Chamber Orchestra of Southern Maryland in Concert Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
COSMIC SYMPHONY NURTURES THE PERFORMANCE OF HIGH QUALITY ORCHESTRAL MUSIC, SHOWCASING SOUTHERN MARYLAND TALENT.
- Income
- $97,759
- Spending
- $62,293
- Spent on programs
- 81%
- Reserves
- 14.8 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 75%
- Employees
- 0
- Volunteers
- 70
- Highest pay
- $18,220, music direct
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
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 85% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, under $250k).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 14.8 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 1% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 36% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 33% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1581% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 3 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: 76 out of 100. Higher than 70% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, under $250k).
Independent board
25 of 259 of 9 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.
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 (1)
- $50,317 spent. CHAMBER ORCHESTRA OF SOUTHERN MARYLAND, IN CONCERT'S (AKA COSMIC SYMPHONY) PRIMARY OBJECTIVE IS TO PROVIDE THE SOUTHERN MARYLAND COMMUNITY IN CALVERT AND ST. MARY'S COUNTIES WITH HIGH QUALITY CLASSICAL MUSIC PERFORMED BY ITS OWN LOCAL COMMUNITY MUSICIANS ALONGSIDE WORLD CLASS SOLOISTS. CREATED IN 1995, COSMIC SYMPHONY MEETS THIS OBJECTIVE BY PRODUCING PUBLIC CONCERTS IN THE SOUTHERN MARYLAND COMMUNITY. COSMIC SYMPHONY PROVIDES AN ENJOYABLE ORCHESTRAL EXPERIENCE FOR A LARGE CROSS SECTION OF OUR COMMUNITY THROUGH THE DIVERSITY OF OUR MUSICAL SELECTIONS. NO LESS IMPORTANT, COSMIC SYMPHONY PROVIDES AN INVALUABLE SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY OF LOCAL PROFESSIONAL, SEMI-PROFESSIONAL, AND TALENTED AMATEUR MUSICIANS BY CREATING A VENUE WHERE THEY CAN PERFORM. THESE COMMUNITY MUSICIANS HAVE A LOVE OF MUSIC AND PERFORMANCE THAT HAS CREATED A COMMITTED FAMILY OF PLAYERS. COSMIC SYMPHONY IS A WONDERFUL MIX OF TEACHERS, LIBRARIANS, ARTISTS, ENGINEERS, COMPUTER PROGRAMMERS, STAY-AT-HOME PARENTS, GIFTED MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, AND RETIREES PEOPLE FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE. COSMIC SYMPHONYS THIRD GOAL IS TO NURTURE YOUNG MUSICIANS. AN IMPORTANT GROUP OF COSMIC MUSICIANS REPRESENTS THE YOUTH OF SOUTHERN MARYLAND. SOME OF OUR MUSICIANS ARE OF HIGH SCHOOL AGE. THESE EXCEPTIONALLY TALENTED YOUNG MUSICIANS ARE MENTORED BY OUR MORE EXPERIENCED MUSICIANS AS THEY CONTINUE TO GROW AND LEARN. COSMIC SYMPHONY ALSO PRODUCES A YEARLY YOUNG ARTIST COMPETITION OPEN TO MARYLAND RESIDENTS. THIS COMPETITION PROVIDES YOUNG MUSICIANS A SMALL STIPEND AND AN OPPORTUNITY TO PERFORM, AS THE FEATURED SOLOIST, A CONCERTO OF THEIR CHOICE WITH THE ORCHESTRA. COSMIC SYMPHONY FILLS A SPECIAL NEED IN SOUTHERN MARYLAND BY PROVIDING AN OPPORTUNITY FOR LOCAL MUSICIANS TO PERFORM IN AN ORCHESTRAL SETTING WITHOUT HAVING TO ABANDON THEIR COMMUNITY. IN PAST YEARS, THERE HAVE BEEN UP TO 75 MUSICIANS PARTICIPATING. IN ADDITION, COSMIC SYMPHONY PROVIDES ITS MUSICIANS WITH ADULT MUSIC EDUCATION FROM ACCLAIMED EDUCATORS IN THE FIELD AS WELL AS EXPOSURE TO WORLD-RENOWNED SOLOISTS. MUSICIANS ARE ENCOURAGED AND NURTURED IN WAYS THAT ALLOW THEM TO GROW AND IMPROVE TO THEIR HIGHEST POTENTIAL. AS SOUTHERN MARYLANDS ONLY COMMUNITY ORCHESTRA, COSMIC SYMPHONY AFFORDS ALTERNATIVES FOR RESIDENTS TO ENJOY HIGH QUALITY ORCHESTRAL PERFORMANCES DURING THE FALL, WINTER, AND SPRING, WITHOUT LEAVING SOUTHERN MARYLAND. CONCERTS ARE REPEATED IN ST. MARYS, CALVERT AND THIS YEAR ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTIES TO GIVE THE MOST EXPOSURE TO THE ORCHESTRA AND PROVIDE FOR THE WIDEST POSSIBLE AUDIENCE. AREA SENIOR