Naumburg Foundation

Established in 1925 by Walter W. Naumburg (1867-1959) and formally incorporated the next year as the Walter W. Naumburg Foundation, the Naumburg Foundation aims to assist young American classical musicians in establishing their careers as concert artists.

Since 1925 the Foundation has held a competition in New York City: while the prize has varied over the years, it has always included recitals for the winners at a New York concert hall. Before ca. 1960, winners in piano, violin, 'cello, and voice were chosen annually. Since then the Foundation has usually rotated among the four and has also had competitions for flute (1978), viola (1982), and clarinet (1985). Other Foundation activities include an award to young chamber music ensembles (est. 1965) and a series of commissions to American composers to write works for Naumburg winners (since 1978). From 1949 to 1983 it also sponsored a program to record works by contemporary American composers, first by Columbia Records and then by CRI.