San Francisco Girls Chorus

What San Francisco Girls Chorus does

San Francisco Girls Chorus (SFGC) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit educational organization founded in 1978 and headquartered at the Kanbar Performing Arts Center at 44 Page Street, Suite 200, San Francisco. It operates a six-tier progressive vocal training program serving hundreds of girls and young women ages 4-18 from 45 Bay Area cities, structured as: Prep Chorus (ages 4-5, $1,490/yr), Training Chorus (ages 6-8, $2,130/yr), Level I (ages 8-12, $3,100/yr), Level II (ages 9-13, $4,965/yr), Concert Group (ages 10-15, $5,750/yr), and Premier Ensemble (ages 13-18, $6,625/yr), plus a $4,000 Soloist Intensive. Required Summer Music Camp programming at Rio Lindo Adventist Academy in Healdsburg serves Level II and above. An East Bay satellite at the East Bay German International School in Emeryville extends access to additional ensembles.

SFGC is a five-time GRAMMY Award-winning ensemble recognized internationally as one of the world's leading youth vocal ensembles, with repertoire spanning over three dozen commissioned works from Philip Glass, Richard Danielpour, Aaron Jay Kernis, Gabriel Kahane, Augusta Read Thomas, Lisa Bielawa, and Chen Yi. Its core technology stack is limited to standard non-profit infrastructure (Squarespace CMS, Stripe payments, YouTube distribution) with no proprietary AI/ML systems. It operates no API, SDK, or developer-facing products.

Revenue is diversified across five streams: tuition and program fees (subscription, $1,490-$6,625 annually per chorister), individual giving and donations (including legacy giving and donor-advised funds), foundation and grant funding (NEA, SF Grants for the Arts, Kimball Foundation, MAP Fund, Bernard Osher Foundation), ticket sales from performances at venues including Davies Symphony Hall and Bing Concert Hall, and employer matching gifts. The Elizabeth Avakian Scholarship Fund distributes over $150,000 annually to more than one-third of choristers. GTM motion is community-led (school partnerships, word-of-mouth from choristers and alumni) reinforced by event-driven awareness through high-profile performances at Carnegie Hall, Kennedy Center, and Davies Symphony Hall. Leadership includes Artistic Director Valérie Sainte-Agathe (Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres, French Minister of Culture, 2024) and Executive Director Mary Finch (appointed March 2026).

Name

San Francisco Girls Chorus

Legal name

San Francisco Girls Chorus

Website

https://sfgirlschorus.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1978

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

San Francisco Girls Chorus is a 501(c)(3) non-profit founded in 1978 operating a six-tier progressive vocal training program for girls ages 4-18 across 45 Bay Area cities, with diversified revenue from tuition, donations, grants, and ticket sales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

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, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Program Fees: Families pay tuition for participation in the chorus program. Tuition varies by ensemble level, ranging from $1,490 for Prep Chorus to $6,625 for Premier Ensemble. Additional fees apply for required Summer Music Camp.
2. Individual Giving and Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals provide membership support. The organization accepts various donation types including one-time gifts, stock donations, vehicle donations, legacy giving, and contributions through Donor Advised Funds.
3. Foundation and Grant Funding: Support from foundations including San Francisco Grants for the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts, Kimball Foundation, Creative Work Fund, MAP Fund, Bernard Osher Foundation, and others.
4. Ticket Sales: Revenue from concert tickets for performances at venues including Davies Symphony Hall, Bing Concert Hall at Stanford, and other performance locations.
5. Employer Matching Gifts: Corporate matching gift programs where employers match employee donations to amplify impact.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

San Francisco Girls Chorus is a 501(c)(3) non-profit youth choral music education and performance organization that runs a six-level Chorus School (Prep Chorus, Training Chorus, Level I, Level II, Concert Group, and Premier Ensemble) for girls and young women ages 4-18. It delivers weekly rehearsals, vocal and music theory instruction, a required Summer Music Camp, a Composer-in-Residence program, public concert performances, audio recordings, and tuition assistance through the Elizabeth Avakian Scholarship Fund.

