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Elemental Music

EIN 27-3274582 · Santa Monica, CA

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak46 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

ELEMENTAL MUSIC CELEBRATES MUSIC-MAKING AND BUILDS COMMUNITY THROUGH EXCEPTIONAL YOUTH EDUCATION PROGRAMS. OUR CORE VALUES ARE COMMUNITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION, EQUITY, EXCELLENCE, AND THE TRANSFORMATIVE POWER OF MUSIC.

Income
$1.2 million
Spending
$1.3 million
Spent on programs
77%
Reserves
1.2 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 43%
Employees
57
Volunteers
90
Highest pay
$125,475, executive & artistic 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

Weak: 46 out of 100. Higher than 17% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 1.2 months of spending.

  • Debt

    2 of 20

    It owes 85% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 5% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 14% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    77% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 27 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

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 65% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    9 of 9 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports 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 (18)
  1. $93,968 spent. ELEMENTAL STRINGS: OUR SIGNATURE STRING ORCHESTRA PROVIDES STUDENTS IN GRADES 3 TO 5 WITH TWO LEVELS OF STRING ORCHESTRA: INTERMEDIATE AND ADVANCED. STUDENTS RECEIVE SECTIONAL REHEARSALS AND FULL ENSEMBLE EXPERIENCES UNDER PROFESSIONAL MUSICIANS AND TEACHING ARTISTS. THE PROGRAM PREPARES STUDENTS FOR MUSIC STUDIES AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL LEVEL. 55 STUDENTS WERE ENROLLED IN THE 2024/25 SEASON AND THEY PERFORMED 3 PUBLIC CONCERTS. INSTRUCTION TOOK PLACE WEEKLY FROM SEPTEMBER THROUGH EARLY JUNE.
  2. $31,883 spent. PRELUDE: THIS IS AN INTRODUCTORY-LEVEL STRING ENSEMBLE FOR STUDENTS IN GRADES 3 TO 5. THERE IS NO PRIOR EXPERIENCE REQUIRED TO JOIN THIS PROGRAM AND MOST STUDENTS IN THE ENSEMBLE ARE LEARNING AN INSTRUMENT FOR THE FIRST TIME. PRELUDE PREPARES STUDENTS WITH A THOROUGH TECHNICAL AND MUSICAL FOUNDATION, INCLUDING NOTE-READING, AND PREPARES STUDENTS FOR PARTICIPATION IN ELEMENTAL MUSIC'S MORE ADVANCED ENSEMBLES. 17 STUDENTS WERE ENROLLED IN THE 2024/25 SEASON AND THEY PERFORMED 3 PUBLIC CONCERTS. INSTRUCTION TOOK PLACE WEEKLY FROM SEPTEMBER THROUGH EARLY JUNE.
