The Cecilia Chorus of New York

What The Cecilia Chorus of New York does

The Cecilia Chorus of New York (legally The St. Cecilia Club, EIN 11-2004760) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit choral organization founded in 1906, currently comprising 150 auditioned amateur singers and based in New York City. The chorus performs two major concerts per season at Carnegie Hall's Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage plus a third concert at another venue, drawing audiences of approximately 2,500 per Carnegie Hall performance. Rehearsals occur weekly at Rutgers Presbyterian Church on Manhattan's Upper West Side, with a mailing address at P.O. Box 421, FDR Station, New York, NY 10150-0421.

Under Music Director Mark Shapiro (since 2011), a six-time ASCAP Award winner who also conducts at Juilliard, Mannes, and Lincoln Center, the chorus programs a repertoire spanning five centuries that combines canonical masterworks, neglected gems, and world premieres of commissioned works. The chorus has produced 20+ commissioned premieres, archives recordings at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center, and released a Naxos recording of Daron Hagen's 'Everyone, Everywhere'. The organization operates a community engagement program that brings thousands of young people and social service clients to Carnegie Hall performances annually, supported by more than 90% of members.

Revenue is generated through a diversified mix of streams: ticket sales via Carnegie Hall's box office, undisclosed membership dues (with confidential financial assistance available), individual donations (including the 'Cecilia Rising' 120th anniversary campaign), government grants from NYSCA and the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, corporate and foundation grants, Naxos album royalties, and branded merchandise sold through the organization's e-commerce storefront. Members must sell four tickets per Carnegie Hall concert, generating organic demand. Membership is acquired through year-round auditions offered in person and virtually, and the chorus is governed by an independent Board of Directors with no parent company or venture capital ownership.

Name

The Cecilia Chorus of New York

Legal name

The St. Cecilia Club

Website

https://ceciliachorusny.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1906

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Cecilia Chorus of New York is a 150-member amateur choral ensemble founded in 1906 that performs two major concerts per season at Carnegie Hall under Music Director Mark Shapiro, serving audiences, members, and New York youth through its community engagement program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts — Choral Music

NAICS

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

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Community & Amateur Theatre (MPAGABAD), Opera & Operetta (MPAGABAF)

Keywords

• Choral performance services
• Community choral ensemble
• Classical music concerts
• Nonprofit performing arts
• Commissioned choral works

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

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, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue from ticket sales for Carnegie Hall and other concert performances.
2. Government Grants: Sustained funding from New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) and New York City Department of Cultural Affairs.
3. Individual Donations: Donations from individual patrons supporting the 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization, including the 'Cecilia Rising' 120th anniversary campaign.
4. Membership Dues: Members pay dues and purchase their own scores. Financial assistance (payment schedule, fee reduction, or waiver) is confidentially arranged for those who need it.
5. Corporate and Foundation Grants: Corporate and foundation grants as part of the organization's diversified funding base.
6. Album Sales: Sale of recorded performances, including the Naxos recording of Daron Hagen's 'Everyone, Everywhere'.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Cecilia Chorus of New York is a 150-member mixed amateur choral ensemble that delivers public concert performances — primarily two major concerts per season at Carnegie Hall's Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage plus a third concert at another venue. Its repertoire spans five centuries of choral music, including standard masterworks, neglected gems, and world premieres of 20+ commissioned works. The chorus also produces professional recordings (notably a Naxos release of Daron Hagen's 'Everyone, Everywhere'), branded merchandise, and a community engagement program that brings youth and social service clients to Carnegie Hall concerts.

Product overview

The Cecilia Chorus of New York is a 150-member mixed choral organization founded in 1906, offering a portfolio of concert performances at Carnegie Hall (its core product), professional recordings (notably a Naxos album of Daron Hagen's 'Everyone, Everywhere'), branded merchandise (t-shirts, hoodies, mugs, tote bags), a community engagement program bringing youth to concerts, and commissioned works premiering new choral compositions. The organization operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with membership by audition.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Concert Performances at Carnegie Hall The organization's primary offering: two major concerts per season at Carnegie Hall's Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage, featuring choral works from five centuries of repertoire including standard masterworks, neglected gems, and world premieres of commissioned works. Aimed at concert audiences in the New York City metropolitan area and community engagement participants (students and social service clients).
• Recordings and Albums Professional audio recordings of concert performances, including a Naxos release of Daron Hagen's 'Everyone, Everywhere' and a catalog of past concert recordings archived at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center. Aimed at classical music listeners globally.
• Branded Merchandise Branded merchandise including t-shirts ($30), hoodies ($45), mugs ($12-$20), and organic cotton tote bags ($30) featuring the Cecilia Chorus logo in various color configurations. Sold through the organization's e-commerce storefront to members, audiences, and supporters.
• Community Engagement Program Educational outreach program that brings New York youth and social service clients to Carnegie Hall concerts, supported by over 90% of chorus members, partnering with organizations including Global Kids, Early Stages, Children's Village, Harlem Children's Zone, The 52nd Street Project, Ronald McDonald House, Camphill Village, and Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School for the Performing Arts.
• Membership and Auditions Auditioned membership in the 150-member mixed chorus, with weekly rehearsals on Mondays from 7:00-9:30 PM at Rutgers Presbyterian Church (236 West 73rd Street). Auditions held year-round both in-person and virtually; members pay dues, purchase scores, and commit to studying music between rehearsals. Aimed at amateur choral musicians seeking high-quality choral community and performance opportunities.

