Verdigris Ensemble

What Verdigris Ensemble does

Verdigris Ensemble, Inc. is a Dallas-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit vocal group founded in 2017 by conductor Sam Brukhman. The organization produces immersive, multi-sensory choral performances that integrate live singing with theatrical staging, projection mapping, live electronics, spatial audio, and visual/dance collaboration. Productions include world premieres and commissioned new works such as Betty's Notebook, SHAMS, Dust Bowl, Song from the Uproar, Anthracite Fields, and the upcoming A Western (Michael Gordon) at Winspear Opera House and a reimagined The Velveteen Rabbit at Rosewood Center for Family Arts. The core ensemble comprises 16 professional singers, expandable to 24 for specific projects, presenting approximately four main productions per season with 4-8 additional events annually.

Underlying production technology blends 360-degree choral soundscapes, generative radio-room installations, AI-assisted projection design via Lightware Labs (co-founded by Artist-in-Residence Courtney Ware), and multi-disciplinary collaboration with partners including Bruce Wood Dance and the Crow Museum of Asian Art. The organization also runs a Southern Dallas Educational Outreach Program in partnership with Greiner Middle School and Booker T Washington High School, providing free voice lessons, choir support, and audition coaching since 2019.

The business model mixes earned and contributed revenue: ticket sales (individual, group, season subscriptions, timed-entry installation slots), tiered annual donations ($500-$5,000 Catalyst-Cohort tiers), corporate season and project sponsorships (Encore Bank, Tipping Mineral Management, DAD Foundation), foundation and government grants (Dallas Office of Arts & Culture, TACA, New Music USA, Holloway Family Foundation, Crow Museum, Dallas Tourism PID), grant-funded educational services, and digital asset monetization (Betty's Notebook NFT sold for $375,000 to Metapurse in 2021). Customer segments include general performing arts audiences, families with children, history/mystery enthusiasts (Betty's Notebook), Southern Dallas students, venues and event organizers, and arts patrons and donors. Distribution is regional DFW through premier venue partnerships (Eisemann Center, Winspear, Rosewood) with touring potential via SHAMS, and earned media reach across BBC Music, NPR, The Dallas Morning News, Classic FM, and D Magazine.

Name

Verdigris Ensemble

Legal name

Verdigris Ensemble, Inc.

Website

https://verdigrismusic.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Dallas-based 501(c)(3) vocal ensemble founded in 2017 by Sam Brukhman that produces immersive multi-sensory choral performances integrating music, projection mapping, live electronics, and visual art, performing four productions per season at premier Dallas venues alongside Southern Dallas school outreach programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Performing Arts Organizations (Theater, Dance, Opera, Music) (BPAGAHAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Performing Arts Centers & Presenters (Programming/Booking) (MPAGABAM), Group Music Classes & Ensembles (Band, Orchestra, Choir) (EDAMANAC)

Keywords

• Choral music performances
• Immersive theatrical productions
• Performing arts ensemble
• Multi-sensory concerts
• Music education outreach

Headquarters

HQ city

Dallas

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Direct ticket sales for performances including individual tickets and season subscriptions. Performances at Eisemann Center, Winspear Opera House, and other venues. Student and group discounts available (10+ attendees).
2. Donations and Fundraising: Annual giving campaign with tiered donation levels (Catalyst $5,000, Creator $2,500, Collaborator $1,000, Cohort $500). 20 for 10 campaign for 10th anniversary with $20,000 challenge gift from Board of Directors.
3. Corporate Sponsorships: Season sponsorships from companies like Encore Bank. Project-specific sponsorships including Tipping Mineral Management for Velveteen Rabbit, DAD Foundation for A Western, and various tourism/cultural organizations.
4. Foundation and Government Grants: Support from Dallas Office of Arts & Culture, TACA, New Music USA, Crow Museum of Asian Art, Dallas Tourism Public Improvement District, Holloway Family Foundation, and other arts foundations. Eisemann Edge Initiative funding for Betty's Notebook.
5. Education Program Services: Free voice lessons and choir support provided to schools in Southern Dallas, generating revenue through grants and foundations specifically designated for educational outreach.
6. NFT and Digital Asset Licensing: Sale of Betty's Notebook as the first classical music NFT ($375,000 to Metapurse). Potential future digital asset creation and licensing opportunities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Verdigris Ensemble is a Dallas-based nonprofit vocal group that creates and presents immersive, multi-sensory choral music productions integrating live singing with theatrical staging, projection mapping, live electronics, dance, and visual art. The ensemble presents a season of main performances at Dallas-area venues (Eisemann Center, Winspear Opera House, Rosewood Center) supplemented by additional events, an educational outreach program offering free voice lessons to Southern Dallas schools, and donations/sponsorship-driven community programming.

