San Francisco Contemporary Music Players

What San Francisco Contemporary Music Players does

San Francisco Contemporary Music Players (SFCMP) is a California-incorporated nonprofit performing-arts organization founded in 1971 and incorporated in 1974 (EIN: 23-7408479) that produces and performs large-ensemble concerts of contemporary classical music for Bay Area audiences. The organization fields a unionized ensemble of 24 highly skilled musicians under Artistic Director and Conductor Eric Dudley (since 2017-2018), and has built a repertoire of more than 1,300 works by over 600 composers, including 80+ commissions from figures such as John Adams, John Cage, Julia Wolfe, Myra Melford, and Du Yun. The core product is the mainstage concert series, typically four concerts per season at venues including Brava Theater, Herbst Theatre, and Taube Atrium Theater in San Francisco, supplemented by the ARTZenter Institute Emerging Composer Grant Program (a strategic commissioning partnership funded by Lagunitas Brewing founder Tony Magee), "Under the Hood" pre-concert talks, education programs, concert recordings, and member-only digital access. Ancillary revenue streams include hire services for corporate events and masterclasses, an annual "Sound & Wine" fundraiser, and limited-edition fine-art sales (notably a Hung Liu print at $1,500).

The organization's revenue model is contribution-dominated: 77% of revenue comes from individual donations, memberships, and underwriting sponsorships, with Legacy Circle bequests providing approximately 30% of operating income and Vanguard-held investment reserves contributing roughly 25% of operating dollars as of 2020. Ticketed income derives from $40 general admission, $15 student tickets, and free Emerging Composer concerts sold primarily through City Box Office. Underwriting tiers are structured at $2,500+ for a single piece, $10,000+ for a concert, and $20,000+ for season sponsorship. Customer segments include contemporary classical music enthusiasts, music students and emerging composers, corporate event organizers, and corporate sponsors/underwriters. Strategic financial partnerships span the National Endowment for the Arts, Fromm Music Foundation, Aaron Copland Fund, Clarence E. Heller Charitable Foundation, The Ann & Gordon Getty Foundation, The Bernard Osher Foundation, and Grants for the Arts. The organization is led by Executive Director Richard Aldag (since 2021) and governed by a Board of Directors headed by President Peter Witte.

Name

San Francisco Contemporary Music Players

Legal name

San Francisco Contemporary Music Players

Website

https://sfcmp.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1971

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

San Francisco Contemporary Music Players is a nonprofit performing-arts organization founded in 1971 that fields a 24-musician unionized ensemble producing contemporary classical concerts in the San Francisco Bay Area, serving patrons, emerging composers, and corporate sponsors through ticket sales, memberships, and philanthropic contributions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Contemporary Classical Music Performance

NAICS

Musical Groups and Artists (711130), Other Performing Arts Companies (711190)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAMANAC

Group Music Classes & Ensembles (Band, Orchestra, Choir)

Education/Supplemental & Enrichment Programs (Arts, STEM, Language)/Music Education (Instrumental & Vocal)

SECONDARYMPAGAOAD

Virtual Concerts & Music Festivals (Livestreamed Performances)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Live Entertainment & Events (Concerts, Theater, Festivals)/Virtual & Hybrid Events

SECONDARYMPAIAHAB

Music Producers & Production Teams

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Music & Audio (Recording, Publishing, Streaming)/Music Production Services (Studios, Producers, Session Musicians)

Keywords

• Contemporary music ensemble
• New music concerts
• Classical music performances
• Music commissioning services
• Emerging composer programs

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Contributions and Donations: 77% of revenue comes from individual donations, memberships, and underwriter sponsorships. Donations support concert production, new work creation, and musician training.
2. Ticket Sales: Revenue from mainstage concert tickets sold through City Box Office and at-the-door. General admission typically $40, student tickets $15.
3. Membership Program: Annual memberships providing access to all season ticketed events plus discounts and password-protected concert video access.
4. Underwriting Sponsorships: Corporate and individual underwriting packages at $2,500+ (single piece), $10,000+ (concert), $20,000+ (season). Includes recognition, artistic input, and season tickets.
5. Fine Art Sales: Sale of limited edition prints, currently offering 'Dirge' by Hung Liu at $1,500 per print.
6. Stock Gifts: Acceptance of stock donations as investment funds held in Vanguard Investment Funds for long-term funding and strategic investments.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

San Francisco Contemporary Music Players is a professional nonprofit new music ensemble of 24 unionized musicians that produces and performs large-ensemble contemporary classical music concerts. Its core offering is a seasonal mainstage concert series featuring world premieres, commissioned works, and performances of contemporary repertoire by iconic and emerging composers, supplemented by education and emerging composer mentorship programs.

