TACOMA YOUTH CHORUS

What TACOMA YOUTH CHORUS does

Tacoma Youth Chorus (TYC) is a Washington State–domiciled 501(c)(3) nonprofit (Tax ID 91-1514858) that delivers structured choral music education to youth from Kindergarten through Grade 12 across seven tiered ensembles: Music Makers (K-1) and Choristers (1-2) at the preparatory level; Concert Choir (3-4) and Chamber Choir (5-8) at the intermediate level; and Treble Choir, Tenor-Bass Choir, and the combined Chorale (9-12) at the advanced level. Founded in the 1980s by Judith Herrington — a Washington State Music Educators Association Hall of Fame inductee with 44+ years of teaching and conducting — the organization has operated continuously in the south Puget Sound region, drawing an annual audience of 20,000+ across performances, outreach, and the annual Holiday Favorites collaboration with Symphony Tacoma. Rehearsals run September through June at partner-school venues (Charles Wright Academy and Annie Wright Schools), with alumni feeding back into the organization as board members, donors, volunteers, and instructors.

The technology footprint is intentionally light: TYC runs on Chorus Connection for member management, communications, and re-enrollment; Donorbox for online giving; and standard productivity tools such as Adobe Acrobat. There is no proprietary platform, app, or AI/ML capability disclosed. Operations are community-led, with prospective families submitting interest forms, the Program Manager scheduling guest rehearsal visits, and ongoing direct-to-consumer enrollment via detailed annual forms with payment, emergency-contact, and health data capture.

The revenue model blends recurring tuition ($90-$140 per month for 9-10 installments depending on choir level) with a $125 annual registration fee per singer (reduced to $62.50 for scholarship applicants), need-based scholarships for accessibility, and sibling discounts. This tuition base is supplemented by tiered business sponsorships ($300-$1,000), individual tax-deductible donations, and foundation grants (ArtsFund, Bamford Foundation, Forest Foundation, tribal partners). Marketing is conducted through Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, an email newsletter, and the organizer's website; in-person performances and community events serve as the bottom-of-funnel conversion mechanism.

Name

TACOMA YOUTH CHORUS

Legal name

Tacoma Youth Chorus

Website

https://tacomayouthchorus.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Tacoma Youth Chorus is a Washington 501(c)(3) nonprofit offering tiered choral music education across seven ensembles (K through Grade 12) in the south Puget Sound region, serving youth singers and their families through recurring tuition, sponsorships, and donations, with annual performances and a long-standing Symphony Tacoma partnership.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Choral Arts Education

NAICS

Musical Groups and Artists (711130), Fine Arts Schools (61161)

akta.pro primary industry

Group Music Classes & Ensembles (Band, Orchestra, Choir) (EDAMANAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Music Instruction (Instrumental & Vocal) (EDAMAAAE), Arts, Sports & Recreation-Based Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAJ)

Keywords

• Youth choral education
• Music education programs
• Youth choir programs
• Performing arts education
• Ensemble singing

Headquarters

HQ city

Tacoma

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Registration Fees: Annual tuition collected in monthly installments ranging from $90-$140 depending on choir level, plus $125 annual registration fee per singer. Sibling discounts available. This is the primary revenue stream.
2. Business Sponsorships: Season sponsorships at multiple levels ($300-$1,000) and individual event program advertising. Reaches 20,000+ people annually through performances and outreach.
3. Individual Donations: Tax-deductible charitable contributions accepted via check or credit card through Donorbox platform. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, donations are critical to offsetting costs of venues, guest musicians, workshops, and providing financial aid.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Tacoma Youth Chorus operates a tiered youth choral arts education program serving students from Kindergarten through Grade 12 across seven distinct choirs (Music Makers, Choristers, Concert Choir, Chamber Choir, Treble Choir, Tenor-Bass Choir, and Chorale). Programs feature weekly rehearsals from September through June at partner school facilities in the Tacoma/University Place area, with multiple annual performances including collaborations with Symphony Tacoma.