Product overview

San Francisco Girls Chorus is a five-time GRAMMY Award-winning youth chorus organization that operates as a unified program with multiple progressive ensemble tiers. The organization offers a six-level Chorus School program for girls ages 4-18 (Prep Chorus, Training Chorus, Level I, Level II, Concert Group, and Premier Ensemble), plus a Soloist Intensive for advanced singers. Additional offerings include Summer Music Camp (required for Level II and above), a Composer-in-Residence Program, audio recordings, and facilities at the Kanbar Center. The organization provides music education and performance opportunities supported by the Elizabeth Avakian Scholarship Fund for tuition assistance.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Prep Chorus Entry-level youth choral program for girls ages 4-5, offering 45-minute weekly classes developing foundational music skills through folk music, Kodály methods, games, and movement. Includes a final performance at the end of the school year. Tuition is $1,490 per year. No singing placement required.
• Training Chorus Bridge youth choral program for ages 6-8 with weekly 1.5-hour classes, memorizing 15-20 minutes of music per semester. Singers participate in the Davies Symphony Hall Winter Concert and Spring Concert. Tuition is $2,130 per year. Singing placement required for new singers.
• Level I Youth choral program for ages 8-12 with 2.25-hour weekly rehearsals focusing on musicianship foundation, healthy vocal technique, music theory, and aural skills. Choristers memorize 20-25 minutes of music per semester with required attendance at select Saturday rehearsals. Tuition is $3,100 per year.
• Level II Youth choral program for ages 9-13 with 2.5-hour weekly rehearsals, including a required Summer Music Camp Away Camp ($1,500). Choristers memorize 25-30 minutes of music per semester and have outreach performance opportunities. Tuition is $4,965 per year.
• Concert Group Advanced youth choral program for ages 10-15 meeting twice weekly for 2-hour rehearsals plus required Summer Music Camp Away Camp ($1,800). Choristers memorize 35-40 minutes of music per semester and perform community outreach concerts. Tuition is $5,750 per year.
• Premier Ensemble Elite youth choral ensemble for ages 13-18 meeting twice weekly for 2.5-hour rehearsals plus required Summer Music Camp Away Camp ($1,900). Choristers memorize 45-60 minutes of music per semester with professional-level performances throughout the Bay Area. Requires Premier Ensemble Readiness Assessment and at least one year in Concert Group. Tuition is $6,625 per year.
• Soloist Intensive Specialized advanced solo performance program taught by professional soloists Leandra Ramm and Tonia D'Amelio. Tuition is $4,000 per year. Designed for developing solo performers within the SFGC community.
• Summer Music Camp Required residential music camp for singers in Level II and above, held at Rio Lindo Adventist Academy in Healdsburg, CA. Includes Day Camp and 'Away' sleepaway camp components that kick off the school year. Costs $1,500-$1,900 depending on ensemble level.
• Composer-in-Residence Program Annual program that brings a contemporary composer to SFGC, who creates new works expressly for SFGC and engages each ensemble level. Recent composers include Nicolás Lell Benavides (2025-26, Guggenheim Fellow), Bobby McFerrin (2021-2022), and Roomful of Teeth (Spring 2021 Virtual Artists-in-Residence).
• Elizabeth Avakian Scholarship Fund Need-based scholarship fund providing over $150,000 in tuition assistance annually to more than one-third of SFGC choristers, ensuring access to music education for young people from all socioeconomic backgrounds.
• Audio Recordings Studio album releases showcasing SFGC performances with leading contemporary ensembles. Includes 'My Outstretched Hand' (2019, Supertrain Records with The Knights and Trinity Youth Chorus) and 'Final Answer' (2018, Orange Mountain Music with Kronos Quartet featuring works by nine living composers).
• Kanbar Center SFGC's home venue at 44 Page Street, Suite 200 in San Francisco, serving as a hub for arts and community organizations. Provides space for SFGC programs and shared use by more than two dozen other arts, cultural, educational, and community organizations annually. Office space and facilities rental are available.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $150,000 annually in scholarship support to over one-third of SFGC's choristers through the Elizabeth Avakian Scholarship Fund
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

