San Francisco Choral Artists

What San Francisco Choral Artists does

San Francisco Choral Artists (SFCA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit professional chamber choir founded in 1984 and headquartered in San Francisco, California. The organization fields a 24-voice ensemble that presents three concert sets per season, performing approximately nine concerts annually across venues in San Francisco, Oakland, and Palo Alto. Its programmatic identity is anchored in the music of living composers; SFCA has premiered more than 300 new works since its founding and operates multiple composer-support mechanisms including commissions, commercial recordings, and readings/workshops. The ensemble has earned three notable national recognitions: Chorus America/ASCAP Adventurous Programming Awards in 2012 and 2015, and the American Prize in 2020. Artistic direction has been held by Magen Solomon since 1995, providing 31 seasons of leadership continuity.

The business model is a conventional mid-sized American performing-arts nonprofit model. Earned revenue is generated through ticket sales across the three-concert season and modest CD sales priced at $20 per unit. The operating budget is supported primarily by charitable contributions — individual donations and institutional grants — consistent with the 501(c)(3) structure. SFCA maintains a lean operational footprint of four paid staff and a five-member board, supplemented by contracted professional singers and guest artists engaged per production cycle. There is no disclosed digital platform, e-commerce infrastructure beyond physical CD sales, or technology-enabled distribution channel in the input data.

SFCA occupies a clearly defined niche: professional vocal performance specializing in contemporary and new music within the San Francisco Bay Area. Its competitive position rests on a four-decade institutional reputation, the cumulative catalog of premieres, sustained artistic leadership under Solomon, and recognition from Chorus America, ASCAP, and the American Prize. The organization is mature, stable, and focused on curatorial depth rather than scale expansion, with no visible signals of geographic, demographic, or product-line growth in the available evidence.

Name

San Francisco Choral Artists

Legal name

San Francisco Choral Artists

Website

https://sfca.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

San Francisco Choral Artists is a 24-voice professional chamber choir founded in 1984 in San Francisco, performing three concert sets annually across Bay Area venues and championing new works by living composers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Chamber Choir Performance

NAICS

Musical Groups and Artists (711130), Musical Groups and Artists (71113), Other Performing Arts Companies (711190)

akta.pro primary industry

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

Keywords

• Chamber choir performances
• Choral music recordings
• Composer support programs
• Live choral concerts
• New music commissions

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Concert Ticket Sales: Revenue from live concert performances held in San Francisco, Oakland, and Palo Alto venues
2. CD/Recording Sales: Sale of recorded music including CDs 'With Strings Attached', 'Music Among Friends', 'Star of Wonder', and 'So Gracious Is the Time' priced at $20 each including tax and shipping
3. Donations and Grants: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN #94-2936962), SFCA receives charitable donations, grant funding, and stock gifts. Donor-advised fund recommendations and appreciated stock donations are accepted.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

San Francisco Choral Artists is a 24-voice chamber choir that presents three concert sets per season, each performed in San Francisco, Oakland, and Palo Alto. The ensemble sells commercial CD recordings of its repertoire, commissions and premieres new works from living composers, and operates composer-support programs including the New Voices Project competition, Composer-in-Residence program, and the Roger Nixon Living Music Initiative.

