The professional staff of AIMS conducts the audition process, plans the courses of study, recruits the outstanding faculty, and programs the various performances in Graz. The faculty consists of half American and half European teachers and performing artists. The participants consist of 100-120 singers, 70 faculty and staff and 70 orchestra players. A dormitory of 255 rooms and an entire public school building are rented to house participants and to provide studios and classrooms for teaching and rehearsal space for the AIMS Festival Orchestra. More than 35 performances are planned for the AIMS Music Festival in Graz.
All of this programming requires an annual budget of about $1 million dollars. Contributions in the U.S. and tuition paid by the singers and pianists support the teaching and performance functions of the program. The AIMS Music Festival in Graz is funded by money raised in Graz from government, commercial and private sources. Orchestra members pay their own travel expenses. Without donations from hundreds of people who love music and wish to help young people achieve their life goals, many young people could not afford the rich experience AIMS offers. In Graz, AIMS contributes significantly to the cultural environment of the city. Many AIMS concerts and recitals are benefits for institutions in the city, for the blind, senior citizens, sick children, and others. Here’s how you can help:
The AIMS Scholarship Fund
The Scholarship Fund supports the educational arm of AIMS and accepts contributions from friends, family members and patrons who wish to support the career development of young musicians. Gifts may be designated for participants. Consider a named scholarship that personally encourages the recipient.
The AIMS Endowment Fund
Established in 1992, the Endowment Fund supports young musicians with scholarships and ensures the future of the AIMS mission. The Endowment Fund can receive all types of assets: cash, marketable securities, mutual funds, IRAs, insurance policies, and other bequests. The Fund is managed by HighGround Trust (formerly known as Concord Trust) in Dallas, Texas, a company established specifically to manage funds of non-profit organizations.
Major Contributors to the AIMS Endowment Fund
Irma Cooper Estate
Gramma Fisher Foundation
Martha Ellen Tye Trust
Ann and Gordon Getty Foundation
Nancy Peery Marriott Foundation
Louise Dieterle Nippert Trust
Picard Family Foundation
Nora Sands Scholarships Fund
Henry S. Sauls Trust
Sponsorships
Fund a Meistersinger Vocal Competition prize – $1000 to $5000
Sponsor a singer or pianist – $1000 to $8000
Fund a named scholarship – $2000 to $8000
Fund a Legends Master Class Teacher – $3000
Sponsor an AIMS faculty member – $3500
Sponsor a principal orchestra player – $2500
Sponsor an AIMS Orchestra Player – $2000
Sponsor a conductor – $3000
Sponsor an orchestra concert – $10,000 to 25,000
Donate capital costs, equipment and in-kind services
Make a difference in a young person’s life.
“The intensity of the program coupled with the beauty and cultural immersion in the region makes for a summer of pure growth. This program can only be described as the experience of a lifetime.”
– AIMS participant 2006
“AIMS is a life-changing and career-altering experience. The teachers and coaches you work with, and the artists you rub shoulders with, will absolutely change your perspective on what it means to pursue a career in singing. A summer in Graz will change your life forever!”
– AIMS participant 2011
“Thank you for the opportunity to come to AIMS. It was hard to see the immediate results, but I am now realizing how much I learned and how it changed my approach to singing and performance. Without attending AIMS first, I couldn’t have started auditioning in the European system. After AIMS, I was accepted by a European agent, made the finals in a competition in Romania, and decided to move from NYC to Berlin. I often reflect on my experience in Graz and am amazed at how much I have grown as a musician because of it. Thank you AIMS!”
– AIMS participant 2012