Frequently Asked Questions

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The correct pronunciation for 'Niets' sounds like 'Nites'.

The name Niets carries a deeply personal meaning. It is the Founder’s married family name spelled backwards — chosen intentionally as a symbol of legacy, continuity, and devotion to the arts.

When she became a mother, the idea of preserving history for future generations took on new meaning. Naming the Foundation Niets reflects a commitment to honoring the past while creating something enduring for the generations to come. It represents a belief that music, culture, and heritage are living legacies — protected, passed forward, and reimagined by those who care deeply for them.

Yes, the Niets Foundation is proud to be recognized as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). This designation means that we are a nonprofit entity, and contributions made to Niets Foundation are tax-deductible to the donor to the extent allowed by law.  

Our 501(c)(3) status reflects our dedication to fostering arts and culture, with a special focus on music, through charitable and educational initiatives. This designation highlights our commitment to enriching the community's cultural landscape and ensuring access to music education and experiences for all.

If you require our IRS determination letter or any additional information for your records, please feel free to contact us at helpdesk@nietsfoundation.org. We are grateful for your support and commitment to our cause.

No. Niets does not create or sell music recordings.

Any musical works featured on this site were recreated or remastered by Beret Publishing’s Beret Music division, which focuses on professionally bringing overlooked compositions to life.

Beret Publishing grants the Foundation limited-use access to certain works strictly for nonprofit educational, scholarly, and public-benefit purposes.

Organizations must submit an application to request educational-use access.

Absolutely.

We welcome suggestions from scholars, educators, families, and community members. If you know of an overlooked composer or manuscript that aligns with our mission, please email us at helpdesk@nietsfoundation.org.

We rely on:

• Archival research
• Academic sources
• Manuscript comparisons
• Collaborations with scholars, musicians, and researchers

Our goal is to present well-researched, culturally respectful, and historically accurate content that honors the global communities whose stories we share.

The Niets Foundation and Beret Publishing share a complementary mission but operate as fully separate organizations— one nonprofit, one for-profit.

They do not share finances, revenue, or governance.

Beret Publishing generously provides the Foundation limited-use access to select musical works to support nonprofit educational initiatives.

All donations to the Niets Foundation support preservation, education, research, and public-access initiatives — never commercial publishing projects.

Donations support archival research, manuscript preservation, digitization, educational resources, scholar partnerships, and free public-access initiatives.

No donated funds support Beret Publishing’s commercial operations.

Yes. Schools, universities, libraries, museums, arts programs, and registered nonprofits may apply for educational-use access to select musical works.

Please email helpdesk@nietsfoundation.org and our team will provide the application.

We welcome collaborations with scholars, musicians, educators, and cultural institutions.
Please reach out to helpdesk@nietsfoundation.org to start the conversation.

Yes. As part of our mission, the Niets Foundation releases public-facing educational materials, composer profiles, and historical resources to support learning around the world.