Product overview

San Francisco Contemporary Music Players operates as a single unified artistic offering: a professional new music ensemble providing concert performances and related programming. The core product is the Mainstage Concert series, supplemented by the ARTZenter Institute Emerging Composer Program for commissioning new works. Ancillary offerings include "Under the Hood" pre-concert talks for audience education, education programs for emerging musicians, concert recordings and media content, membership subscriptions, and hire services for external performances and workshops. The ensemble's 2026-27 season is titled "Luminous Refractions" and includes 7 main concerts featuring world premieres, Bay Area composer spotlights, and Philip Glass tributes.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mainstage Concert Series (2026-27 'Luminous Refractions')

Quantifiable outcome

• Ten-time CMA/ASCAP Award winner for Adventurous Programming
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ARTZenter InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGrant program partnership encouraging creation of new music exploring the traditional orchestral ensemble. The fund was created by Tony Magee, founder of The Lagunitas Brewing Company, and provides chamber orchestra workshops, mentorship, and performance opportunities for young composers nationwide. The Emerging Composer Completion Grant Program is one of the nation's largest vehicles in support of new work.
• San Francisco PerformancescoreGTM or Marketing PartnerLeading Bay Area presenting organization that has featured the Contemporary Music Players in their concert series.
• Cal PerformancescoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor presenting organization at UC Berkeley that has featured SFCMP performances.
• Ojai FestivalcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPrestigious annual music festival in Ojai, California that has presented SFCMP performances.
• Stern Grove FestivalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFree outdoor summer concert series in San Francisco that has featured SFCMP.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE): Leading US ensemble dedicated to contemporary music performance and commissioning. Comparable to SFCMP as a flexible professional ensemble programming new works with educational components for emerging composers.
• Alarm Will Sound: Contemporary chamber ensemble known for commissioning and performing new works across genres, with a similar professional size and repertoire focus to SFCMP.
• Kronos Quartet: San Francisco-based contemporary music ensemble with a 50-year history of commissioning and performing new works. Closest direct peer to SFCMP given shared geography, mission, commissioning model, and audience overlap in the Bay Area new-music ecosystem.
• Bang on a Can All-Stars: New York-based contemporary music ensemble with a comparable commissioning-first model and educational outreach programming. Directly comparable in mission to perform and promote newly composed music for ensemble.
• eighth blackbird: Chicago-based contemporary music sextet with a parallel commissioning and touring model, multiple CMA/ASCAP awards, and ensemble-in-residence programs at conservatories. Directly comparable in scale and mission.
• Boston Modern Orchestra Project (BMOP): Orchestra dedicated exclusively to performing and recording contemporary classical music. Comparable to SFCMP in mission and orchestral scale, though based in the Northeast.
• American Composers Orchestra: New York-based orchestra dedicated to contemporary American music, with comparable commissioning programs and educational outreach for emerging composers.

Broad incumbents

• Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center: Large, established chamber music presenting organization with occasional contemporary programming. Comparable as a high-prestige presenter that occasionally intersects with SFCMP's commissioning and touring world.
• San Francisco Symphony: Major Bay Area orchestra with a broader classical repertoire that includes some contemporary programming. Indirect competitor for audiences, donors, and venue space, though not a specialized new-music ensemble.

Others

• Ojai Music Festival: Annual contemporary music festival in California that has presented SFCMP. Ecosystem peer as a presenter and partner rather than a competitor, but highly relevant for benchmarking contemporary-mission programming in California.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/gosfcmp
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/SanFranciscoContemporaryMusicPlayers
• Facebookfacebook.com/sfcmp
• Instagraminstagram.com/sfcontemporarymusicplayers

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 San Francisco Contemporary Music Players