ABOUT PRIVATE DONATIONS
Through the nine years of research and development, and since the establishment of foundations in New York and Germany, The Mendelssohn Project has relied heavily on the generosity of it supporters.
While the foundations are a little more than one year old, over $250,000 was raised for The Mendelssohn Project between 1996 - 2004 in order for Maestro Stephen Somary, and his team of researchers and musicologists, to traverse the world in search of missing manuscripts, letters and artworks. Without such generous support and belief in this important mission, The Mendelssohn Project would not exist today.
Now with its fully tax-deductible institutions in place, and the focus of TMP shifting from research and development to the implementation of its core goals, private donations are more necessary than ever. Over previous years, the monies were spent mainly for travel and manpower. Today, the monies raised are to be used primarily to start the recording of the complete works of Felix and Fanny Mendelssohn and to mount the show "Mendelssohn" on stages around the world.
Since The Mendelssohn Project understands that it relies on its supporters to continue down its exciting path, TMP has developed a diverse series of attractive benefits for those who wish to support the foundation's work. (see: Explanation and Benefits)
Naturally, corporate sponsorship will play a vital role in TMP's future, but for that to become a reality the potential companies need to see a large community support base within their donations-market. That support base is comprised of those of you who have already given so generously (see: List of Members), and of those of you who will be giving in the coming months.
For a Project which is so multifaceted, and with goals so vital to the legacies of these two masters, the money you wish to donate will be most graciously accepted and will also come back to you in various forms:
Firstly, you will receive benefits based on the amount of your donation;
Secondly, you will see immediate results as the CDs, the show, and other TMP projects start to be produced;
Thirdly, and most importantly, you will have the satisfaction of knowing that a small portion of your hard-earned money has gone to support a cause which is more than 150 years overdue.
Your donation will have helped to eliminate the misconceptions, and to dissipate the clouds of misunderstandings, which have denigrated the reputations of Felix and Fanny Mendelssohn since shortly after their deaths in 1847.