Product overview

Tacoma Youth Chorus is a youth choral arts organization offering a tiered program of seven distinct choir programs for students from Kindergarten through 12th grade. The programs are organized by age and skill level: Music Makers (K-1) and Choristers (1-2) form the preparatory level; Concert Choir (3-4) and Chamber Choir (5-8) constitute the intermediate level; and Treble Choir, Tenor-Bass Choir, and the combined Chorale (9-12) make up the advanced level. Each program meets weekly during the September-June season, featuring performances throughout the year including concerts with Symphony Tacoma, holiday performances, and the annual Gift of Song concert.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Music Makers

Quantifiable outcome

• 20,000+ annual audience reach through performances and outreach events
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Charles Wright AcademycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partnership providing rehearsal space for multiple TYC choirs (Concert Choir, Chamber Choir, Choristers, Treble/Tenor-Bass/Choir, Chorale). Judith Herrington taught and conducted at Charles Wright Academy for 44 years.
• Annie Wright SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partnership providing rehearsal space for Music Makers class. Located in Tacoma, WA.
• Symphony TacomacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual collaboration for Holiday Favorites rehearsal and performance. TYC performs with Symphony Tacoma in December, reaching combined audiences of both organizations.
• Pacific Lutheran UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPLU music faculty and students participate in TYC programs. Judith Herrington serves on PLU's School of Arts and Communication Advisory Board. Katie Brizuela is Visiting Instructor of Music Education at PLU.
• University of Puget Sound School of MusicminorStrategic or Co-development Partner2025-26 community partner in the local higher education music community.
• Tacoma Youth Symphony AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner2025-26 community partner; fellow youth arts organization in Tacoma creating synergy in the local arts community.
• Mary Bridge Children's Hospital and Health NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development Partner2025-26 community partner; local healthcare organization supporting children's wellness through arts.
• Metropolitan Ballet of TacomaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner2025-26 community partner; fellow performing arts organization in Tacoma.
• Fred Meyer Community RewardsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGrocery retailer community giving program allowing customers to designate TYC as their charitable recipient.
• Johnsrud Employment LawminorOthersEmployment law firm providing legal services as a community partner. Barry Johnsrud also serves on the Board of Directors.
• HarborbridgeminorOthersLeadership development organization listed as a 2025-26 community partner.
• Raise for RowynminorOthersCharitable foundation listed as a 2025-26 community partner supporting TYC.
• RushminorOthersBusiness entity listed as a 2025-26 community partner.
• Socium AdvisorsminorOthersBusiness advisory firm listed as a 2025-26 community partner.
• ZenBusinessminorOthersBusiness formation services company listed as a 2025-26 community partner.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Direct peers

• Seattle Children's Chorus: Pacific Northwest-based youth choral organization offering tiered ensemble programs for children and youth; directly comparable to TYC in mission, programming structure, and regional Puget Sound service area.
• Young People's Chorus of New York City: Nationally recognized youth choral organization offering tiered training and ensemble performance from young ages through high school; directly comparable to TYC in mission, programmatic structure, and nonprofit choral-arts education focus.
• Pacific Youth Choir: Portland-based youth choir serving singers across multiple age tiers with ensemble performances; comparable to TYC as a regional multi-tier youth choral arts nonprofit in the Pacific Northwest.
• Brooklyn Youth Chorus: NYC-based youth choral organization offering tiered ensemble training with performance focus; directly comparable to TYC in curriculum design, ensemble-centered pedagogy, and nonprofit choral education model.
• National Children's Chorus: Multi-city youth choral organization offering tiered ensemble training across regional chapters; comparable to TYC in age-based curriculum structure and choral arts nonprofit model, though operating at broader geographic scale.
• Houston Children's Chorus: Regional youth choral organization offering multi-level ensemble training and public performances; comparable to TYC in age-tiered programming, nonprofit structure, and community performance mission.
• Chicago Children's Choir: Long-established urban youth choral organization providing multi-tier ensemble training and performance opportunities; comparable to TYC in nonprofit structure, age-segmented programming, and community mission.
• Los Angeles Children's Chorus: Established youth choral organization offering multi-tiered training and high-profile ensemble performances; comparable to TYC in mission, age-based curriculum, and performance-driven nonprofit education model.
• San Francisco Girls Chorus: Bay Area youth choral organization providing multi-level ensemble training and performance opportunities for girls and young women; directly comparable to TYC in tiered curriculum, performance focus, and nonprofit structure.

Regional players

• Toronto Children's Chorus: Canadian youth choral organization offering tiered ensemble training with international touring performances; comparable to TYC in mission and curriculum, but serves a different national market.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCxWx-aRW2qkHCGG2Qi3VLlQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/tacomayouthchorus
• Instagraminstagram.com/tacoma_youth_chorus
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tacoma-youth-chorus

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 TACOMA YOUTH CHORUS