San Francisco Early Music Society

The San Francisco Early Music Society (SFEMS), founded in 1975, presents chamber concerts of western classical music in Churches in Berkeley, Palo Alto, San Francisco and Sonoma and holds summer music classes for kids at the Crowden School in Berkeley. On a $350,000 annual budget SFEMS co-produces the Berkeley Early Music Festival every other summer and conducts workshops, symposia and lessons for Bay Area musicians and concert opportunities for early music chamber groups, including several supported by the Hewlett Foundation. After the departure of a long-time administrator during the past grant period Board volunteers struggled to maintain marketing and fundraising activities. However, a new Executive Director was hired in 2009 and with renewed support the organization will concentrate on strengthening its core operations as well as partnering with other music presenters and arts education providers to increase its programming and grow its audience.