Present Music

What Present Music does

Present Music is a private nonprofit contemporary music ensemble based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, founded in 1982 by Kevin Stalheim. Originally established as the Milwaukee Music Ensemble, the organization rebranded in 1989 to its current name after pivoting exclusively to commissioning and performing new works to fill a regional cultural void in contemporary classical programming. The ensemble performs with a flexible roster of 7-20 musicians across a 5-concert season at rotating Milwaukee venues including the Milwaukee Art Museum, Jan Serr Studio, Bader Concert Hall at the UWM Zelazo Center, the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, and the Woman's Club of Wisconsin.

The organization's core products are live concert performances featuring world premieres and commissioned works, multi-concert subscription series (with tiers from $55 student passes to $273 preferred seating), a discography of 17 recordings on major labels, and The Creation Project, an annual educational program engaging 30 Milwaukee high school students in original composition. Present Music has commissioned over 100 new works from composers including Pulitzer, Grammy, and MacArthur winners such as John Adams, David Lang, Caroline Shaw, Raven Chacon, and Du Yun. The ensemble has received six ASCAP/Chamber Music America Adventurous Programming Awards and a 2022 Pulitzer Prize for Music for its commission of Voiceless Mass.

The business model blends earned revenue from ticket sales and subscriptions with contributed revenue from individual donations, planned gifts, and stock transfers supporting composer commissions and education. Distribution is direct-to-consumer via the presentmusic.org website (integrated with vbotickets.com), with the UWM Peck School of the Arts operating the box office and selected events sold through Eventbrite. The organization is led by Artistic Director Eric Segnitz and Artistic Advisor/Principal Conductor David Bloom (since 2019), supported by a 13-member Board of Directors and a small operational staff. Geographic operations are concentrated in Milwaukee and Southeastern Wisconsin with national and international festival appearances cited as part of its mission footprint.

Name

Present Music

Legal name

Present Music, Inc.

Website

https://presentmusic.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Present Music is a Milwaukee-based nonprofit contemporary music ensemble that commissions, premieres, and performs new classical works across a 5-concert season, serving new music audiences, contemporary composers, and Milwaukee high school students through its Creation Project.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Contemporary Classical Music Performance

NAICS

Musical Groups and Artists (711130)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Custom Music & Original Score/Composition (MPAIALAD)

Keywords

• Contemporary music ensemble
• Concert ticket sales
• Subscription concert series
• Composer commissioning programs
• Music education outreach

Headquarters

HQ city

Milwaukee

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Individual concert tickets sold at varying price points for single events, ranging from $15 student tickets to $70 preferred seating.
2. Season Subscriptions: Multi-concert subscription packages offering 20%+ savings over single tickets, including preferred seating and general admission options.
3. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Individual donations, planned gifts, and stock transfers accepted to support composer commissions and educational programming.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Present Music is a contemporary classical music ensemble that performs, commissions, and premieres new works by living composers. The organization delivers seasonal subscription concerts, a discography of recordings, composer commissioning programs, and The Creation Project, an educational program for high school composers. It operates as a Milwaukee-based nonprofit founded in 1982.

Product overview

Present Music is a new music ensemble offering a portfolio of live concert performances featuring contemporary classical music, world premieres, and commissioned works. The core offerings include seasonal concert series with subscription packages, an educational program (The Creation Project) for high school students, and a discography of recordings. The organization specializes in adventurous programming that commissions new works from composers worldwide, performing in flexible ensemble sizes from 7 to over 20 musicians across Milwaukee venues.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Contemporary Classical Concert Performances

Quantifiable outcome

• 100+ new works commissioned
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Luna Composition LabcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 September 2026Present Music is one of 50 organizations participating in the Luna Composition Lab initiative, celebrating the 10th anniversary of the lab. The partnership commissions works by emerging women composers, with Present Music presenting world premieres by Olivia Bennett, Zola Saadi-Klein, and Alex Temple.
• Woman's Club of WisconsincoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 September 2026Partnership celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Woman's Club of Wisconsin with special concert. Luna Composition Lab commissions funded by Nora Finnigan Werra and Mark Van Hecke in celebration.
• Jan Serr and John ShannoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor patrons who have commissioned six works by Kamran Ince and continue to support Present Music commissions. Jan Serr & John Shannon have featured William Kentridge exhibits and support educational outreach.
• University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Peck School of the ArtscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership for box office operations; Present Music's box office is run by UWM's Peck School of the Arts. Performances held at Jan Serr Studio on UWM campus.
• Milwaukee Art MuseumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue partner for major concerts; Present Music concerts typically held in Windhover Hall's cathedral-like space with 90-foot glass ceiling. Coincides with museum exhibitions.
• Reagan High School, High School of the Arts and Rufus King High SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partners for The Creation Project, an annual program where 30 students work with professional musicians and composers to write their own musical compositions, performed and recorded by Present Music.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Eighth Blackbird: Eighth Blackbird is a Chicago- and New York-based contemporary music sextet that commissions and performs new works, similar in mission and operational scale to Present Music. Both ensembles occupy the same niche of small, flexible groups dedicated to new music commissioning and touring.
• Bang on a Can All-Stars: Bang on a Can is a multi-ensemble contemporary music organization with a touring All-Stars group that commissions and performs new works. Comparable to Present Music in commissioning focus, adventurous programming, and artist-driven repertoire development.
• Third Coast Percussion: Third Coast Percussion is a Chicago-based percussion quartet performing contemporary music with a strong commissioning and educational mission. Comparable to Present Music in scale, commissioning output, and Grammy-recognized recording activity.
• Alarm Will Sound: Alarm Will Sound is a contemporary chamber ensemble that commissions, performs, and records new music. Directly comparable in size, flexible instrumentation, commissioning output, and dedication to adventurous contemporary repertoire.
• Kronos Quartet: Kronos Quartet is the most prominent string quartet dedicated to contemporary music, with a deep catalog of commissioned works and recordings. Comparable in commissioning intensity, adventurous programming ethos, and recording output, though operating at a much larger scale.
• International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE): ICE is a New York-based new music ensemble commissioning and performing contemporary works from a flexible roster of musicians. Directly comparable to Present Music in flexible ensemble size, contemporary repertoire focus, and commissioning-led business model.
• Roomful of Teeth: Roomful of Teeth is a vocal contemporary music ensemble known for commissioning new works and winning a Grammy for its debut recording. Shares Present Music's commissioning-led model and emphasis on adventurous new music programming.
• ACME (American Contemporary Music Ensemble): ACME is a New York-based chamber ensemble performing contemporary classical music, with a flexible roster of musicians and a commissioning focus. Comparable to Present Music in flexible ensemble size and contemporary repertoire programming.
• So Percussion: So Percussion is a contemporary percussion quartet that commissions and performs new works, including Pulitzer Prize-winning pieces. Directly comparable to Present Music in commissioning focus, flexible ensemble format, and national touring activity.

Emerging players

• wild Up: wild Up is a Los Angeles-based contemporary music ensemble focused on new music commissioning and performance. Comparable in commissioning-led model and adventurous programming, though smaller and earlier-stage than Present Music's 45-season track record.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/present-music

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Present Music