ɪt wʌz fˈaʊndᵻd ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd twˈɛnti fˈaɪv baɪ wˈɔltɚ wˈeɪəl nˈaʊmbɜːɡ, ɐ wˈɛlθi ˈæmətʃɚ sˈɛlɪst ænd sˈʌn ʌv nˈoʊɾᵻd nˈuː jˈɔːɹk sˈɪɾi mjˈuːzɪk pˈeɪtɹən ænd fɪlˈænθɹəpˌɪst ˈɛlkən nˈaʊmbɜːɡ.
It was founded in 1925 by Walter Wehle Naumburg, a wealthy amateur cellist and son of noted New York City music patron and philanthropist Elkan Naumburg.