MISSION

The Classical Recording Foundation (CRF) was founded in 2002 to catalyze and stimulate the classical music recording field by providing seed funding to record labels and artists of merit for recording projects. The projects are intended not only to enhance the classical catalog but to awaken both new and seasoned audiences to the joy of hearing great performances by committed and extraordinary artists.

Unlike major labels, which are profit driven and therefore can commit only to a limited number of artists and repertoire, CRF encourages artists to release performances of their choosing, of music about which they are passionate.

CRF provides state-of-the-art recording capabilities and customizes the recording environment, which results in capturing the best that the artist has to offer through a unique sound signature.

The result is a portfolio of recordings that represents the finest artists of our time — composers, soloists, vocalists, chamber ensembles, and orchestras — performing both masterworks and the music of today.

Artists who have benefited from CRF’s support include Simone Dinnerstein, Time For Three, Lara Downes, Inon Barnatan, Zuill Bailey, Kevin Puts, the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson Trio, St. Luke’s Chamber Ensemble, Anne-Marie McDermott, Benita Valente, The Juilliard String Quartet, the Kalish-Krosnick Duo, Andres Diaz, Judith Gordon, George Crumb, the Harmonie Ensemble, Paul Moravec, Stephen Jaffe, Benjamin Verdery, Giora Schmidt, Rohan De Silva, The Daedalus String Quartet, Michael Harrison, Richard Wernick, Vassily Primakov, and Justin Dello Joio.

Recent honors for CRF and the recordings it has supported include a Grammy Award for Time For Three’s album “Letters For the Future”, a Grammy nomination for the Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson Trio’s double-disc release of Beethoven trios, a Diapason D’or Award for Record of the Year for George Crumb’s Unto the Hills recording, and a Pulitzer Prize for Paul Moravec’s Tempest Fantasy.

“The Classical Recording Foundation is devoted to the proposition that posterity is despoiled when artists are denied the chance to record their own interpretations of certain repertoire.”

- The New Yorker

CRF Headquarters, South Salem NY