Product overview

Verdigris Ensemble is a Dallas-based nonprofit vocal group founded in 2017, presenting season-based live performances and touring productions. The core offering consists of immersive, multi-sensory musical productions including 'Betty's Notebook' (a performulation combining live performance and installation), 'A Western' (2026), 'The Velveteen Rabbit' (2026), and touring productions like 'SHAMS'. Past notable works include 'Dust Bowl', 'Song from the Uproar', and 'Anthracite Fields'. Supporting services include an Education Program providing free voice lessons to Dallas schools and a Composer Competition. The ensemble operates as a flexible ensemble of 16-24 singers presenting approximately four main performances per season plus additional events.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Betty's Notebook An immersive multimedia choral work combining a 360-degree choral soundscape live performance with a generative installation environment, exploring the mystery of Amelia Earhart through Betty Klenck's 1937 account of her final radio transmissions. For general audiences interested in immersive storytelling and contemporary classical music.
• A Western An immersive choral production by Michael Gordon inspired by Stanley Kramer's High Noon film, featuring the choir transforming into multiple versions of the lead character to explore American frontier mythology through sound and movement. Performed at the Winspear Opera House for general audiences.
• The Velveteen Rabbit An immersive musical narration of Margery Williams's children's book reimagined as a semi-staged production with projections and a live actor, transforming 16 singers into a living environment shaping the nursery, seasons, and emotional world of the characters. Designed as family programming for children aged 14 and older and accompanying adults.
• SHAMS An immersive production by Sahba Aminikia telling the story of poet Rumi and his mentor Shams Tabrizi through the seven stages of love, using art, technology, dance, and music with a 55-minute runtime. Available for touring engagements.
• Dust Bowl A choral performance depicting the Dust Bowl catastrophe of the 1930s through survivor accounts and historical records, exploring both the suffering and resilience of displaced families. For general performing arts audiences.
• Song from the Uproar A chamber opera by Missy Mazzoli depicting the life of explorer Isabelle Eberhardt, blending live instruments and electronics. For general performing arts audiences interested in contemporary chamber opera.
• Anthracite Fields

Quantifiable outcome

• First classical music NFT sold for $375,000 - establishing new revenue model for classical music
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and notable.

• AT&T Performing DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Venue partner for A Western performances in March 2026 at Hamon Hall, Winspear Opera House.
• Rosewood Center for Family ArtscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Venue partner for The Velveteen Rabbit performances in May 2026.
• Eisemann Center for Performing ArtscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Venue partner and co-presenter for Betty's Notebook. The Eisemann Edge Initiative provides funding and support for innovative productions. Betty's Notebook performed September 18-29, 2025 at Bank of America Theater.
• Lightware LabscoreTechnology or IntegrationDallas-based projection mapping company co-founded by Courtney Ware. Provides immersive projection design for performances including Betty's Notebook, The Velveteen Rabbit, and A Western.
• Crow Museum of Asian ArtnotableGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsoring partner for SHAMS production, part of the Crow Museum's cultural programming.
• Greiner Middle School (Southern Dallas)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational outreach partner since 2019. Verdigris provides choir support, voice lessons, and audition coaching to students.
• Booker T Washington High School (Southern Dallas)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational outreach partner receiving audition coaching and choir support since 2019.
• Bruce Wood DancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDance company collaborating on SHAMS production, integrating dance with music and visual art.
• TIGHARnotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe International Group for Historic Aircraft Recovery. Special thanks for research support related to Betty Klenck's account of Amelia Earhart's radio transmissions.
• Royal Lane Baptist ChurchnotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerBoard member organization and venue partner.
• Fort Worth Country DaynotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerBoard member organization supporting Verdigris Ensemble.
• All Stars ProjectnotableGTM or Marketing PartnerNonprofit organization supported by Verdigris Ensemble.
• Dallas Theater CenternotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerTheater partner and board member organization. John Slauson connection noted.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Kronos Quartet: Legendary and much larger string quartet known for genre-crossing programming, technology integration, and international touring. Comparable in pioneering tech-integrated contemporary performance formats and building a global brand around innovation, though at a fundamentally larger scale and longer history.
• Los Angeles Master Chorale: One of the largest professional choruses in the U.S., presenting a wide repertoire from Baroque to contemporary commissions. Comparable as a professional vocal ensemble producing immersive contemporary and classical programming, though at a much larger organizational scale.

Direct peers

• Cantus: Professional male vocal ensemble that tours nationally and records extensively, known for innovative programming and educational outreach. Closely comparable in being a touring professional vocal group with strong educational programming and a similar-sized ensemble structure.
• Conspirare: Austin-based professional choral ensemble producing innovative and accessible programming, including immersive projects. Comparable as a Texas-based nonprofit professional vocal ensemble with a similar mission of contemporary choral innovation and community engagement.
• Eighth Blackbird: GRAMMY-winning contemporary music sextet known for commissioning and performing new works, often integrating multimedia elements. Comparable in being a small, flexible professional ensemble at the intersection of contemporary music, commissioning, and multi-disciplinary staging.
• Anonymous 4: Long-running professional female vocal quartet specializing in medieval, contemporary, and commissioning new works. Comparable in being a small, agile, project-based vocal ensemble with a strong reputation for innovative programming and educational engagement.
• The Crossing: Philadelphia-based professional chamber choir focused on commissioning and premiering new choral works. Directly comparable in being a professional, project-based vocal ensemble prioritizing contemporary repertoire, with comparable headcount and a similar nonprofit grant-and-ticket revenue model.
• Apollo's Fire: Cleveland-based Baroque orchestra and choir known for immersive programming, touring, and an educational mission. Comparable in being a regionally rooted performing arts organization with strong educational outreach, multiple revenue streams, and a focus on transformative live performance experiences.
• Roomful of Teeth: GRAMMY-winning vocal ensemble based at Williams College that commissions and performs new works spanning multiple vocal styles. Directly comparable in commissioning innovative contemporary music, integrating technology and extended vocal techniques, and operating as a flexible small professional ensemble.

Emerging players

• Punchdrunk (Sleep No More): British immersive theater company behind Sleep No More, pioneering the audience-immersion format that Verdigris adapts. Comparable as a reference point for the immersive, site-specific performance category in which Verdigris is innovating, though in theater rather than choral music.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 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 Verdigris Ensemble