  3. $35,107 spent. ELEMENTAL BAND: OUR CONCERT BAND FOR STUDENTS IN GRADES 35 WAS LAUNCHED IN 2013. THE ENSEMBLE HELPS YOUNG BAND STUDENTS DEVELOP ENSEMBLE SKILLS AND GIVES THEM A CHANCE TO PERFORM AS A FULL CONCERT BAND SOMETHING NOT AVAILABLE IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL MUSIC CLASSES WHERE STUDENTS ARE GROUPED IN INSTRUMENT-SPECIFIC CLASSES. 11 STUDENTS WERE ENROLLED IN THE 2024/25 SEASON AND THEY PERFORMED 3 PUBLIC CONCERTS. INSTRUCTION TOOK PLACE WEEKLY FROM SEPTEMBER THROUGH EARLY JUNE.
  4. $239,717 spent. OUR BERGMANN PROGRAM/ENCORE LESSON PROGRAM PROVIDED 98 SOCIOECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS IN GRADES 4 TO 12 FROM THE SANTA MONICA-MALIBU UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT WITH FREE YEAR-ROUND PRIVATE MUSIC LESSONS, INCLUDING SUMMER MONTHS. STUDENTS RECEIVED WEEKLY LESSONS RANGING FROM 30 TO 60 MINUTES DEPENDING ON AGE AND TECHNICAL ABILITY LEVEL. STUDENTS PERFORMED IN A FREE PUBLIC RECITAL.
  5. $30,105 spent. ELEMENTAL GUITAR: THIS UNIQUE PROGRAM PROVIDES CLASSICAL GUITARISTS IN GRADES 3 TO 8 WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN AND PERFORM AS AN ENSEMBLE RATHER THAN LEARNING AS A SOLITARY PURSUIT. THE PROGRAM SERVES A RANGE OF LEVELS, FROM TOTAL BEGINNERS TO ADVANCED GUITARISTS, ALLOWING FOR STUDENTS TO PLAY MORE ADVANCED PARTS YEAR AFTER YEAR. 21 STUDENTS WERE ENROLLED IN THE 2024/25 SEASON AND THEY PERFORMED 3 PUBLIC CONCERTS. INSTRUCTION TOOK PLACE WEEKLY FROM SEPTEMBER THROUGH EARLY JUNE.
  6. $29,842 spent. ELEMENTAL CHOIR: THIS CHILDREN'S CHOIR PROVIDES VOCAL MUSIC EDUCATION FOR STUDENTS IN GRADES 3 TO 5, OFFERING THEM THE CHANCE TO LEARN HEALTHY VOCAL TECHNIQUE, SOLFEGE AND SIGHT-SINGING, AND ENSEMBLE SINGING WITH A FOCUS ON MULTI-PART HARMONIES. 27 STUDENTS WERE ENROLLED IN THE 2024/25 SEASON AND THEY PERFORMED 3 PUBLIC CONCERTS, IN ADDITION TO OUTREACH PERFORMANCES. INSTRUCTION TOOK PLACE WEEKLY FROM SEPTEMBER THROUGH EARLY JUNE.
  7. $68,401 spent. ACADEMY PHILHARMONIC: THIS IS OUR ADVANCED FULL ORCHESTRA FOR WIND AND STRING STUDENTS IN GRADES 6 TO 8. STUDENTS LEARN HOW TO BLEND MULTIPLE INSTRUMENT GROUPS AND GAIN AN INTRODUCTION TO TRADITIONAL ORCHESTRAL REPERTOIRE AHEAD OF PLAYING IN ORCHESTRAL GROUPS AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL. AUDITIONS ARE COMPETITIVE EACH YEAR. 32 STUDENTS WERE ENROLLED IN THE 2024/25 SEASON AND THEY PERFORMED 3 PUBLIC CONCERTS. INSTRUCTION TOOK PLACE WEEKLY FROM SEPTEMBER THROUGH EARLY JUNE.
  8. $29,937 spent. ACADEMY STRINGS: THIS IS AN INTERMEDIATE STRING ORCHESTRA FOR STUDENTS IN GRADES 6 TO 8 , DESIGNED TO HELP PLAYERS DEVELOP ESSENTIAL TECHNIQUE, MUSICALITY, AND ENSEMBLE PLAYING SKILLS NEEDED TO PLAY ADVANCED REPERTOIRE. MANY STUDENTS FROM ELEMENTAL STRINGS FUNNEL INTO ACADEMY STRINGS TO HONE THEIR SKILLS BEFORE BEING ACCEPTED INTO ACADEMY PHILHARMONIC. THE 2024/25 SEASON WAS THE FIRST YEAR OF THIS ENSEMBLE. 19 STUDENTS WERE ENROLLED AND THEY PERFORMED 3 PUBLIC CONCERTS. INSTRUCTION TOOK PLACE WEEKLY FROM SEPTEMBER THROUGH EARLY JUNE.
