Ritz Chamber Music Society Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE RITZ CHAMBER MUSIC SOCIETY (RCMS) CELEBRATES THE AFRICAN DIASPORA THROUGH CLASSICAL MUSIC IN WAYS THAT TRANSCEND ALL BARRIERS AND INSPIRE ALL PEOPLE.
- Income
- $157,831
- Spending
- $159,494
- Spent on programs
- 73%
- Reserves
- 0.2 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 100%
- Employees
- 1
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Fair: 62 out of 100. Higher than 31% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, under $250k).
Reserves
4 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 0.2 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
8 of 15Spending exceeded income by 1% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 15% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1573% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Fair: 62 out of 100. Higher than 48% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, under $250k).
Independent board
25 of 2513 of 13 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
0 of 15Reports no 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.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 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)
- $115,673 spent. PRESENT THE MAIN STAGE CONCERT SERIES: A CELEBRATION OF MUSICAL EXCELLENCE AND ARTISTRY - OUR FLAGSHIP CONCERT SERIES REDEFINES CLASSICAL MUSIC FOR THE 21ST CENTURY. EACH PERFORMANCE IS A METICULOUSLY CURATED EXPERIENCE THAT BOLDLY CELEBRATES THE RICH LEGACY OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMPOSERS WHILE POWERFULLY SHOWCASING TODAY'S MOST DYNAMIC MUSICIANS OF COLOR ALONGSIDE BELOVED CLASSICAL MASTERWORKS. AUDIENCES ARE LEFT CAPTIVATED WHILE EXPANDING THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF CLASSICAL MUSIC'S TRUE DIVERSITY AND TRANSFORMATIVE POWER.
- EXPAND EDUCATION AND OUTREACH:CULTIVATING TOMORROW'S ARTISTS AND AUDIENCES - RCMS'S COMPREHENSIVE EDUCATIONAL INITIATIVES CREATE LIFE-CHANGING OPPORTUNITIES FOR LEARNERS OF ALL AGES, WITH A SPECIAL FOCUS ON UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES WHERE ACCESS TO HIGH-QUALITY ARTS EDUCATION IS OFTEN LIMITED. THROUGH STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS WITH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE INSTITUTIONS OF LEARNING, RCMS BRINGS WORLD-CLASS MUSICAL EXPERIENCES DIRECTLY INTO CLASSROOMS, PROVIDING PERSONALIZED MENTORSHIP AND ELIMINATING SOCIO- ECONOMIC BARRIERS. CORE COMPONENTS INCLUDE IN-SCHOOL PERFORMANCES, OPEN REHEARSALS, MUSIC MENTOR/TUTOR PROGRAM AND MUSIC ADVANCES PROGRAM.
- HEALING HARMONIES: ART AND MENTAL WELLBEING - RCMS'S MUSIC INITIATIVE DIRECTLY ADDRESSES SOCIETY'S URGENT MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS, PARTICULARLY THE GROWING EPIDEMIC OF SENIOR LONELINESS, NEGLECT AND ISOLATION. THROUGH INTIMATE, RESTORATIVE PERFORMANCES IN HEALTHCARE SETTINGS, SENIOR COMMUNITIES, AND SOCIAL SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS, RCMS TRANSFORM CONCERTS INTO LIFELINES OF COMFORT, CONNECTION, AND HOPE. THESE PERFORMANCES ARE HEALING EXPERIENCES THAT PROCLAIM CLASSICAL MUSIC AS A VITAL RESOURCE FOR HEALTH, RESTORATION AND RENEWAL.
