A Far Cry
A Far Cry is a Boston-based, self-conducted (conductor-less) 18-musician chamber orchestra founded in 2007, delivering subscription concerts, touring performances, and educational programs across New England while operating its own Grammy-nominated record label, Crier Records.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2007
- HeadquartersJamaica Plain, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What A Far Cry does
A Far Cry is a self-conducted (conductor-less) chamber orchestra founded in 2007 and based in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts, operating as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. The ensemble comprises 18 full members who share artistic leadership and direction democratically, with rotating section leadership and a "Vault" of over 100 program ideas; they have completed 19 seasons and are approaching their 20th anniversary. Their core deliverable is live chamber music performance across subscription concerts at Jordan Hall, touring engagements throughout New England, family-friendly Little Criers programs, chamber ensemble series, and interactive Listening Lab experiences. A distinctive proprietary asset is the Crier Records in-house label, through which the ensemble has released albums including five Grammy-nominated recordings (Dreams & Prayers 2015; Visions and Variations 2018; A Gentleman of Istanbul, The Blue Hour, and Jessie Montgomery's Rounds in 2024) and built a commissioning library of over 40 new works.
Revenue is generated through ticket sales and subscriptions (approximately $48 standard adult tickets, with student, senior, and EBT discounts), direct distribution of Crier Records albums on Amazon, iTunes, Spotify, and Apple Music, annual fundraising including a $300,000 2025 goal and the Spring Soirée event, the Resonance Circle planned-giving program, and educational partnerships with the New England Conservatory (NEC), Project STEP, and Longy School of Music. Distribution is direct-to-consumer via a Salesforce-powered ticketing platform, supplemented by touring to venue partners including Groton Hill Music Center, Tanglewood Learning Institute, Rockport Chamber Music Festival, Newport Classical, and Martha's Vineyard Chamber Music Society, plus digital event passes for virtual attendance.
A Far Cry firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- A Far Cry
- Legal name
- A Far Cry
- Website
- https://afarcry.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2007
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- A Far Cry is a Boston-based, self-conducted (conductor-less) 18-musician chamber orchestra founded in 2007, delivering subscription concerts, touring performances, and educational programs across New England while operating its own Grammy-nominated record label, Crier Records.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
A Far Cry industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Chamber Orchestra / Live Classical Music Performance
- NAICS
- Musical Groups and Artists (711130), Musical Groups and Artists (71113), Other Performing Arts Companies (711190)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Group Music Classes & Ensembles (Band, Orchestra, Choir) (EDAMANAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Arranging & Orchestration (MPAIAHAG)
Keywords
Where A Far Cry is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Jamaica Plain
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
A Far Cry business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Concert Tickets and Subscriptions: Revenue from individual concert tickets and subscription series for performances at Jordan Hall, touring venues, and special events.
- Donations and Fundraising: Annual fund donations, Spring Soirée fundraiser, and Resonance Circle planned giving program supporting operations.
- Recordings Sales: Sales of albums on Crier Records through Amazon, iTunes, Spotify, Apple Music, and direct from the ensemble.
- Education and Community Programs: Revenue from partnerships with NEC, Project STEP, and other educational institutions through collaborative competitions and workshops.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Standard adult tickets for concerts |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Student tickets |
| Subscription | Annual | Subscription series |
| Subscription | Per seat | Digital event passes |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
A Far Cry product offering
Product offeringCore offering
A Far Cry is a self-conducted (conductor-less) chamber orchestra of 18 musicians who share artistic leadership collectively and perform live classical and contemporary chamber music. The ensemble delivers subscription concert series, touring performances, family-friendly concerts, chamber music programs, and educational collaborations, complemented by album releases on its own Crier Records label.
Product overview
A Far Cry is a self-conducted chamber orchestra based in Boston, founded in 2007. The ensemble operates as a musician-led collective with 18 members where leadership rotates within sections. Their offerings center on live concert performances across multiple series: subscription concerts at major venues like Jordan Hall, touring performances throughout New England and beyond, family-friendly Little Criers programs for young audiences, and chamber music chamber ensemble performances. They maintain an in-house record label, Crier Records, for releasing album recordings including Grammy-nominated works. Additional offerings include educational collaborations with NEC and Project STEP, interactive Listening Lab experiences, and the Amplified cross-genre collaboration series. The ensemble's mission focuses on adventurous programming, collective artistry, and community-centered music-making.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Crier Records: In-house record label born from the desire to take A Far Cry's concert programming to the next level, providing flexibility to create and release musical experiences.
- Little Criers
Products and services
- Subscription Concert Series Full ensemble subscription concert performances at venues including Jordan Hall, featuring curated programs of classical chamber music repertoire and contemporary works for the subscription season.
