genre festival presenting experimental, contemporary classical, jazz, and improvised music. Directly comparable for its explicit championing of living/experimental composers and intimate listening-room programming model.
• Boston Modern Orchestra Project (BMOP): New England-based professional orchestra dedicated exclusively to performing and recording music of the 20th and 21st centuries. Comparable mission around contemporary classical music and New England regional presence.
• Roulette Intermedium: Brooklyn-based nonprofit venue presenting experimental, avant-garde, and contemporary music with composer commissions and residencies. Highly comparable in its Outer Sounds-style focus on experimental/electronic/improvised music by living composers.

Broad incumbents

• Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center: Established national chamber music presenter with extensive education and commissioning programs. Comparable in mission around presenting and commissioning chamber works, but at vastly larger scale and with broader classical (not strictly contemporary) repertoire.
• La Jolla Music Society: California-based nonprofit presenter of chamber, contemporary, and global music with residency programs. Comparable in operating a venue, presenting contemporary artists, and running artist residencies, though at significantly larger scale and budget.

Regional players

• Norfolk Chamber Music Festival: Connecticut-based summer chamber music festival with Yale School of Music affiliation, focused on classical chamber repertoire and residencies. Comparable summer-festival-plus-residency model, but with broader classical (not strictly contemporary) focus.

Others

• Vermont Arts Council: Statewide arts funder and capacity-builder for Vermont-based arts organizations including TURNmusic. Comparable as ecosystem participant and current grant funder, not as a presenting peer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/turn_musicvt

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about TURNmusic, Waterbury Center