- SHOWCASE WORLD-CLASS MUSICIANS AND FOSTER ARTISTIC EXCELLENCE - THE RCMS WAS FOUNDED IN 2002 BY CLARINETIST AND ARTISTIC AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TERRANCE PATTERSON, WHO GRADUATED FROM THE RENOWNED PEABODY INSTITUTE OF THE JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY. UNDER MR. PATTERSON'S MAGNANIMOUS LEADERSHIP AND ARTISTIC BRILLIANCE, THE RCMS IS PIONEERING A MODEL WHERE ARTISTIC EXCELLENCE AND AUTHENTIC INCLUSION ARE INSEPARABLE. AS AN ENSEMBLE COMPOSED OF THE WORLD'S FOREMOST MUSICIANS OF AFRICAN DESCENT, RCMS OFFERS A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE ON CLASSICAL MUSIC THAT TRULY REFLECTS THE VIBRANT DIVERSITY OF OUR SOCIETY. RCMS MEMBERS PERFORM WITH PRESTIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS AROUND THE UNITED STATES AND THE WORLD INCLUDING THE NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC, BOSTON SYMPHONY, CHICAGO SYMPHONY, PITTSBURGH SYMPHONY, PHILADELPHIA ORCHESTRA, AND LONDON SYMPHONY. ACHIEVE NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION - THE RCMS CONTINUES TO BUILD ON A LEGACY OF NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL ACCLAIM, INCLUDING PREVIOUS DEBUTS AT CARNEGIE HALL'S WEILL RECITAL HALL TO INTERNATIONAL BROADCASTS ON BBC WORLD SERVICE, REACHING OVER 40 COUNTRIES. THE RCMS HAS APPEARED ON THE NAACP IMAGE AWARDS, NPR'S PERFORMANCE TODAY AND THE TAVIS SMILEY SHOW. IT MAINTAINS A REPUTATION AS "ONE OF THE MOST INTERESTING AND DYNAMIC ENSEMBLES TO EMERGE IN RECENT YEARS" (THE BALTIMORE SUN). ADVANCE THE MISSION OF CULTURAL DIVERSITY, ENGAGEMENT, AND ACCESS - THE RCMS REMAINS STEADFAST IN THE MISSION TO REDEFINE ARTS PARTICIPATION, ENSURING THAT THE TRANSFORMATIVE POWER OF CLASSICAL MUSIC IS ACCESSIBLE TO ALL AND THAT THE PERFORMING ARTS REFLECT THE MULTICULTURAL FABRIC OF SOCIETY. ALL SEASON CONCERTS ARE FREE TO THE PUBLIC, REMOVING FINANCIAL BARRIERS AND FOSTERING A WELCOMING AND ENGAGING ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL AUDIENCES. OTHER ACCOMPLISHMENTS THE RCMS IS THE NATION'S FIRST CHAMBER MUSIC ENSEMBLE COMPRISED SOLELY OF AWARD-WINNING MUSICIANS SPANNING THE AFRICAN DIASPORA. THROUGH EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, PUBLIC CONCERTS AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT, THE RCMS WORKS TO CULTIVATE THE INVOLVEMENT OF MINORITIES AND UNDER-SERVED COMMUNITIES IN THE CLASSICAL MUSIC GENRE.
- SHOWCASE WORLD-CLASS MUSICIANS AND FOSTER ARTISTIC EXCELLENCE - THE RCMS WAS FOUNDED IN 2002 BY CLARINETIST AND ARTISTIC AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TERRANCE PATTERSON, WHO GRADUATED FROM THE RENOWNED PEABODY INSTITUTE OF THE JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY. UNDER MR. PATTERSON'S MAGNANIMOUS LEADERSHIP AND ARTISTIC BRILLIANCE, THE RCMS IS PIONEERING A MODEL WHERE ARTISTIC EXCELLENCE AND AUTHENTIC INCLUSION ARE INSEPARABLE. AS AN ENSEMBLE COMPOSED OF THE WORLD'S FOREMOST MUSICIANS OF AFRICAN DESCENT, RCMS OFFERS A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE ON CLASSICAL MUSIC THAT TRULY REFLECTS THE VIBRANT DIVERSITY OF OUR SOCIETY. RCMS MEMBERS PERFORM WITH PRESTIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS AROUND THE UNITED STATES AND THE WORLD INCLUDING THE NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC, BOSTON SYMPHONY, CHICAGO SYMPHONY, PITTSBURGH SYMPHONY, PHILADELPHIA ORCHESTRA, AND LONDON SYMPHONY. ACHIEVE NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION - THE RCMS CONTINUES TO BUILD ON A LEGACY OF NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL ACCLAIM, INCLUDING PREVIOUS DEBUTS AT CARNEGIE HALL'S WEILL RECITAL HALL TO INTERNATIONAL BROADCASTS ON BBC WORLD SERVICE, REACHING OVER 40 COUNTRIES. THE RCMS HAS APPEARED ON THE NAACP IMAGE AWARDS, NPR'S PERFORMANCE TODAY AND THE TAVIS SMILEY SHOW. IT MAINTAINS A REPUTATION AS "ONE OF THE MOST INTERESTING AND DYNAMIC ENSEMBLES TO EMERGE IN RECENT YEARS" (THE BALTIMORE SUN). ADVANCE THE MISSION OF CULTURAL DIVERSITY, ENGAGEMENT, AND ACCESS - THE RCMS REMAINS STEADFAST IN THE MISSION TO REDEFINE ARTS PARTICIPATION, ENSURING THAT THE TRANSFORMATIVE POWER OF CLASSICAL MUSIC IS ACCESSIBLE TO ALL AND THAT THE PERFORMING ARTS REFLECT THE MULTICULTURAL FABRIC OF SOCIETY. ALL SEASON CONCERTS ARE FREE TO THE PUBLIC, REMOVING FINANCIAL BARRIERS AND FOSTERING A WELCOMING AND ENGAGING ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL AUDIENCES. OTHER ACCOMPLISHMENTS THE RCMS IS THE NATION'S FIRST CHAMBER MUSIC ENSEMBLE COMPRISED SOLELY OF AWARD-WINNING MUSICIANS SPANNING THE AFRICAN DIASPORA. THROUGH EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, PUBLIC CONCERTS AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT, THE RCMS WORKS TO CULTIVATE THE INVOLVEMENT OF MINORITIES AND UNDER-SERVED COMMUNITIES IN THE CLASSICAL MUSIC GENRE.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 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 September 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 2003.
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.