Mendelssohn Chorus of Philadelphia

What Mendelssohn Chorus of Philadelphia does

Mendelssohn Chorus of Philadelphia is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit choral organization founded in 1874 by William Wallace Gilchrist, operating in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. The organization maintains an active volunteer roster of approximately 125-150 singers and a small paid administrative staff (11-50 range), performing choral concerts across regional venues including Church of the Holy Trinity, Temple University Performing Arts Center, and Settlement Music School, where it rehearses weekly. It has a strategic performing partnership with The Philadelphia Orchestra dating to 1900 and additional recurring collaborations with the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia.

The organization's core product is live choral performance, spanning classical repertoire, contemporary works, and world premieres of commissioned pieces; it has commissioned over 100 works since 1990, including Julia Wolfe's Anthracite Fields, recipient of the 2015 Pulitzer Prize in Music. Supporting products and programs include an ongoing commissions pipeline, the Postcard Carols holiday commission program ($3,000 per commission), a Conducting Apprenticeship program ($1,500 annual stipend), the MCP Alumni Association, the Joyful Abundance bi-annual emerging-composer program (launched 2025), and commercial recordings on Navona Records, Innova, and Koch International labels. Underlying technology is conventional nonprofit administrative tooling: Neon One for CRM/donation processing, Arts People for ticketing, Constant Contact for email, Google Forms/reCAPTCHA for audience intake, TRG Arts for audience-development marketing, and Accessibility Ventures for website accessibility.

Revenue is generated through a mix of single ticket sales and 4-concert season subscriptions (15% discount via advance purchase), individual donations routed through multiple named reserve funds (Alan Harler New Ventures Fund, Leif Magnusson Operating Reserve, Rebecca Thornburgh Performance Reserve, Roberta Rote & Martin Levitas Professional Musicians Fund, The Rose Salus Fund), foundation grants (William Penn Foundation, Presser Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts), seasonal singer membership fees with monthly payment plans and scholarships, and $3,000 Postcard Carol commissions. The distribution stack combines direct online ticket sales, venue-based performance partnerships, and accessibility channels including the Art-Reach ACCESS program offering $2 admission to ACCESS/EBT cardholders.

Name

Mendelssohn Chorus of Philadelphia

Legal name

Mendelssohn Club of Philadelphia

Website

https://mcchorus.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1874

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Mendelssohn Chorus of Philadelphia is a nonprofit choral organization founded in 1874 that performs concerts, commissions and premieres new works, and serves Philadelphia-area audiences, volunteer singers, and donors through ticketed performances, educational programs, and a network of named reserve funds.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts / Choral Music

NAICS

Musical Groups and Artists (71113), Performing Arts Companies (7111), Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (71111)

akta.pro primary industry

Regional & Repertory Theatre Companies (MPAGABAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Community & Amateur Theatre (MPAGABAD)

Keywords

• Choral performances
• Concert subscriptions
• Choral music commissions
• Performing arts
• Community choir

Headquarters

HQ city

Philadelphia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Concert Tickets and Subscriptions: Revenue generated from single ticket sales and season subscriptions for concert performances. The organization offers 4-concert subscriptions with 15% discount.
2. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Individual donations supporting the chorus operations, programming, and reserve funds. Includes the Alan Harler New Ventures Fund, Leif Magnusson Operating Reserve, Rebecca Thornburgh Performance Reserve, Roberta Rote & Martin Levitas Professional Musicians Fund, and The Rose Salus Fund.
3. Postcard Carol Commissions: Custom carol commissioning program where donors pay $3,000 to commission personalized carols composed by Dominick DiOrio, with world premiere at Feast of Carols concerts.
4. Singer Membership Fees: Fees paid by chorus members to offset costs of rehearsal and performance hall rentals, with monthly payment plans and scholarships available.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Mendelssohn Chorus of Philadelphia is a community-based choral organization that produces and performs live concert series featuring classical and contemporary choral works, including world premieres of commissioned pieces. It also runs a commissions program, a personalized Postcard Carol commissioning service, a conducting apprenticeship program for emerging conductors, and an alumni association network for former singers. Revenue is generated through ticket sales, season subscriptions, donations, grants, and program-specific fees.