Product overview

San Francisco Choral Artists is a 24-voice chamber choir organization offering concert performances, choral recordings, and composer support programs. The organization presents three concert sets per season performed across the San Francisco Bay Area, releases commercial recordings (CDs), and operates multiple composer-focused initiatives including the Composer-in-Residence Program, Composer-Not-in-Residence Program, New Voices Project competition for composers under 30, and the Roger Nixon Living Music Initiative. The portfolio includes four published CD recordings (With Strings Attached, Music Among Friends, So Gracious Is the Time, and Star of Wonder) and annual concert programs exploring diverse repertoire spanning 600 years.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• With Strings Attached CD A CD recording by SFCA featuring new compositions for chamber choir and string quartet in collaboration with The Alexander String Quartet, sold to choral music enthusiasts and Bay Area audiences.
• Music Among Friends CD A CD recording celebrating SFCA's ties with local Bay Area composers, featuring 16 works including 5 SFCA-commissioned world premieres, sold to choral music enthusiasts.
• Star of Wonder CD A holiday CD recording captured at San Francisco's St. Ignatius Church, featuring choral works for the Christmas season, sold to choral music enthusiasts.
• So Gracious Is the Time CD A CD recording celebrating the pioneer spirit of America through works by living composers, several recorded here for the first time, sold to choral music enthusiasts.
• Concert Performances Live choral performances by the 24-voice SFCA chamber ensemble, featuring repertoire spanning 600 years and contemporary premieres, presented to Bay Area audiences.
• New Voices Project An annual competition for composers under 30 offering a cash prize, three performances of the winning work, and a professional recording, open to emerging young composers.
• Composer-in-Residence Program A composer commissioning program supporting Bay Area composers, providing paid commissions for new works performed across the season's three concert sets.
• Composer-Not-in-Residence Program A composer commissioning program launched in 2009 that brings new compositional voices from around the world to SFCA audiences.
• Roger Nixon Living Music Initiative A funding initiative in honor of composer Roger Nixon that provides financial support for SFCA's composer commissioning programs and new American choral music.

Quantifiable outcome

• 300+ world premieres performed
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• The Alexander String QuartetcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2011Collaboration on 'With Strings Attached' CD (2012), a landmark program featuring new compositions for chamber choir and string quartet. Produced by Grammy-winning producer Judith Sherman.
• Mads TollingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJazz violinist collaborator on various performances
• SF Chamber OrchestraminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on performances with the San Francisco Chamber Orchestra
• Philharmonia Baroque OrchestraminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on performances with Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra
• Chamber Choir of the Academy of Arts in BerlinminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational collaboration with Chamber Choir of the Academy of Arts in Berlin, Germany
• Ateneo Chamber SingersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational collaboration with Ateneo Chamber Singers from the Philippines

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• The Crossing: Philadelphia-based professional chamber choir recognized with multiple Grammy Awards for new-music recordings. Closely comparable in mission of championing living composers, commissioning new works, and producing recordings.
• Anonymous 4: Four-voice female vocal ensemble specializing in medieval, contemporary, and crossover repertoire with multiple recordings and touring history. Comparable as a small professional vocal group with a catalog focus and recording program.
• Roomful of Teeth: Professional vocal ensemble dedicated to exploring new choral music and techniques through commissioning. Closely comparable in mission, scale, and emphasis on living composers and adventurous programming; nationally recognized with a Grammy.
• New York Polyphony: Male vocal quartet performing medieval to contemporary repertoire with international touring and a notable recording catalog. Comparable in scale and artistic mission of eclectic programming paired with commercial recordings.
• San Francisco Bach Choir: Bay Area choral organization also led by Magen Solomon (Music Director since 2014). Direct peer in region, mission, and leadership; comparable scale and audience base, with more historically focused programming.
• Chanticleer: San Francisco-based professional vocal ensemble performing a wide repertoire ranging from Renaissance to contemporary. Most directly comparable peer: same city, similar ensemble size, similar mission of high-caliber a cappella and collaborative choral performance, and overlapping Bay Area audience.
• Choral Arts (formerly Tudor Choir): Seattle-based chamber choir focused on early and contemporary music with a recording and commissioning program. Comparable scale, mission, and Pacific Northwest/Bay-Area-adjacent programming philosophy.
• St. Lawrence Choir: Professional chamber choir and vocal ensemble based in Toronto with international touring and a strong contemporary repertoire emphasis. Comparable as a professional choir with a commissioning/recording focus and similar audience profile.

Broad incumbents

• Los Angeles Master Chorale: Large professional choir based in Los Angeles with a Grammy-winning recording program and adventurous contemporary programming. Larger and broader in scope, but overlapping mission of performing and championing contemporary choral music.

Others

• Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra: Bay Area period-instrument orchestra that has collaborated with SFCA. Not a direct competitor but a comparable Bay Area classical ensemble sharing audience, donors, and venue partners.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCWy6nepE3x0VaJKAf5nXRyA
• Xx.com/sfchoralartists
• Facebookfacebook.com/SFChoralArtists
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/san-francisco-choral-artists

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 Choral Artists