Talea Ensemble Incorporated
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
BUILDING COMMUNITIES THROUGH INNOVATIVE MUSICAL EXPERIENCES,CULTIVATING CURIOUS LISTENERS, AND ENGAGING AUDIENCES IN MUSICAL CREATIVITY AND CULTURAL EXPLORATION. THE TALEA ENSEMBLE AIMS TO INCREASE THE AWARENESS AND UNDERSTANDING OF CONTEMPORARY MUSIC THROUGH PERFORMANCES, OUTREACH, ACADEMIC RESIDENCIES, PROJECTS, AND WORKSHOPS FOR BROAD AUDIENCES.
- Income
- $561,702
- Spending
- $489,075
- Spent on programs
- 88%
- Reserves
- 4.9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 66%
- Employees
- 4
- Volunteers
- 5
- Highest pay
- $34,500, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 81 out of 100. Higher than 58% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 4.9 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 24% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 13% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 43% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1588% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 14 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Good: 77 out of 100. Higher than 60% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 255 of 5 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
0 of 7Reports no written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
0 of 5Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.
Independent check of accounts
12 of 15Its accounts were reviewed or compiled by an independent accountant, but not audited.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (5)
- $49,484 spent. TIME SPANS IN AUGUST 2024, TALEA PERFORMED TWO CONCERTS AT THE DIMENNA CENTER FOR CLASSICAL MUSIC AS A PART OF THE TIME:SPANS FESTIVAL. THE PROGRAM FOR THE FIRST CONCERT WAS THE US PREMIERE OF STEVEN TAKASUGIS PIANO CONCERTO (SINFONIETTA VERSION), AND THE SECOND CONCERT INCLUDE WORKS BY ALEC HALL, SASHA BLONDEAU, SIVAN COHEN-ELIAS, SHASHA CHEN, DAVID BIRD, AND URI KOCHAVI.
- $148,126 spent. CARTER RECORDING IN APRIL 2025, TALEA RECORDED TWO WORKS BY THE AMERICAN COMPOSER ELLIOT CARTER FOR THE AMPHION FOUNDATION: CONCERTINO FOR BASS CLARINET (MICHAEL LOWENSTERN, SOLOIST) AND CHAMBER ORCHESTRA, AND FLUTE CONCERTO (TARA HELEN OCONNOR, SOLOIST). BOTH PIECES WERE CONDUCTED BY JAMES BAKER. - FLUTE CONCERTO: 35 MUSICIANS, FLUTE SOLOIST, AND CONDUCTOR - CONCERTINO: 22 MUSICIANS, CLARINET SOLOIST, AND CONDUCTOR
- $19,103 spent. U of CALIFORNIA - SAN DIEGO RESIDENCY IN APRIL 2025, TALEA WAS IN RESIDENCE AT UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT SAN DIEGO, TO WORKSHOP AND PERFORM NEW WORKS BY THE SCHOOLS COMPOSITION STUDENTS. THE ENSEMBLE ALSO PERFORMED THE WORLD PREMIERES OF PIECES BY RAND STEIGER AND ROGER REYNOLDS. THIS PERFORMANCE WAS THE CULMINATING EVENT AT A CORE SYMPOSIUM, AS PART OF THE ACTOR PROJECT.
- $212,402 spent. ALL OTHER ACCOMPLISHMENTS THE TALES ENSEMBLE IS COMMITTED TO PROMOTING NEW GROUNDBREAKING MUSIC THROUGH INNOVATIVE PROGRAMMING THEREBY COMMUNICATING THE DISTINCTIVE VOICE OF COMPOSERS. THE TALEA ENSEMBLE AIMS TO INCREASE THE AWARENESS AND UNDERSTANDING OF CONTEMPORARY MUSIC THROUGH ACADEMIC RESIDENCIES, OUTREACH CONCERTS IN ADDITION TO PERFORMANCES, PROJECTS AND WORKSHOPS FOR BORAD AUDIENCES.
- ALL OTHER ACCOMPLISHMENTS 212402. 0. 122636.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since March 2009.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.