Midsummer Mozart

Midsummer Mozart Festival (MMF) was founded in 1975 by Maestro George Cleve, an internationally acclaimed conductor who has garnered Grammy nominations for MMF recordings. The festival’s season consists of 8 large chamber and featured soloist concerts of two programs annually presented at Herbst Hall in San Francisco, at churches in Berkeley and Santa Clara and at vineyard amphitheater in Sonoma. Approximately 2,000 tickets are sold to the concerts at an average price of $45. Despite its long history the organization the Hewlett Foundation which has supported MMF since 1980 is one of only two long-term institutional funders and even with a special challenge grant in 2004 to jumpstart individual giving the organization only has 120 donors contributing less than 5% of its total expenses. With a one-year exit grant the organization will be able to present its 2009 festival and have the capacity to assess how to engage more volunteer support to carry its mission forward and plan for the festival’s future when the Maestro retires.