nonprofit work in music

Music has always been about community for me—the people who shaped me, inspired me, and created the spaces where I could grow. My work in this area is about strengthening those connections, and helping build spaces where musicians can focus on what they do best - making music.

Goldfinch Foundation

Building healthcare solutions for performing artists.

As a software engineer, I have the privilege of employer-based health insurance — a safety net that’s easy to take for granted. Many of the artists around me don’t have that same support. They are left to navigate a confusing and costly system on their own, often without the protections that more conventional careers provide. I’ve seen the consequences firsthand: the anxiety of a potential injury, the difficulty of securing coverage across state lines, and, at times, the painful choice to forgo treatment altogether because affordable, specialized plans simply don’t exist for freelance performers.

I am working with a team of fellow artists to build Goldfinch, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to addressing these gaps. Together, we aim to create healthcare and insurance solutions that are not only accessible but also tailored to the realities of an artist’s life — ensuring that care is available at the right time and in the right place.

How does it work?

Goldfinch offers a bundle of partner healthcare benefits for artists to choose from. Our partners choose to work with us because they align with our mission to support health in creative communities. That’s why we’re able to offer you discounted access to diverse benefits, all in one hub.

We have partnered with Mira, a non-insurance modern health delivery network that works differently than traditional insurance, Bespoke Treatments, a leading physical therapy provider, and Lively, a Health Savings Account (HSA) platform, to give musicians in the US discounted access to high-quality, affordable care. Additionally, we offer a dental care fund available for all our members.

We are constantly iterating on our offerings and looking for ways to expand our reach. If you are interested in learning more or getting involved, please visit our website at https://www.mygoldfinch.org.

Some of my work includes organizing community events -- see some flicks from our debut concert with pianists Hung Kuan Chen and Maxim Lando!

Intercollegiate Chamber Music Festival (ICMF)

A music festival connecting musicians across 12 schools in the tri-state area.

ICMF is an annual weekend-long event hosted in collaboration with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. Through partnerships with Yale, Williams, Princeton, NEC, Juilliard, and Columbia, students gather for a weekend of panels and masterclasses with world-renowned professionals, and the opportunity to perform at Lincoln Center. We strive to establish an environment where college musicians can bridge their musical and academic passions in a non-conservatory setting.

As the executive producer of the festival for 3 years, I oversaw the festival’s operations, directed our strategy, and pursued partnerships with venues and professional artists who believed in our mission. The festival is composed of four parts:

1. Masterclasses: Participants had the opportunity to receive instruction from highly respected musicians, including violinists Daniel Phillips and Max Tan.

2. Panel discussions: diversity and class in classical music, intersection of music and mental health, in converstaion with pioneers such as ethnographer Emily Wang and educator Magdalena Baczewska.

3. Artist Showcase: Invited professionals including pianist Maria Asteridou and violinist Kurt Nikkanen performed for our festival.

4. Concert at Lincoln Center: The highlight of the festival! Participants perform with their ensembles at the Rose Studio at Lincoln Center, open to the public.

See more on an arhived website at https://icmfnyc.github.io/ and some fun flicks from our past festivals!