Song is a metaphor of the imagination;
it is poetic thought encapsulated in music.
Poetry is driven by the basic instinct to tell the story of existence. Thomas Hampson
The Hampsong Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization promoting intercultural dialogue and understanding through the art of classic song.
The Hampsong Foundation endeavors to take full advantage of innovations in technology to enhance educational possibilities.
“Art is not just entertainment; it holds up a mirror to our souls.” Thomas Hampson
Our Mission
Founded in 2003 by American baritone Thomas Hampson, the Hampsong Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization which promotes intercultural dialogue and understanding through the art of classic song—poetry set to music.
Through a series of dedicated Song Projects and in collaboration with key academic and cultural partners, the Hampsong Foundation has created diverse platforms for the study and proliferation of the art of classic song—poetry set to music—from around the world to deepen the communication and understanding among (and within) cultures through their poetry and music.
We share our findings with the public—and especially students and educators—through workshops, seminars, master classes, recordings and new media. Through this website, HampsongFoundation.org, and its sister website, SongofAmerica.net, we provide rich interactive resources and meeting places for educators, students, singers, and lovers of song.
The Hampsong Foundation website is first and foremost a repository for high quality digital multimedia materials connecting classic song with history and culture; this website is available in full, for free, to all visitors.
From the archives of select Salzburg Festival projects, to projects devoted entirely to the songs of Mahler and Schubert, to the expansive Song of America project, the site includes full concert programs, song texts and translations, essays, educational materials, radio programs, historic images, and selected audio recordings and videos.
You can watch vocal and instrumental master classes, listen to interviews and lectures, experience special events from your own computer—and so much more!
FeaturedProjects
Heidelberg Lied Academy
Song of America: A Celebration of Black Music
Classic Song Research Initiative
The Lieder of Hugo Wolf
Singers on Singing: Great Artists in Conversation
Song: Mirror of the World Radio Series
FeaturedResources
audio
ALBAN BERG’S WOZZECK – The Centenary of a Unique Landmark
audio
THOMAS HAMPSON – A 70th Birthday Retrospective
video
Heidelberg Master Classes
(May 28-29, 2025)
text
Singing Down the Barriers
Summer Institute
(Summer 2025)
audio
Singers on Singing:
Iconic Voices of the Past
video
Singing Justice Conference
(Nov. 2022)
Newsletter
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Donate
Everything we do is with the intention of making the knowledge and information gathered in our Song Projects available to as many people as possible – for free, and readily accessible on the Internet. Your support helps further the Hampsong Foundation’s mission and initiatives – from song research and commissions to building this Web site as a rich, vital resource for lovers of song. Please join us! Your donation fuels the future of song.
Latest News
Register for “Singing Down the Barriers” 2026!
Registration for the 2026 Institute is open! Now in its sixth iteration, Singing Down the Barriers (SDtB) is an intensive exploration of the repertoire of African American, African and...
Read ArticleNew Book on Song coming in 2026!
As part of the Hampsong Foundation’s involvement in the Singing Justice Collective at the University of Michigan In November 2026, a new book written by the Singing Justice Collective...
Read ArticleRegister for “Singing Down the Barriers” 2025!
Registration for 2025’s Institute is now open! Now in its fifth iteration, Singing Down the Barriers (SDtB) is an intensive exploration of the repertoire of African American, African and...
Read Article