  9. $40,073 spent. ACADEMY WINDS: THIS IS AN INTERMEDIATE CONCERT BAND FOR STUDENTS IN GRADES 6 TO 8, PROVIDING MIDDLE SCHOOL BAND STUDENTS WITH ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE MUSIC ALONGSIDE FRIENDS. STUDENTS EXPLORE FUN REPERTOIRE THAT SPANS MULTIPLE CULTURES AND GENRES, EVEN LEARNING THE BASICS OF IMPROVISATION. THE 2024/25 SEASON WAS THE FIRST YEAR OF THIS ENSEMBLE. 18 STUDENTS WERE ENROLLED AND THEY PERFORMED 3 PUBLIC CONCERTS. INSTRUCTION TOOK PLACE WEEKLY FROM SEPTEMBER THROUGH EARLY JUNE.
  10. $83,250 spent. CHAMBER MUSIC INSTITUTE: DESIGNED FOR INSTRUMENTALISTS IN GRADES 6 TO 12 AND VOCALISTS IN GRADES 6 TO 8, THE CHAMBER MUSIC INSTITUTE IS AN AUDITION-BASED PROGRAM FOR STRINGS, WOODWINDS, BRASS,PERCUSSION, GUITAR, AND VOICE. MUSICIANS ARE GROUPED IN SMALL, CONDUCTORLESS ENSEMBLES AND WORK WITH A PROFESSIONAL MUSICIAN IN COACHINGS EACH WEEK. CHAMBER GROUPS RECEIVED 24 WEEKLY COACHINGS FROM LATE SEPTEMBER THROUGH LATE MAY, HAD TWO MASTER CLASSES WITH GUEST ARTISTS, AND PERFORMED IN TWO PUBLIC RECITALS. THERE WERE 57 STUDENTS ENROLLED IN THE 2024/25 SEASON.
  11. $26,139 spent. TEACHING FELLOWSHIP: OUR TEACHING FELLOWSHIP LAUNCHED IN FALL 2022 WITH THE GOAL OF EXPANDING THE FUTURE POOL OF TEACHING ARTISTS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, ESPECIALLY THOSE FROM UNDERREPRESENTED BACKGROUNDS IN CLASSICAL MUSIC. THE PROGRAM PROVIDES HANDS-ON TEACHING EXPERIENCE AND MENTORSHIP FOR FOUR COLLEGE STUDENTS, WHO SUPPORTED WEEKLY ENSEMBLE PROGRAMS FROM LATE SEPTEMBER THROUGH EARLY JUNE. FELLOWS ALSO PARTICIPATED IN SIX PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SESSIONS WITH SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ARTS PROFESSIONALS.
  12. $121,529 spent. ELEMENTAL @ WESTMINSTER: OUR IN-SCHOOL CORE MUSIC CLASSES AT WESTMINSTER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, A TITLE I LAUSD SCHOOL IN THE VENICE NEIGHBORHOOD, PROVIDED ALL 370 STUDENTS FROM TK THROUGH 5TH GRADE WITH CORE MUSIC INSTRUCTION THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR. WE ALSO BROUGHT IN GUEST ARTISTS TO WORK WITH STUDENTS AND PRODUCED TWO CONCERTS.
  13. $32,140 spent. BROADWAY SINGERS: THIS WEEKLY AFTERSCHOOL CHOIR PROGRAM AT LAUSD'S BROADWAY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS IN GRADES K2 GIVES YOUNG SINGERS AN INTRODUCTION TO CHORAL SINGING THROUGH AGE-APPROPRIATE PEDAGOGY AND REPERTOIRE. STUDENTS DEVELOP CONFIDENCE, LISTENING SKILLS, AND BEGIN TO CULTIVATE AN UNDERSTANDING OF MUSICAL TECHNIQUE AND PITCH. 29 STUDENTS WERE ENROLLED AND THEY PERFORMED 3 PUBLIC CONCERTS IN THE 2024/25 SEASON. INSTRUCTION TOOK PLACE WEEKLY FROM SEPTEMBER THROUGH EARLY JUNE.
