Singing City

What Singing City does

Singing City, Inc. (DBA: Singing City Choir of Philadelphia) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit choral organization founded in 1948 by Dr. Elaine Brown in Philadelphia as one of the nation's first integrated choirs. The organization produces a seasonal concert series performed by a 100+ member volunteer chorus under Artistic & Music Director Rollo A. Dilworth, alongside a portfolio of community and educational programs including the free youth choir initiative Singing City: Next Generation (SC:NG), the citywide Love City Sings convening, care-facility and underserved-community outreach performances, and collaborative concert productions with Lyric Fest, Dreamline, and other Philadelphia arts partners. Core products and services include live seasonal concerts at multiple Philadelphia venues (Friends Center, Episcopal Cathedral, Temple Performing Arts Center, Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church), the Singing City Songbook (a 27-composer digital PDF commissioned for the 75th anniversary), concert sponsorships ($500-$10,000 tiers), program advertising ($150-$500), and a planned-giving program structured around the Elaine Brown Legacy Society.

Singing City operates a diversified nonprofit revenue model spanning earned revenue, philanthropic contributions, and institutional grants. Earned revenue from concert ticket sales (facilitated through the Humanitix not-for-profit ticketing platform) and choir member dues accounts for approximately 15% of annual budget. The remaining ~85% is sourced from individual donations via the Annual Friends Drive and monthly giving programs, corporate concert sponsorships and program advertising, sales of the Songbook and merchandise, foundation and government grants (Philadelphia Cultural Fund, Connelly Foundation, Five Below Foundation, Presser Foundation, Berry Foundation, Knorr Foundation), and legacy/planned gifts through the Elaine Brown Legacy Society. An annual charity auction ('Carrying the Song Forward') supplements fundraising. Technology infrastructure is limited to standard nonprofit operational tools (Humanitix, Bloomerang, PayPal); there is no proprietary technology platform.

The organization is governed by a Board of Directors led by President Bonnie Motel and staffed by 42 employees including executive leadership (Executive Director Michael J. Bolton), artistic and conducting personnel (Dilworth, Assistant Conductor Alexander Nguyen, Associate Conductor B. Lauren Thomas-Moyett, Youth Choir Director Kendra Balmer, Collaborative Pianist Kim Rojo Celestino Barroso), and programs/operations staff. Strategic partnerships are central to the operating model: Temple University's Boyer College of Music and Dance hosts the Elaine Brown Chair held by Dilworth, houses Singing City's archives, and co-locates youth program residencies; school and community partnerships feed youth program participation; and concert collaborations with the Philadelphia Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, and Philadelphia Girls Choir anchor artistic credibility.

Name

Singing City

Legal name

Singing City, Inc.

Website

https://singingcity.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1948

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Singing City is a Philadelphia-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit choral organization founded in 1948 that produces seasonal concerts with a 100+ member volunteer chorus, runs a free youth choir program, and serves audiences, schools, and underserved communities through live performances and music education partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts

NAICS

Musical Groups and Artists (711130), Performing Arts Companies (7111), Musical Groups and Artists (71113)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Cultural Centers & Community Cultural Organizations (BPAGAHAD), Group Music Classes & Ensembles (Band, Orchestra, Choir) (EDAMANAC)

Keywords

• Choral music performances
• Youth choir education
• Community choral arts
• Concert sponsorship programs
• Choral music commissions

Headquarters

HQ city

Philadelphia

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 concert admissions sold through Humanitix ticketing platform. Ticket sales and choir member dues cover approximately 15% of annual budget.
2. Individual Donations (Annual Friends Drive): Tax-deductible donations from individual supporters supporting operating budget, formal concert series, youth programs, and community concerts.
3. Concert Sponsorships: Corporate sponsorship packages at various levels ($500-$10,000) offering logo placement, program ads, concert tickets, and recognition at performances.
4. Program Advertising: Sale of advertising space in concert programs reaching 1,200+ audience members. Rates from $150-$500 per season for quarter to inside cover pages.
5. Government and Foundation Grants: Support from government agencies and private foundations including Philadelphia Cultural Fund, Connelly Foundation, Five Below Foundation, and others.
6. Songbook Sales: Sale of the Singing City Songbook (a downloadable PDF compilation of commissioned works by 27 composers) for $25, with individual song copies available for $1.00 each.
7. Planned Giving and Legacy Gifts: Bequests, deferred gifts, charitable remainder trusts, and other estate planning instruments through the Elaine Brown Legacy Society.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Singing City is a Philadelphia-based nonprofit choral arts organization that produces and presents live choral concerts across a seasonal program, supported by a digital Songbook of 27 commissioned works. The organization also operates free youth choral education programs (Singing City: Next Generation and Love City Sings) and accepts corporate sponsorships, program advertising, individual donations, and foundation grants to fund its artistic and community engagement work.

