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Crescendo Initiative

Our Aspirational Path to a Harmonious World

The Crescendo Initiative aims to increase access to transformative musical instruction as a tool for transcending the barriers that divide us and expand access to resonant learning and performance experiences for 50,000 students.

The Crescendo Initiative has raised $7.5 million to rebuild programs following the restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic, strengthen sustainability and share the organization’s unique model.

Deepen our Impact

For Uniting Voices students, music serves as a window to the world and a vehicle for fostering empathy, collaboration, social responsibility, self-sufficiency and cultural competence.
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Provide a continuum of opportunity for singers ages 6 through 18 through nearly 100 school partnerships and programs in more than 50 Chicago community areas.
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Double student scholarships for national and international tour experiences, allowing Chicago youth and their peers around the globe the opportunity to exchange ideas and celebrate their common humanity through the universal language of music.
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Create new works inspired by the life experiences of today's youth.

Elevate Music Education

Music education has a measurable impact on a child, including improved academic performance, enhanced cognitive skills and the confidence to perform on and off the stage. Our programs create highly engaged members of society, who embrace leadership roles in their communities and embody our values of education, expression and excellence.
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Expand the Future Music Educators program, which provides professional development opportunities for educators ranging from paid mentorships to in-depth resources designed to bring relevant, culturally empowering programming to their classrooms.
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Share our distinctive approach to music education through proven curriculum and content to help teachers engage 50,000 students in wide-ranging, 21st century music instruction through 2028.

Focus on the Future

The initiative will support our endowment, which provides vital funds that generate regular income to support Uniting Voices Chicago annual operations. The organization has thrived for our over 67 year history, and the endowment will allow us to thrive for 67 more years.
In support of these efforts, the organization received a $4 million grant from an anonymous foundation—the largest contribution ever received in the organization’s 67-year history and one of five unprecedented seven-figure gifts in 2023.
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Turn staff attention to program participants through reduction of manual processes and investments in technology.
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Dramatically increase our endowment to build our resilience.

Our Progress So Far

X increase in endowment
% of school programs offer more than one ensemble and more than one hour per week
% increase in Bridging America Tour scholarships
Future Music Educator mentees
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“I chose to make a leadership gift to Uniting Voices because I have seen the impact of the organization’s unique approach to building community and preparing the next generation of global leaders. Music is the most basic and beautiful way for people to connect with one another. This is what the world needs."

David Koo former Uniting Voices Board chair

Crescendo Fund

Uniting Voices gratefully recognizes the cumulative, multi-year support of generous individuals and institutions who have made commitments to Crescendo Fund, a special fundraising initiative to support the objectives of the 2022-2026 strategic plan.