ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd fˈoːɹɾi sˈɪks, ˈɛɹən kˌoʊplˈænd ænd wˈɪljəm ʃˈuːmən dʒˈɔɪnd ðə nˈaʊmbɜːɡ faʊndˈeɪʃən bˈoːɹd ʌv dᵻɹˈɛktɚz, ænd ʃˈɔːɹtli ˈæftɚwɚdz ðə faʊndˈeɪʃən bɪɡˈæn ɐwˈɔːɹdɪŋ kəmpˈoʊzɚz wɪð ɹᵻkˈoːɹdɪŋ pɹˈɑːdʒɛkts.
In 1946, Aaron Copland and William Schuman joined the Naumburg Foundation board of directors, and shortly afterwards the Foundation began awarding composers with recording projects.