23 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Pomegranate ArtsflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 October 2026Co-commissioned 'Let the Poets Speak: A Celebration of Philip Glass and Allen Ginsberg' for Philip Glass's 90th birthday featuring world premiere compositions.
• UCSB Arts and LecturescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 October 2026Co-commissioned 'Let the Poets Speak: A Celebration of Philip Glass and Allen Ginsberg' for Philip Glass's 90th birthday celebration.
• University of Hawaii at ManoaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 February 2022Partnership with Chorus America for virtual session exploring music history in Philippines and Hawaii through Tomorrow's Memories.
• San Francisco Public LibraryminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 December 2021First session of Tomorrow's Memories Community Book Club hosted virtually on SF Public Library YouTube Channel.
• Kapwa GardensminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 January 2021Second session of Tomorrow's Memories Community Book Club hosted at outdoor Kapwa Gardens arts hub in SOMA Pilipitas cultural heritage district.
• Ars MinervacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 November 2020Co-presentation of Vivaldi's Juditha Triumphans—a unique video project combining Vivaldi's 1716 oratorio with arias by women composers of the Baroque era, featuring SFGC Artistic Director Valérie Sainte-Agathe and Ars Minerva Artistic Director Céline Ricci.
• San Francisco SymphonycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual appearances and collaborative performances including multiple performances of Stravinsky's Persephone with Michael Tilson Thomas in September 2018.
• San Francisco OperacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegular performances including productions of Die Frau ohne Schatten, Carmen, La Boheme, and Dead Man Walking. SFGC choristers have been prepared for SF Opera productions.
• Kronos QuartetcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative performances including appearances on all three days of the 2019 KRONOS FESTIVAL. Recorded album 'Final Answer' with Kronos featuring works by nine living composers.
• Philip Glass EnsembleflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerFebruary 2018 debut performance at Carnegie Hall alongside Philip Glass and the Philip Glass Ensemble, broadcast worldwide by Medici TV.
• The KnightscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerApril 2017 debut performance at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts for SHIFT: A Festival of American Orchestras. January 2017 performances at Kennedy Center with The Knights.
• San Francisco BalletminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLandmark partnerships for collaborative performances and productions.
• Opera ParallèlecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative performances including Marcus Shelby's Harriet's Spirit and Lembit Beecher's Sophia's Forest.
• Philharmonia Baroque OrchestraminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborations with leading baroque ensemble for historical performance repertoire.
• New Century Chamber OrchestraminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative performances including new works by Nico Muhly and David Conte.
• San Francisco Conservatory of MusiccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlbum release of Danny Clay's 'Music for Hard Times' in collaboration with The Living Earth Show and SFCM. Performances including Englebert Humperdinck's Hansel and Gretel and 2021 Hoefer Prize Concert.
• Roomful of TeethcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpring 2021 Virtual Artists-in-Residence. Collaboration with composer Cava Menzies including three workshops culminating in the world premiere of 'The Line Between' at Fort Mason FLIX drive-in theater.
• The King's SingerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFall 2020 Virtual Artists-in-Residence. Collaboration featuring arrangement of Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah.
• TENET Vocal ArtistsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVirtual artist residency collaboration with acclaimed contemporary vocal ensemble.
• Bobby McFerrinflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner2021-2022 Artist-in-Residence. Presented live performance of excerpts from McFerrin's 1997 improvisational studio album 'Circlesongs' at Bayview Opera House.
• Santa Fe OperaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpecial appearance on Santa Fe Opera Podcast 'Key Change' featuring David Hanlon's The Pigeon Keeper, Scene 1: Blue is Forever.
• Magic TheatreflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerPremiere venue for 'Tomorrow's Memories: A Little Manila Diary,' a four-act choral-opera by Matthew Welch based on Angeles Monrayo's diary, June 2022.
• Bayview Opera HouseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJuneteenth collaboration featuring 'Kamala's Hope' by composer Candace Forest with soprano Shawnette Sulker. Also venue for Bobby McFerrin's Circlesongs performance.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Young People's Chorus of New York City: Young People's Chorus of New York City is an internationally recognized, multi-level youth choral organization serving hundreds of singers with a comparable model of progressive ensembles, commissioned repertoire, and high-profile performances. It is a directly comparable peer in scale, programming, and national visibility.
• Chicago Children's Choir: Chicago Children's Choir provides tiered choral training and performance opportunities for hundreds of young singers, with strong school partnerships and a robust scholarship/access program. It is comparable in mission, multi-tier programming, scholarship scale, and DEI emphasis.
• National Children's Chorus: National Children's Chorus operates multi-city auditioned ensembles with rigorous training, commissioned works, and high-profile performance opportunities for young singers. Its multi-tier structure and audition-based ensembles make it a directly comparable peer to SFGC's Premier Ensemble track.
• Pacific Boychoir Academy: Pacific Boychoir Academy is a Bay Area auditioned youth choir offering progressive ensemble training and frequent public performance. It overlaps with SFGC geographically and structurally, serving a comparable age range and mission with a comparable performance-oriented model.
• San Francisco Boys Chorus: San Francisco Boys Chorus is a Bay Area youth choral organization offering tiered ensemble training and public performances for boys and young men. It is the closest geographic peer and shares the same age-range focus, six-tier structure, and performance-based mission, though serving boys rather than girls.
• Los Angeles Children's Chorus: Los Angeles Children's Chorus is a multi-level, auditioned youth choral program that tours internationally and produces recordings and commissioned works. It is highly comparable in structure (multi-tier ensemble progression), prestige, and mission, and is widely regarded as one of SFGC's direct national comparables.
• Seattle Girls' Choir: Seattle Girls' Choir is a tiered youth choral organization specifically for girls and young women, with multiple performing ensembles and a comparable developmental curriculum. It mirrors SFGC's single-gender model and progression structure.

Broad incumbents

• Interlochen Center for the Arts: Interlochen Center for the Arts is a major pre-college performing arts institution offering choral, instrumental, theater, and interdisciplinary programs. It is broader in scope than SFGC but represents a comparable high-prestige destination for serious young musicians and overlapping applicant pool.

Others

• Cantus: Cantus is a professional all-male vocal ensemble that commissions, performs, and records contemporary and classical choral repertoire. It is thematically adjacent as a commission-driven choral organization but operates as an adult professional ensemble rather than a youth development organization.

Regional players

• Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir: Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir is a Bay Area vocal ensemble providing performance opportunities and youth programming. It is comparable as a regional youth/community vocal organization with overlapping donor and chorister pools, though focused on gospel rather than classical choral repertoire.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/sfgirlschorus
• Facebookfacebook.com/sfgirlschorus
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/san-francisco-girls-chorus

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles20 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 Girls Chorus