Gifts To The Endowment
Gifts to the endowment may be made in cash, stock, as bequests, or through a variety of planned giving options.

Gifts of $100 and above are recognized in the Conservatory's annual report. They may also be recognized in other publications as appropriate.

The Conservatory’s endowment has grown from $26,662,000 in FY03 to $34,118,800 in FY08 (28%). In addition, our preliminary investment returns for FY09 are -4%. This is far below many educational institutions who reported loosing 20% - 30% in calendar 2008 (The Conservatory’s calendar 2008 returns were -6.8%).

Unrestricted Gifts
An unrestricted gift of any amount to the Conservatory's permanent endowment supports the programs and operations of the Conservatory in perpetuity.

Restricted Gifts
Endowment gifts may also be directed to specific programs or funds. If you are interested in making an endowment gift for a specific purpose, please contact us. The terms of the restricted gift may be negotiated with the Conservatory.

Name a Memorial Fund
These funds create a lasting memory of those who were part of the Conservatory community. The funds acknowledge the contribution these members made while at the Conservatory.

• A gift of $5,000 or more will establish a named memorial fund that benefits collegiate or preparatory student as directed by the individual creating the fund. These funds are only available in the name of a deceased faculty member, staff member, alumnus/alumna or student.

Scholarship Funds
Each year individuals contribute about $60,000 through modest gifts to the general scholarship fund, all of which is used to offset tuition costs for deserving students. Over 92% of our students receive full or partial scholarships, and in many cases attendance at the Conservatory would not be possible without the generous contributions of supporters like you. Your contribution in any amount is welcome.

Named Scholarships

• Your gift of $25,000 or more will establish a named scholarship for collegiate or preparatory students
• Your gift of $400,000 or more will endow a full tuition scholarship for one collegiate student
• A gift of $150,000 or more will endow a full tuition scholarship for one preparatory student

Collegiate tuition is $33,000 for academic year 2009-2010. Preparatory tuition varies from depending on the course of instruction.

2008-2009 Awards

These generously funded annual awards proudly recognize outstanding excellence by faculty and students.

• Faculty
  
  Sarlo Foundation Award for Excellence in Teaching
  Funding generously provided by the Sarlo Foundation of the Jewish Community Endowment Fund. The Award honors an outstanding faculty member.
  
  Sonja Neblett, chair of the conducting department and a professor of musicianship, has studied conducting with David Lawton and Arthur Weisberg, piano with Gilbert Kalish and Dalcroze Eurythmics with Inda Howland and later Lisa Parker and Anne Farber at the Longy School of Music. Neblett holds a B.A. from the University of California-Berkeley, where she graduated Phi Beta Kappa, and a M.M. from SUNY-Stony Brook. She formerly taught musicianship at both schools and at Brooklyn College. In a commentary on her teaching ability, one student wrote: “Dr. Neblett possesses incredible mastery of the subject matter. She is fantastic, patient, and encouraging. Her ability to make complicated musical ideas make sense is remarkable.”
• Student
  
  Presser Undergraduate Scholar Award
  Funding generously provided by The Presser Foundation. The award recognizes an outstanding student majoring in music at or near the end of the student's junior year.
  
  Nicholas Adam Cockerham is a junior at the Conservatory and studies guitar with David Tanenbaum. His favorite composers include John Duarte, Toru Takemitsu and Henryk Gorek. Adam has performed with the Conservatory’s Guitar and Baroque ensembles. He has participated in master classes with Ben Verdery, Dale Kavanaugh and, most recently, Manuel Barrueco, for whom he performed Takemitsu’s Equinox. He has also performed in the Conservatory’s student-run Hot Air Music Festival, held each spring.
  
  Jim Highsmith Composition Competition
  Funding generously provided by an endowed gift from Jim Highsmith to recognize an outstanding student composition selected by the composition faculty.
  
  Joseph Stillwell’s compositions are notable for their attention to form, economy of material and musical clarity. He has composed works for various genres, ranging from solo piano and art song to wind ensemble and orchestra. A magna cum laude graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, where he studied composition with Charles Rochester Young, Mr. Stillwell currently studies with David Conte in the Conservatory’s graduate program.
  
  In addition to receiving the 2010 Highsmith Award for his composition Music for a Forgotten City, Mr. Stillwell has garnered other recognition for his work, notably a First Place award in the 2008 Central Wisconsin Symphony Orchestra Fanfare Competition for his composition Jaunt, and a Third Place award in the Conservatory’s 2009 Art Song Composition Competition. His String Quartet No. 1 was one of three finalists in the 2009 Lyrica Chamber Music Young Composers Competition.
  
  Mr. Stillwell’s music for wind ensemble has received special acclaim. His 2005 composition Morning Hike was named as a finalist in the 2009 Frank Ticheli Composition Competition, and he placed first in the 2006 University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Wind Ensemble Composition Competition.
  
  Mr. Stillwell is a member of ASCAP and the American Composers Forum. More information about Mr. Stillwell and his works can be found at www.josephstillwell.com.

Faculty Chair
Create a legacy that has an enormous impact on the future of music. Current endowed faculty chairs include the Isaac Stern Distinguished Chair in Violin, the Frederica von Stade Distinguished Chair in Voice, and the James D. Robertson Chair in Piano. These chairs recognize distinguished faculty members and their extraordinary contributions to Conservatory and the world of music.

Your gift of $1 million or more will name a faculty chair.
Your gift of $2 million or more will name a distinguished faculty chair.

Pooled Income Fund
Participating in the Pooled Income Fund, established in 1983, is one way to make a deferred gift. This is a common fund in which gifts from many donors are combined for investment purposes. You and/or your designated beneficiaries received income for life based on your proportionate share of the fund. You will also receive an immediate income tax deduction when you join the fund, based on the value of the deferred remainder interest that the Conservatory will receive. The Conservatory offers a fund that is invested to achieve balanced growth and income. Because this fund consists of gifts from a number of individuals, you can participate with a minimum contribution of $5,000 in cash or securities.

For more information please contact Alex Brose at awb@sfcm.edu or 415.503.6207 or Murrey Nelson at mnelson@sfcm.edu or 415.503.6263.