ASCAP Foundation
Jack and Amy Norworth perform one of his compositions in their Laguna Beach, California apartment in 1958. |
Jack Norworth (1879-1959) is the name behind the beginning of The ASCAP Foundation. First a sailor and then a musical comedy and vaudeville performer, Norworth focused his talent as a lyricist after a Ziegfield Follies audience ovation for Nora Baye's performance of his song, "Shine on Harvest Moon." Jack Norworth was inspired by a subway sign to write "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" in 1908 with composer Albert Von Tilzer. Royalties for these and Norworth's other songs launched The ASCAP Foundation in 1975 after his widow, Amy Swor Norworth, left a bequest to ASCAP to establish the Jack and Amy Norworth Memorial Fund to assist deserving young composers. This legacy is honored through our music education and talent development programs throughout the country.
The first meeting of the Board of Directors of The ASCAP Foundation took place on December 18, 1975 at the ASCAP building in New York. The purpose of the organization was to formulate, promote and support charitable and educational programs in the field of music. To achieve its goals, three programs, which still exist, were initiated:
- The ASCAP Foundation Grants to Young Composers
- A Songwriters Workshop in the Field of Contemporary Music
- A Film Scoring Workshop
Today, 30 years later, The ASCAP Foundation continues to support more than 150 music education and talent development programs in all musical genres that are national and regional in scope. We arrive at this thirty-year milestone stronger than ever. Because of the generosity of our donors, Board of Directors, ASCAP members, other foundations and the general public, our commitment to school and community-based music programs that depend on us to keep music education alive – and growing – has never wavered. In fact, our level of funding for music education and talent development programs will reach an all-time high of one million dollars in 2005. With you as a partner, we look forward to proudly serving the music community for another the next 30 years and beyond! Thank you.
For more information on The ASCAP Foundation, please visit our website at www.ascapfoundation.org
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