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 90% of members support the educational engagement program
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Carnegie HallcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe chorus performs two major concerts per season at Carnegie Hall's Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage at 57th Street & 7th Avenue. The venue listings appear on Carnegie Hall's official calendar.
• Rutgers Presbyterian ChurchcoreOthersRehearsals take place on Mondays from 7:00 to 9:30 p.m. at Rutgers Presbyterian Church, 236 West 73rd Street, at Broadway, easily accessible by 1, 2, 3 trains.
• Encompass ArtsminorOthersEncompass Arts is the representation agency for Music Director Mark Shapiro.
• Juilliard SchoolminorOthersMark Shapiro teaches conducting at the Juilliard School (Juilliard Extension Division). Amir Farid is a staff pianist at Juilliard's Vocal Arts department.
• NaxoscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe chorus's new Naxos recording of Daron Hagen's 'Everyone, Everywhere' is distributed globally through Naxos's classical music platform and retail network.
• Cantori New YorkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMark Shapiro is Artistic Director of Cantori New York in addition to his role with The Cecilia Chorus. Some members have come through Cantori NY.
• Every Voice Children's ChorusminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Every Voice Children's Chorus has performed with The Cecilia Chorus, including in performances of Brahms' Requiem and Bernstein's Mass.
• New York Public Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln CenterminorOthersThe St. Cecilia Chorus Collection of Sound Recordings (1967–) is archived at the Rodgers and Hammerstein Recorded Sound Archives at Lincoln Center's NYPL for the Performing Arts.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Masterwork Chorus: New Jersey-based auditioned amateur chorus presenting major choral works with orchestra. Comparable in amateur mixed-voice structure, classical-orchestral masterworks programming, and nonprofit funding model.
• Boston Cecilia: Boston-based auditioned amateur chorus performing at New England Conservatory and Sanders Theatre. Closely comparable in amateur mixed-voice ensemble model, classical masterworks programming, and community-engagement mission.
• The Choral Arts Society of Washington: Washington, D.C.-based amateur choral society performing at the Kennedy Center and other major venues. Highly comparable community-amateur model with masterworks programming and an education/outreach mission.
• Oratorio Society of New York: Founded in 1873, this NYC amateur choral society performs major choral-orchestral masterworks at Carnegie Hall, including Handel's Messiah. Highly comparable in amateur model, Carnegie Hall presence, and oratorio repertoire.
• Cantori New York: NYC-based auditioned amateur choral ensemble sharing the same Music Director, Mark Shapiro. Closest direct peer given overlapping artistic leadership, similar amateur membership model, and shared NYC performance ecosystem.
• New York Choral Society: NYC-based amateur choral organization performing masterworks with orchestra. Comparable in audience-facing mission, classical/choral masterworks programming, and nonprofit structure serving the NYC metropolitan area.

Broad incumbents

• Chicago Symphony Chorus: Resident chorus of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Comparable in choral-symphonic masterworks programming with orchestra at a flagship concert venue, though operates at substantially larger professional scale.
• San Francisco Symphony Chorus: Resident chorus of the San Francisco Symphony performing major choral-orchestral works at Davies Symphony Hall. Comparable in flagship-venue residency model and symphonic-choral programming, though professional in scale.
• Los Angeles Master Chorale: Professional resident chorus of the Los Angeles Philharmonic at Walt Disney Concert Hall. Comparable in choral-orchestral masterworks programming and new-commissioning activity, but operates at significantly larger scale as a professional ensemble.
• Handel and Haydn Society: Founded in 1815, Boston's Handel and Haydn Society is the oldest continuously performing arts organization in the U.S. While its period-instrument orchestra and broader programming portfolio exceed the Cecilia Chorus's scope, it is comparable in amateur/professional hybrid choral performances of masterworks.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-cecilia-chorus-of-new-york

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles22 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about The Cecilia Chorus of New York