CITIZENS AND FAMILIES ARE ESPECIALLY WELL-REPRESENTED IN THE COSMIC SYMPHONY AUDIENCE. COSMIC SYMPHONY PROVIDES A LOW-COST OPPORTUNITY FOR THIS SEGMENT OF OUR POPULATION BY OFFERING FREE CONCERTS TO ALL - ADULTS, SENIORS, FAMILIES, AND ACTIVE-DUTY MILITARY PERSONNEL. COSMIC SYMPHONY OFFERS A SEASON-LONG PROGRAM PROVIDING FOUR ORCHESTRAL CONCERT PROGRAMS OVER A 9-MONTH PERIOD PERFORMED AT DIFFERENT VENUES: ST. MARY'S, AND CALVERT COUNTIES. AS OPPOSED TO A ONE-OFF CULTURAL EVENT, THE COSMIC SYMPHONY SEASON PRESENTS A SERIES OF ARTISTIC EVENTS, WHICH HAVE INCLUDED A LIVE BALLET, WORLD-CLASS SOLOISTS AND WORLD PREMIER MUSIC. COSMIC SYMPHONY CONCERTS ARE PRESENTED AT WELL-KNOWN, HANDICAPPED ACCESSIBLE LOCATIONS, ON WEEKEND AFTERNOONS TO ACCOMMODATE AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE. COSMIC SYMPHONY PROGRAMS INCLUDE PROGRAM NOTES WRITTEN BY A BOARD MEMBER AND MUSICIAN, WHICH PRESENT COMPOSERS BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION AND INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT THE MUSICAL SELECTIONS TO PRESENT A WELL-ROUNDED ENTERTAINING, ARTISTIC, AS WELL AS EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE TO CONCERTGOERS. COSMICS MUSIC DIRECTOR PROVIDES ADDITIONAL INFORMATION INCLUDING HIS PERSONAL THOUGHTS ON THE MUSIC AND, OFTEN, LIGHT-HEARTED ANECDOTES RELATING TO HIS EXPERIENCES. THE UPCOMING SEASON INCLUDES MUSIC THAT WILL CHALLENGE THE ORCHESTRA AND UNDOUBTEDLY IMPROVE ITS PERFORMANCE CALIBER; OUR ARTISTIC DEVELOPMENT OVER THE LAST YEAR HAS BEEN EXTRAORDINARY TO WHICH BOTH AUDIENCES AND RETURNING GUEST SOLOISTS HAVE ATTESTED. COSMIC SYMPHONY PERFORMS WIDELY KNOWN CLASSICAL MUSIC WORKS, ALONG WITH SOME POPULAR MUSIC. COSMIC'S ARTISTIC DECISIONS ARE MADE BY THE MUSIC DIRECTOR, WILLIAM F. ESTERLING III AND KAREN ROBERTS, COSMIC SYMPHONY'S PRESIDENT. THESE DECISIONS ARE MADE IN CONSIDERATION OF VARIOUS FACTORS INCLUDING AUDIENCE SUGGESTIONS FOR REPERTOIRE AND THE AVAILABILITY OF WORLD-CLASS SOLOISTS. ALL DECISIONS ARE GIVEN FINAL APPROVAL BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AFTER BUDGETARY AND OTHER LOGISTICAL FACTORS, SUCH AS SCHEDULING AND VENUE AVAILABILITY ARE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT. CHAMBER ORCHESTRA OF SOUTHERN MARYLAND, IN CONCERT'S (AKA COSMIC SYMPHONY) PRIMARY OBJECTIVE IS TO PROVIDE THE SOUTHERN MARYLAND COMMUNITY IN CALVERT AND ST. MARY'S COUNTIES WITH HIGH QUALITY CLASSICAL MUSIC PERFORMED BY ITS OWN LOCAL COMMUNITY MUSICIANS ALONGSIDE WORLD CLASS SOLOISTS. CREATED IN 1995, COSMIC SYMPHONY MEETS THIS OBJECTIVE BY PRODUCING PUBLIC CONCERTS IN THE SOUTHERN MARYLAND COMMUNITY. COSMIC SYMPHONY PROVIDES AN ENJOYABLE ORCHESTRAL EXPERIENCE FOR A LARGE CROSS SECTION OF OUR COMMUNITY THROUGH THE DIVERSITY OF OUR MUSICAL SELECTIONS. NO LESS IMPORTANT, COSMIC SYMPHONY PROVIDES AN INVALUABLE SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY OF LOCAL PROFESSIONAL, SEMI-PROFESSIONAL, AND TALENTED AMATEUR MUSICIANS BY CREATING A VENUE WHERE THEY CAN PERFORM. THESE COMMUNITY MUSICIANS HAVE A LOVE OF MUSIC AND PERFORMANCE THAT HAS CREATED A COMMITTED FAMILY OF PLAYERS. COSMIC SYMPHONY IS A WONDERFUL MIX OF TEACHERS, LIBRARIANS, ARTISTS, ENGINEERS, COMPUTER PROGRAMMERS, STAY-AT-HOME PARENTS, GIFTED MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, AND RETIREES PEOPLE FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE. COSMIC SYMPHONYS THIRD GOAL IS TO NURTURE YOUNG MUSICIANS. AN IMPORTANT GROUP OF COSMIC MUSICIANS REPRESENTS THE YOUTH OF SOUTHERN MARYLAND. SOME OF OUR MUSICIANS ARE OF HIGH SCHOOL AGE. THESE EXCEPTIONALLY TALENTED YOUNG MUSICIANS ARE MENTORED BY OUR MORE EXPERIENCED MUSICIANS AS THEY CONTINUE TO GROW AND LEAR
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 November 6, 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 September 1996.
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 November 4, 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.