Charleston Symphony Orchestra
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE CHARLESTON SYMPHONY'S MISSION IS TO INSPIRE AND ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY THROUGH EXCEPTIONAL MUSICAL PERFORMANCES AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS.
- Income
- $5.8 million
- Spending
- $5.5 million
- Spent on programs
- 80%
- Reserves
- 17.5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 55%
- Employees
- 338
- Volunteers
- 250
- Highest pay
- $177,417, chief executive officer
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 89% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 17.5 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 15% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 5% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 13% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1580% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 18 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 2526 of 26 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a 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
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
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 (2)
- $3.8 million spent. THE SYMPHONY PRESENTED OVER 75 CONCERTS AND SPECIAL EVENTS AT MORE THAN A DOZEN VENUES THROUGHOUT THE 2024-2025 SEASON, SHOWCASING BOTH INTERNATIONALLY RENOWNED MUSICIANS AND LOCAL ARTISTS. THE MASTERWORKS AND POPS SERIES FEATURED A REMARKABLE LINEUP OF LEGENDARY CONDUCTORS LIKE HUGH WOLFF, ANDREW GRAMS, HANS GRAF, MICHAEL FRANCIS, AND JOANN FALLETTA, TO SUPERSTAR SOLOISTS INCLUDING BYRON STRIPLING, DREW PETERSEN, RACHEL BARTON PINES, JEAN LOUISA KELLY, TESSA LARK, GEORGE LI, AND MORE. WITH A RANGE OF BOLD AND ELEVATED PROGRAMS, THE ORCHESTRA CHAMPIONED GROUNDBREAKING WORKS LIKE PAUL MORAVEC'S SANCTUARY ROAD WHILE ALSO PERFORMING TRADITIONAL REPERTOIRE BY BEETHOVEN, BERLIOZ, COPLAND, DEBUSSY, MAHLER, AND RACHMANINOFF. THE SYMPHONYS COMMITMENT TO ARTISTIC EXCELLENCE RESULTED IN ANOTHER YEAR OF RECORD SUBSCRIPTION AND SINGLE TICKET RESULTS.ON FEBRUARY 26, 2025, THE CHARLESTON SYMPHONY MADE HISTORY WITH ITS CARNEGIE HALL DEBUT, FEATURING PERFORMANCES BY THE CHARLESTON SYMPHONY YOUTH ORCHESTRA AND THE COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON ORCHESTRA. A CELEBRATION OF CHARLESTON ELECTRIFIED THE AUDIENCE WITH A PROGRAM HONORING THE CITYS RICH MUSICAL HERITAGE, FEATURING EDWARD HARTS A CHARLESTON CONCERTO AND THE WORLD PREMIERE OF THOMAS CABANISSS CHARLESTON MIX. THIS LANDMARK PERFORMANCE MARKED A BOLD STEP ONTO THE NATIONAL STAGE, SHOWCASING CHARLESTON AS A VIBRANT HUB FOR ORCHESTRAL MUSIC.
- $579,963 spent. THE SYMPHONY IS COMMITTED TO PROVIDING HIGH-QUALITY ARTISTIC AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING THAT IS ACCESSIBLE TO INDIVIDUALS OF ALL AGES AND BACKGROUNDS. EACH OF THE SYMPHONY'S 24 CORE MUSICIANS DEDICATES APPROXIMATELY ONE-THIRD OF THEIR PROFESSIONAL TIME TO EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT INITIATIVES, COLLECTIVELY REACHING MORE THAN 20,000 STUDENTS ANNUALLY ACROSS BERKELEY, CHARLESTON, AND DORCHESTER COUNTIES.THE CHARLESTON SYMPHONY YOUTH ORCHESTRAS PROGRAM INCLUDES TWO ENSEMBLES SERVING ADVANCED MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL MUSICIANS IN THE LOWCOUNTRY: CHARLESTON SYMPHONY YOUTH ORCHESTRA (CSYO) AND CHARLESTON SYMPHONY YOUTH SINFONIETTA (CSYS)DURING THE SEASON, 96 STUDENTS IN GRADES 4-12 PARTICIPATED IN WEEKLY REHEARSALS AND MULTIPLE PUBLIC PERFORMANCES. STUDENTS PERFORMED AT THE CHARLESTON GAILLARD CENTER AND CARNEGIE HALL IN NEW YORK CITY. CSYO AND CSYS MEMBERS ALSO PERFORMED ALONGSIDE PROFESSIONAL SYMPHONY MUSICIANS DURING A MASTERWORKS CONCERT CONDUCTED BY MAESTRA JOANN FALLETTA.STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN AN ANNUAL RETREAT FOCUSED ON ENSEMBLE DEVELOPMENT AND MUSICIANSHIP. MANY ALSO PERFORMED IN CHAMBER ENSEMBLES THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY. THE CSYO COMPLETED ITS FIRST TOUR TO NEW YORK CITY, INCLUDING A PERFORMANCE AT CARNEGIE HALL.THE SYMPHONY PRESENTED TWO SOLD-OUT YOUNG PEOPLE'S CONCERTS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CHARLESTON GAILLARD CENTER AND CARNEGIE HALL'S LINK UP PROGRAM, FEATURING THE ORCHESTRA MOVES. APPROXIMATELY 3,000 STUDENTS FROM 21 SCHOOLS PARTICIPATED. TITLE I SCHOOLS RECEIVED COMPLIMENTARY TICKETS AND TRANSPORTATION ASSISTANCE. PARTICIPATING TEACHERS ATTENDED A CURRICULUM WORKSHOP AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR TO SUPPORT CLASSROOM INTEGRATION OF PROGRAM MATERIALS.CSO MUSICIANS PERFORMED FREE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AT 54 SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT THE TRI-COUNTY REGION, REACHING NEARLY 9,500 STUDENTS, APPROXIMATELY 50% OF WHOM ATTEND TITLE I SCHOOLS. PROGRAMS ARE TAILORED TO GRADE LEVEL AND CURRICULUM NEEDS AND INCLUDE ENSEMBLE PERFORMANCES, SECTIONAL COACHING, AND INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT FOR SCHOOL MUSIC PROGRAMS.THE SYMPHONY CONTINUED ITS EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT FELLOWSHIP (FOURTH YEAR) AND ORCHESTRAL FELLOWSHIP (THIRD SEASON). DURING THE YEAR, FIVE ORCHESTRAL FELLOWS AND TWO EXECUTIVE FELLOWS WERE SELECTED THROUGH A COMPETITIVE PROCESS. FELLOWS PARTICIPATE IN MAIN SERIES PERFORMANCES, EDUCATION PROGRAMS, COMMUNITY INITIATIVES, AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES DESIGNED TO PREPARE EMERGING ARTS LEADERS AND MUSICIANS FOR CAREERS IN THE NONPROFIT PERFORMING ARTS SECTOR.
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 1946.
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.
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