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Abstract
This study provides an overview of the mission, repertoire, and business operations of the Boston Modern Orchestra Project, a non-profit organization dedicated to the performance of contemporary works of music. As part of this discussion, it also depicts the musical and societal values upon which the organization is based. The thesis covers historical developments pertaining to professional orchestras, the Western classical music canon, and New Music in the United States as they relate to the organization. In particular, the examination of the Boston Modern Orchestra Project's operations focuses on the flexible business model which allows the organization to sustain itself through the innovative application of patronage as a means of funding. This study suggests that due to the use of a patronage model, the Boston Modern Orchestra project is able to free its artistic decisions as much as possible from economic concerns and therefore find success while maintaining its artistic integrity.