Product overview

Mendelssohn Chorus of Philadelphia is a world-class choral organization (founded 1874) offering a single unified product: professional concert performances. The core offering consists of concert performances featuring diverse repertoire from traditional classics to contemporary premieres. Supporting products include a commissions program for new choral works, the Postcard Carols holiday program for personalized carol commissions, a conducting apprenticeship for emerging talent, an alumni association network, and the new Joyful Abundance program supporting emerging composers. The organization has a longstanding partnership with The Philadelphia Orchestra and has commissioned over 100 works since 1990.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Concert Performances
• Commissions Program
• Postcard Carols
• Conducting Apprenticeship Program
• Recordings
• MCP Alumni Association Membership network for former Mendelssohn Club singers providing social events, singing gatherings, and mentorship opportunities.
• Joyful Abundance

Quantifiable outcome

• 58 new works commissioned and premiered under Alan Harler (1988-2015)
• +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

Integration8 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• The Philadelphia OrchestracoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1900Longstanding performing relationship dating back to The Philadelphia Orchestra's founding in 1900. The chorus regularly prepares to sing with the orchestra, including performances of Carmina burana, Glorious Sound of Christmas, and major choral-orchestral works. This partnership has produced historic performances including Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 (1904) and numerous American premieres.
• Chamber Orchestra of PhiladelphiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA 33-member professional ensemble and founding resident company of The Kimmel Center. Collaborations include Fauré Requiem and the RITUALS: East/West program featuring composer Andrea Clearfield's Tse Go La. The Chamber Orchestra has commissioned and premiered over 70 new works.
• Settlement Music SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWeekly rehearsals held at Settlement Music School's location at 416 Queen Street, Philadelphia. The school provides rehearsal space for the chorus's Wednesday evening rehearsals (7:30p-10:00p).
• Navona RecordsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRecord label for commercial releases of commissioned works including Melissa Dunphy's 'On the Horizon' (released February 2026) and Dominick DiOrio's albums with NOTUS.
• Commonwealth Youth ChoirminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner in creating the libretto for Melissa Dunphy's 'On the Horizon' commissioned for MCP's 150th Anniversary Season, focusing on climate change themes.
• Curtis Institute of MusicminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHistorical connection to young professional musicians emerging from Curtis Institute, which influenced the founding of Concerto Soloists (now Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia).
• Art-ReachminorGTM or Marketing PartnerACCESS Program partnership providing $2 admission for Pennsylvania ACCESS/EBT Cardholders and Art-Reach ACCESS Cardholders to concerts, promoting accessibility to underserved communities.
• ArtPhilly: What Now: 2026minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCity-wide festival celebrating the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States. MCP presenting 'Joyful Abundance' featuring emerging Philadelphia composers and poets, a bi-annual program supporting emerging artistic talent.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Los Angeles Master Chorale: One of America's premier professional choruses, GRAMMY-winning, with a strong commissioning record and resident relationship with the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Directly comparable to Mendelssohn Chorus in mission, scale, and choral-orchestral programming model.
• Chanticleer: San Francisco-based GRAMMY-winning vocal ensemble renowned for its wide-ranging repertoire and commissions. Comparable as a professional U.S. choral ensemble with a strong commissioning focus and national touring profile.
• The Crossing: Philadelphia-based professional chamber choir that commissions and premieres new choral works at the highest level. Highly comparable to Mendelssohn Chorus due to overlapping Philadelphia geography, mission centered on contemporary choral commissions, and GRAMMY-winning track record in new music.
• Handel and Haydn Society: Boston-based performing arts organization founded in 1815, one of America's oldest continuously operating arts organizations. Comparable as a long-tenured choral-historical ensemble with professional artistic direction and a focus on both classical and commissioned works.
• Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia: Founding resident company of The Kimmel Center and a long-standing performance partner of Mendelssohn Chorus. Comparable in Philadelphia-based nonprofit performing arts operations, commissioned-repertoire focus, and shared programming initiatives like Fauré Requiem and RITUALS: East/West.
• Cincinnati May Festival: One of the oldest choral festivals in the Western Hemisphere, presenting choral-orchestral masterworks with the Cincinnati Symphony. Comparable to Mendelssohn Chorus in its dedication to large choral-orchestral repertoire and recurring festival programming model.
• Apollo Chorus of Chicago: Founded in 1872, one of the oldest choral organizations in the U.S., performing classical and contemporary repertoire with a volunteer/adult-amateur singer base. Comparable to Mendelssohn Chorus in longevity, volunteer singer model, and classical-choral repertoire focus.

Emerging players

• The Choir of Trinity Wall Street: New York-based professional choir known for its adventurous programming, commissioning, and streaming-era concert series. Comparable to Mendelssohn Chorus in its contemporary-repertoire focus and innovative use of digital distribution for new choral works.

Broad incumbents

• The Philadelphia Orchestra: Historic institutional partner of Mendelssohn Chorus since 1900 and a major Philadelphia cultural anchor. While an orchestra rather than a chorus, it is the chorus's primary collaborator for choral-orchestral programming and shared donor/audience base.
• Chicago Symphony Chorus: Choral ensemble of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, presenting major choral-orchestral works in a major U.S. metro. Comparable relationship architecture to Mendelssohn Chorus's Philadelphia Orchestra partnership.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/mcchorus
• Xx.com/mcchorus

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles21 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 Mendelssohn Chorus of Philadelphia