“The Classical Recording Foundation is devoted to the proposition that posterity is despoiled when artists are denied the chance to record their own interpretations of certain repertoire.”
- THE NEW YORKER
Mission
The Classical Recording Foundation (CRF) was founded in 2002 to catalyze and stimulate the ailing classical music recording field by providing seed funding to record labels and artists of merit for recording projects. The projects are intended not only to enhance the classical catalog but to awaken both new and seasoned audiences to the joy of hearing great performances by committed and extraordinary artists.
Unlike major labels, which are profit driven and therefore can commit only to a limited number of artists and repertoire, CRF encourages artists to release performances of their choosing, of music about which they are passionate.
CRF provides state-of-the-art recording capabilities and customizes the recording environment, which results in capturing the best that the artist has to offer through a unique sound signature.
The result is a portfolio of recordings that represents the finest artists of our time — composers, soloists, vocalists, chamber ensembles, and orchestras — performing both masterworks and the music of today.
Artists who have benefited from CRF’s support include the Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson Trio, the Kalish-Krosnick Duo, St. Luke’s Chamber Ensemble, Anne-Marie McDermott, Benita Valente, The Juilliard String Quartet, Andres Diaz, Judith Gordon, George Crumb, the Harmonie Ensemble, Paul Moravec, Inon Barnatan, Stephen Jaffe, Benjamin Verdery, Giora Schmidt, Rohan De Silva, Simone Dinnerstein, Zuill Bailey, The Daedalus String Quartet, Michael Harrison, Richard Wernick, Vassily Primakov, and Justin Dello Joio.
Recent honors for CRF and the recordings it has supported include a Grammy Award nomination for the Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson Trio’s double-disc release of Beethoven trios, a Diapason D’or Award for Record of the Year for George Crumb’s Unto the Hills recording, and a Pulitzer Prize for Paul Moravec’s Tempest Fantasy.
Make a tax-deductible contribution today
Please note that for each donation, 98% goes directly to mission driven activities of the Foundation (only 2% goes to operating expenses).