Product overview

Singing City is a choral organization offering a portfolio of products and services centered around live concert performances and music education. The core offering is the main concert season featuring choral performances led by Artistic Director Rollo Dilworth at Philadelphia venues. Supporting products include the Singing City Songbook (a digital PDF compilation of commissioned works), Concert Sponsorships with recognition tiers, and Concert Program Ads. The organization also operates Singing City: Next Generation, a free youth choir program, and Love City Sings, a citywide youth choral convening. Fundraising products include Annual Friends Drive donations, Planned Giving through the Elaine Brown Legacy Society, and the annual Carrying the Song Forward charity auction. All ticketing is managed through the Humanitix platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Singing City: Next Generation (SC:NG): A free, non-auditioned youth choir program for young singers across Philadelphia, featuring flexible session modules and intergenerational performances alongside the adult chorus.

Products and services

• Concerts and Events
• Singing City Songbook
• Concert Sponsorships
• Concert Program Ads
• Singing City: Next Generation (SC:NG)
• Love City Sings
• Elaine Brown Legacy Society (Planned Giving)
• Carrying the Song Forward Auction
• Annual Friends Drive Donations

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1,200 audience members reached per season through concert programs
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Lyric FestcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 March 2026Collaborative partnership for the Dream Keeper concert celebrating Langston Hughes' 125th anniversary. Lyric Fest brings expertise in biographical storytelling, creating programs that place words and music in close conversation. The collaboration explores Hughes's life, letters, and poetry through music, narration, and song.
• DreamlinecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 March 2026Dreamline is a global initiative engaging over 160,000 students in 55 countries. For the Dream Keeper concert, Dreamline works with 5 Philadelphia schools bringing 200+ students in grades 2-12 to participate. Students create Dream Banners and perform during the concert, directly connecting young voices to Langston Hughes's poetry.
• Temple Music Prep and Temple University's Boyer College of Music and DancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing youth program residencies on campus. Through rehearsals and residencies at Temple, participants gain exposure to a collegiate arts environment. The Boyer College is home to Singing City's Elaine Brown Chair of Choral Music held by Rollo Dilworth. Singing City's archives are housed at Temple University.
• HumanitixcoreTechnology or IntegrationNot-for-profit ticketing platform partner. Humanitix is the world's first not-for-profit ticketing platform where booking fees support education projects, not shareholders. Singing City uses Humanitix for all concert ticket sales.
• Friends CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary venue for choir rehearsals and some performances. The 1501 Cherry Street location holds Tuesday evening rehearsals from September through May.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Westminster Choir College: A New Jersey-based undergraduate and graduate choral music program. Comparable as a choral music education and performance organization that produces ensembles and competes for similar educational grants and choral talent pipelines.

Broad incumbents

• Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia: A Philadelphia-based professional chamber orchestra. Comparable as a Philadelphia performance partner that has collaborated with Singing City, sharing audiences and donors in the same regional arts ecosystem.
• The Philadelphia Orchestra: A world-class symphony orchestra in Philadelphia. Comparable as a long-standing major Philadelphia arts institution and historical performance partner with Singing City; serves overlapping donor and audience pools but at far larger scale.

Direct peers

• The Crossing (Philadelphia choir): A professional Philadelphia-based chamber choir known for commissioning new works. Directly comparable as a Philadelphia choir organization focused on contemporary choral repertoire, commissioning, and live performance.
• Mendelssohn Club of Philadelphia: A long-established Philadelphia choral organization performing classical and contemporary choral works. Directly comparable as a fellow Philadelphia-based choir competing for the same audiences, donors, and corporate sponsors.
• Philadelphia Girls Choir: A Philadelphia-based choral organization that trains and performs with young singers. Directly comparable as a Philadelphia-based choir organization working with both youth and adult ensembles and collaborating with the broader Philadelphia arts ecosystem.
• Lyric Fest: A Philadelphia-based vocal arts organization presenting art song and vocal collaborations. Directly comparable as a Philadelphia arts nonprofit collaborating with Singing City on the Dream Keeper concert.

Others

• Dreamline: A global arts-education initiative engaging over 160,000 students in 55 countries. Comparable as a partner organization that brings young singers into Singing City programs and aligns with the youth engagement mission.
• Philadelphia Cultural Fund: City of Philadelphia's cultural funding program supporting local arts organizations. Comparable as a key annual funder supporting Singing City's artistic and community engagement programming.

Regional players

• Berkshire Choral International: A choral arts organization based in the Berkshires presenting summer choral festivals. Comparable as a nonprofit choral arts organization with festivals/programs and audiences, though geographically distinct from Philadelphia.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubevimeo.com/user24527043
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/singing-city

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles22 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 Singing City