We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Rae Shrum a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Rae, appreciate you joining us today. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

Starting a small opera company is a massive leap of faith, especially when you consider the financial risks involved. Most nonprofits have the luxury of beginning with primary underwriters, those critical initial supporters who provide a financial safety net. But we didn’t have that. Instead, we relied entirely on crowdfunding and ticket sales to get Source/Filter Music Collective off the ground. It was a grassroots effort from the start, and on top of that, none of us had any experience running a nonprofit. So we had to learn everything—fundraising, organizational structure, administration—as we went along.

Even now, with our first fully-staged season launching this fall, we still feel like we’re in our developmental stages. But there’s also this excitement and sense of readiness, like it’s time for our fledgling company to take flight. We’ve managed to pull off some incredible productions, from rarely performed works by composers like Shostakovich to entirely new compositions by local artists. It’s been an incredible journey of creativity and perseverance, and even though we’re still figuring things out, we’re ready to embrace what’s next.

Rae, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Source/Filter Music Collective was founded in 2022 by a collective of local artists led by Britta Sterling and joined shortly thereafter by myself. We both came from a background as singers in the L.A. classical music scene. Over the years, we saw an incredible amount of local talent—singers, composers, and musicians—struggling to find opportunities that truly showcased their abilities or offered something distinct within the L.A. music world. We decided to change that.

Our mission is to create fresh, bold musical experiences by producing performances that spotlight living composers and local artists. From seldom-performed works by composers like Shostakovich to new pieces by Los Angeles composers like Brooke DeRosa and Amy Gordon, we’ve brought together multimedia elements and immersive staging to create something truly unique.

What sets us apart is our grassroots approach. We’ve built this company through crowdfunding and ticket sales alone, without major financial backing, and that’s something we’re proud of. We’ve built a community that supports the creative risks we take.

At Source/Filter, we want audiences to experience something new and unexpected every time—whether that’s through innovative programming or the way we bring classical and modern music together. We’re here to elevate local talent and redefine what a classical music performance can be.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

The best way to support artists and a thriving creative ecosystem is to show up in person and engage with the work! Being part of the nonprofit arts community goes beyond just watching a performance—it’s about joining a shared experience and becoming part of something larger. At a Source/Filter show, the space belongs as much to the audience as it does to the performers. We rely on that connection to keep the arts alive. Without the active participation of our audiences, there’s no performance. Your presence is what fuels a vibrant, thriving arts ecosystem!

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

Our mission is what fuels everything we do at Source/Filter Music Collective. We are driven by the goal of creating unique, immersive musical experiences that not only showcase the talents of local, living composers but also provide fresh, innovative interpretations of established works. For us, it’s not just about the music—it’s about building an inclusive artistic space in Los Angeles, where voices from all walks of life, especially underrepresented and marginalized communities, are elevated both onstage and behind the scenes.

We believe in the power of music to transform spaces and create shared experiences that go beyond the traditional concert setting. Our vision is to foster a future where creativity thrives, and new musical ideas can flourish in a city as diverse and vibrant as L.A. That mission keeps us moving forward, always exploring new ways to bring bold, site-specific, and cinematic performances to life.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://sourcefiltermusic.org
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/sourcefiltermusic
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sourcefiltermusic

Image Credits

David L. Dickens