  14. $33,086 spent. BROADWAY CHORUS: THIS WEEKLY AFTERSCHOOL CHOIR PROGRAM AT LAUSD'S BROADWAY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS IN GRADES 3 TO 5 PROVIDES STUDENTS WITH A CHORAL EXPERIENCE THAT FOCUSES ON DEVELOPING VOCAL TECHNIQUE, MUSIC LITERACY, AND MORE. STUDENTS LEARN TO SING IN MULTIPLE LANGUAGES AND THE ENSEMBLE IS A NATURAL CONTINUATION OF ENSEMBLE SINGING FOR SINGERS GRADUATING FROM BROADWAY SINGERS. 27 STUDENTS WERE ENROLLED AND THEY PERFORMED 3 PUBLIC CONCERTS IN THE 2024/25 SEASON. INSTRUCTION TOOK PLACE WEEKLY FROM SEPTEMBER THROUGH EARLY JUNE.
  15. $30,741 spent. BROADWAY STRINGS: THIS WEEKLY AFTERSCHOOL STRING ORCHESTRA ENSEMBLE AT LAUSD'S BROADWAY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS IN GRADES 34 REQUIRES NO PRIOR EXPERIENCE AND INTRODUCES STUDENTS TO STRING INSTRUMENTS PLAYING ON THE VIOLIN, THE VIOLA, OR THE CELLO. STUDENTS LEARN THE BASICS OF MUSICAL TECHNIQUE AND MUSICIANSHIP, INCLUDING NOTE-READING. 15 STUDENTS WERE ENROLLED AND THEY PERFORMED 3 PUBLIC CONCERTS IN THE 2024/25 SEASON. INSTRUCTION TOOK PLACE WEEKLY FROM SEPTEMBER THROUGH EARLY JUNE.
  16. $33,204 spent. BROADWAY ORCHESTRA: THIS WEEKLY AFTERSCHOOL STRING ORCHESTRA ENSEMBLE AT LAUSD'S BROADWAY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS IN GRADES 3 TO 5 IS AN INTERMEDIATE STRING ORCHESTRA AND A NATURAL CONTINUATION OF ENSEMBLE PLAYING FOR STUDENTS WHO STARTED LEARNING WITH US IN BROADWAY STRINGS. STUDENTS PLAY MORE ADVANCED REPERTOIRE AND CONTINUE BUILDING THEIR MUSICAL TECHNIQUE. 14 STUDENTS WERE ENROLLED AND THEY PERFORMED 3 PUBLIC CONCERTS IN THE 2024/25 SEASON. INSTRUCTION TOOK PLACE WEEKLY FROM SEPTEMBER THROUGH EARLY JUNE.
  17. $18,269 spent. EARLY CHILDHOOD MUSIC: OUR EARLY CHILDHOOD CLASSES PROVIDE A FOUNDATION IN MUSIC FOR CHILDREN AGES 4 MONTHS THROUGH 7 YEARS THROUGH AGE-APPROPRIATE ACTIVITIES INVOLVING SINGING, MOVEMENT, AND INSTRUMENT PLAY. CLASSES ARE HELD IN 8 WEEK SESSIONS. THE PROGRAM SERVED 8 FAMILIES IN THE 2024/25 SEASON, WITH CLASSES OCCURRING FROM SEPTEMBER THROUGH MAY. OUR EARLY CHILDHOOD DIRECTOR ALSO LED MULTIPLE CLASSES AT OUTREACH EVENTS INCLUDING AT THE SANTA MONICA PUBLIC LIBRARY AND THE SANTA MONICA ARTS & LITERACY FESTIVAL.
  18. $5,547 spent. SUMMER SOUNDS ACADEMY: THIS SUMMER CAMP FOR RISING 6TH THROUGH 9TH GRADERS OFFERS A FULL ORCHESTRA EXPERIENCE. THE CAMP RUNS TWICE A WEEK FOR FIVE WEEKS. STUDENTS LEARN ADVANCED REPERTOIRE AND HAVE THE CHANCE TO PLAY AS A CONDUCTORLESS CHAMBER ORCHESTRA. SUMMER 2025 WAS THE FIRST TIME THIS CAMP HAS BEEN OFFERED. 16 STUDENTS WERE ENROLLED AND THEY GAVE A CASUAL PERFORMANCE ON THE LAST DAY OF THE CAMP FOR FRIENDS AND FAMILY.

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

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since November 2010.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. 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.