OUR STORY
The Global Impact Circle began with a simple yet ambitious vision: to connect independent foundations around the world through a shared commitment to supporting local talent and driving meaningful change. As an international alliance, we enable our members to implement Global Advancement Programs in ways that resonate locally—ensuring relevance, sustainability, and measurable impact. Each new foundation that joins strengthens not only the collective reach of our network but also its own capacity to create lasting change within its community.
2018–2020:
A Vision Born at Juilliard
Like many great ideas, our story began in college—at the Juilliard School in New York City. Five young artists, each immersed in their own demanding journey, found themselves bound by a shared vision: a more inclusive, engaging, and globally connected future for the arts.
Marc Migó was completing his PhD in composition, Zeynep Alpan her Master’s in Violin Performance, Taya König-Tarasevich her Master’s in Historical Performance, and Mark Prihodko his Bachelor's as a Kovner Fellow. Despite intense studies and international performance schedules, they found time to create—launching baroque ensembles with strong digital identities, producing innovative concert series, and initiating cross-border artistic collaborations.
Their friendship and mutual respect laid the groundwork for something much larger than any one of them could imagine at the time.
2020–2023:
From Fragmentation to Unity
The pandemic disrupted the artistic world—and while it forced many into isolation, it also sparked a deeper longing for connection. As the world retreated into national narratives, our founders saw a different path forward: one that embraced global dialogue, collaboration, and excellence without borders.
Each of the graduates established a local foundation in their country of residence—Germany, the USA, Spain—anchoring themselves in local communities while continuing to think globally. Despite geographic distance, their initiatives shared values, approaches, and ambitions. Recognizing their common vision, they formed a consortium of foundations, pooling resources and supporting emerging talent together.
What began as a network of friends evolved into a movement.
2023–2025:
Building the Global Impact Circle
In 2023, the consortium took its most significant step: the formal launch of Global Impact Circle Inc., headquartered in New York. Co-founded by Zeynep Alpan and Mark Prihodko, the organization was created to unite foundations across the world around a shared mission: to empower talent, cultivate excellence, and drive meaningful impact through the arts.
From the outset, the alliance welcomed two member foundations: Vera Musica (Barcelona, Spain) and the Foundation Gualtiero Marchesi (Milan, Italy), with nearly a dozen more on the waitlist. With its administrative chapter housed at the Althafen Foundation in Berlin, the Circle launched four Global Advancement Programs, providing a platform for deep collaboration and sustainable progress.
The Circle’s work soon expanded beyond Europe and North America. In 2024, it launched Empowered Musician – Skills for Every Stage, an initiative dedicated to artistic education and opportunity in East Africa—demonstrating that where music leads, meaningful change can follow.