Is it real?
Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Dec 1955.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File
Where the money goes
83 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.
Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.
Something off? Claim to add context
Who runs it and what they're paid
28 people listed on the 990; $210K paid to officers and key staff (Part VII, Section A).
Christopher Andrew Brown’s $210K as Chief Executive Officer is at the 86th percentile of top reported officer pay among 3925 $1–10M arts & culture nonprofits. Peer set: organizations in the same NTEE major field of work and revenue-size band, compared on each org’s own highest-paid officer/key-employee, from Form 990 Part VII / 990-PF Part VIII. Descriptive placement, not a verdict on whether the pay is appropriate.
Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 3 named individuals · Part VII
| Name | FY2025 | FY2024 | FY2023 | FY2022 | FY2021 | FY2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Christopher Andrew Brown | $210,000 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Lora Unger | — | — | $136,026 | $200,000 | $185,000 | $185,000 |
| Andy Brown | — | $181,730 | — | — | — | — |
Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.
See The Pasadena Symphony Association executive salaries →Questions the 990 asks
The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.
- Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2No
- Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes
Programs and updates
Provides musical training and personal development for young musicians through youth orchestras and ensembles.
Questions for The Pasadena Symphony Association
Your first name shows with your question. The Pasadena Symphony Association answers here, for everyone.
Pasadena Pops
In the lush outdoor setting of the los angeles arboretum, the Pasadena pops orchestra presents six summer concerts featuring a range of popular orchestral programming celebrating the music of the great American songbook, broadway, and film, led by multi-platinum selling, two-time emmy and five-time grammy award-nominated conductor…
Form 990 Part III, line 4, FY2024. The organization’s own words, as filed with the IRS. Find it at the IRS (EIN 95-6002375) · Dispute this lineFounded in 1928, the Pasadena Symphony has been presenting major orchestral works for greater pasadeana area audiences for nearly a century. The Pasadena Symphony currently presents a six-concert series frequently pairing classical favorites with new works at the historic ambassador auditorium in Pasadena.
Form 990 Part III, line 4, FY2024. The organization’s own words, as filed with the IRS. Find it at the IRS (EIN 95-6002375) · Dispute this lineSince 1972, the Pasadena youth Symphony orchestra (PYSO) has continually offered robust musical training and personal development for young musicians throughout the san gabriel valley. PYSO fosters dedication, excellence, fellowship, and passion in the development of those who are not only outstanding young musicians, but outstanding…
Form 990 Part III, line 4, FY2024. The organization’s own words, as filed with the IRS. Find it at the IRS (EIN 95-6002375) · Dispute this lineFunders
Who pays for it.
From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.
Grants
Federal money
The auditor reported 2 findings: a weakness in money controls.
By the numbers
The FY2025 990, line by line.
Download 990
| Line | FY25 | FY24 | FY23 | FY22 | FY21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| End of yearLn 1g | $7.6M | $6.8M | $4.8M | $5.2M | $6.1M |
| AddedLn 1b | $124K | $1K | $28K | $300K | $408K |
| SpentLn 1d–1f | $89K | $298K | $294K | $293K | $275K |
| Line | Start FY25 | End FY25 |
|---|---|---|
| Cash and savingsLn 1–2 | $87K | $282K |
| InvestmentsLn 11–13 | $9.0M | $7.0M |
| Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c | $217K | $173K |
| Total assetsLn 16 | $10.1M | $8.1M |
| LiabilitiesLn 26 | $2.3M | $2.4M |
| Net assetsLn 32 | $7.8M | $5.7M |
| Line | Total | Programs | Management | Fundraising |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1 | $0 | |||
| Grants to domestic individualsLn 2 | $0 | |||
| Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3 | $0 | |||
| Benefits paid to or for membersLn 4 | $0 | |||
| Pay of officers and key staff (Part IX, line 5)Ln 5 | $210K | $63K | $42K | $105K |
| Pay of disqualified personsLn 6 | $0 | |||
| Other salaries and wagesLn 7 | $2.4M | $2.2M | $16K | $207K |
| Pension plan contributionsLn 8 | $0 | |||
| Other employee benefitsLn 9 | $318K | $275K | $13K | $30K |
| Payroll taxesLn 10 | $233K | $202K | $4K | $26K |
| Management feesLn 11a | $32K | $32K | ||
| Legal feesLn 11b | $7K | $7K | ||
| Accounting feesLn 11c | $122K | $122K | ||
| Lobbying feesLn 11d | $0 | |||
| Professional fundraising feesLn 11e | $0 | |||
| Investment management feesLn 11f | $0 | |||
| Other fees for servicesLn 11g | $0 | |||
| Advertising and promotionLn 12 | $558K | $525K | $78 | $33K |
| Office expensesLn 13 | $221K | $127K | $84K | $10K |
| Information technologyLn 14 | $86K | $3K | $83K | |
| RoyaltiesLn 15 | $0 | |||
| OccupancyLn 16 | $126K | $126K | ||
| TravelLn 17 | $0 | |||
| Travel and entertainment for public officialsLn 18 | $0 | |||
| Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19 | $49K | $55 | $3K | $45K |
| InterestLn 20 | $0 | |||
| Payments to affiliatesLn 21 | $0 | |||
| Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22 | $44K | $44K | ||
| InsuranceLn 23 | $58K | $58K | ||
| Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24 | $2.7M | $2.6M | $730 | $84K |
| Total functional expensesLn 25 | $7.1M | $5.9M | $636K | $541K |
Filing history
| Year | Money in | Money out | In minus out | Net assets | Download |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 Latest ViewingFiled with the IRS Aug 13, 2026 | $5.3M | $7.1M | −$1.8M | $5.7M | 990 PDF |
| FY2024Filed with the IRS Aug 13, 2025 | $5.1M | $6.8M | −$1.7M | $7.8M | 990 PDF |
| FY2023Filed with the IRS Aug 13, 2024 | $5.4M | $5.8M | −$439K | $8.6M | 990 PDF |
| FY2022Filed with the IRS Jul 13, 2023 | $5.9M | $5.7M | $265K | $9.0M | 990 PDF |
| FY2021Filed with the IRS Aug 10, 2022 | $4.7M | $3.9M | $796K | $9.2M | 990 PDF |
| FY2020Filed with the IRS Apr 9, 2021 | $2.7M | $2.8M | −$92K | $6.8M | 990 PDF |
Schedules filed Part IV
See the full FY2025 990
Part I · Summary $5,293,534 revenue, 12 lines filed
Part VI · Governance 28 of 28 board members independent, no flags
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $5,293,534 across 12 lines filed
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $7,123,344 across 30 lines filed
Part X · Balance sheet $8,061,983 assets, 30 lines filed
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $5,675,997 net assets at year end
Form 990 e-file FY2025 from the IRS (about our sources) · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File
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