- Touring Concerts
- Little Criers (Family-Friendly Concerts)
- Chamber Music Series
- Listening Lab
- Amplified (Cross-Genre Collaboration Series)
- Crier Records
- Concerts on Demand (Digital)
Quantifiable outcome
- Grammy nominations for multiple albums including Dreams & Prayers (2015), A Gentleman of Istanbul (2024), The Blue Hour (2024)
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use A Far Cry
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
A Far Cry technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
A Far Cry partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Jensen ArtistscoreBooking agency handling concert bookings for A Far Cry. Contact: Christina Jensen ([email protected]) and Gina Meola ([email protected]), 646.536.7864
- New England ConservatorycoreLongstanding partnership including annual Collaborative Competition where NEC students join the ensemble for concerts at Jordan Hall. Features open rehearsals, artist talks, and discounted tickets for the NEC community.
- Project STEPcoreAnnual side-by-side performances and competition with young musicians from Project STEP, an organization supporting classical training for underrepresented communities.
- Longy School of MusicminorPartnership offering performance opportunities and community engagement with Longy students.
- Davóne TinesminorCollaborative artist for CODED concert exploring Black spirituals and code-switching legacy. Bass-baritone vocalist co-curated the program.
- Lembit BeecherminorComposer with multiple commissions including Land of the Northern Frog bassoon concerto, Conference of the Birds, and These Memories May Be True.
- Mehmet Ali SanlıkolminorComposer/multi-instrumentalist who created works for A Far Cry including Dreams & Prayers and A Gentleman of Istanbul.
- Groton Hill Music CentercorePerformance venue hosting A Far Cry subscription concerts and special performances in Groton, MA.
- Tanglewood Learning InstituteminorSummer workshop programs at Tanglewood including Open Workshops with guest artists like Simone Dinnerstein.
- Yeemz (Yi-Mei Templeman)minorCross-genre collaboration series 'Amplified' featuring indie folk cellist/singer-songwriter Yeemz in informal performances.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
A Far Cry competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center: Established chamber music presenter with broader institutional resources. Competes for top-tier chamber repertoire commissions and touring venues, though operating at larger scale and with a more traditional presenter model.
- Boston Symphony Orchestra: Largest and most established orchestra in the Boston market. Overlaps with A Far Cry on venue (Symphony Hall vs. Jordan Hall), donor base, and touring circuits, but operates at far greater scale with a traditional conductor-led model.
Direct peers
- Handel and Haydn Society: Boston-based period-instrument orchestra and chorus with a similar chamber-orchestra footprint, comparable subscription programming, and overlapping New England audience. Competes directly for the same donor and subscriber base.
- Alarm Will Sound: New York-based conductorless contemporary chamber ensemble with strong commissioning and recording profile. Comparable in size, cross-genre ambition, and self-directed artist model.
- Boston Modern Orchestra Project (BMOP): Boston-based orchestra specializing in 20th- and 21st-century music with a parallel dedication to contemporary commissioning. Closely comparable in repertoire philosophy and recording-driven model via its in-house BMOP/sound label.
- Apollo's Fire: Cleveland-based period-instrument ensemble with strong recording program and national touring presence. Comparable in scale, Grammy-winning recording strategy, and crossover audience ambitions.
- Orpheus Chamber Orchestra: New York-based conductorless chamber orchestra that pioneered the musician-led, self-governing model. Most direct structural and artistic analog to A Far Cry's democratic leadership approach.
- ECCO (East Coast Chamber Orchestra): Self-conducted chamber orchestra of younger players operating on a project-based touring model. Highly comparable in conductorless methodology and contemporary commissioning focus.
- St. Luke's Orchestra: New York-based conductorless chamber orchestra with comparable musician-led governance and contemporary programming. Direct structural peer in the self-conducted orchestra category.
- Boston Philharmonic Orchestra: Boston-based orchestra with a similar chamber-to-mid-size footprint and adventurous programming philosophy. Competes for the same educated classical audience and touring venues.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
A Far Cry social profiles
Digital presenceA Far Cry financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
A Far Cry leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
A Far Cry subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
A Far Cry funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
A Far Cry M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about A Far Cry
What does A Far Cry do?
A Far Cry is a self-conducted (conductor-less) chamber orchestra of 18 musicians who share artistic leadership collectively and perform live classical and contemporary chamber music. The ensemble delivers subscription concert series, touring performances, family-friendly concerts, chamber music programs, and educational collaborations, complemented by album releases on its own Crier Records label.
Is A Far Cry a public or private company?
A Far Cry is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was A Far Cry founded?
A Far Cry was founded in 2007. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is A Far Cry based?
A Far Cry is headquartered in Jamaica Plain, United States, in the North America region.
How does A Far Cry make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Concert Tickets and Subscriptions are the primary driver. The others are donations and Fundraising, recordings Sales and education and Community Programs.
Who are A Far Cry's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center and Boston Symphony Orchestra. Direct peers are Handel and Haydn Society, Alarm Will Sound, Boston Modern Orchestra Project (BMOP), Apollo's Fire, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, ECCO (East Coast Chamber Orchestra), St. Luke's Orchestra and Boston Philharmonic Orchestra.
Does A Far Cry have an API?
No public API is recorded for A Far Cry.
What industry is A Far Cry in?
A Far Cry's product category is Chamber Orchestra / Live Classical Music Performance. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAMANAC, Group Music Classes & Ensembles (Band, Orchestra, Choir), with a secondary code of MPAIAHAG, Arranging & Orchestration. Its NAICS code is 711130.