American Composers Orchestra

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American Composers Orchestra

ACO exists to expand the definition of American orchestral music to ensure an inclusive and vibrant future. Its Composer Yourself! www.americancomposers.org.

American Composers Orchestra (ACO) is dedicated to the creation, celebration, performance, and promotion of orchestral music by American composers. With commitment to diversity, disruption and discovery, ACO produces concerts, an annual New Music Reading session through EarShot, middle school through college composer education programs, and emerging composer development programs, to foster a commu

nity of creators, audience, performers, collaborators, and funders. ACO identifies and develops talent, performs established composers, champions those who are lesser-known, and increases regional, national, and international awareness of the infinite variety of American orchestral music, reflecting gender, ethnic, geographic, stylistic, and age diversity. To date, ACO has performed music by 800 American composers, including over 350 world premieres and newly commissioned works. ACO’s Sonic Spark education programs leverage composition as a platform for creativity, and creativity as a platform for achievement, in public schools throughout New York City. intensive for high school and college students provides hands-on composition instruction. ACO recordings are available on labels including ECM, Nonesuch, Tzadik, and New World Records.

05/04/2026

FREE WEBINAR - Beyond Bars: Creating “Non-Traditional” Scores and Parts

Monday, May 18, 2026
4:00 PM – 5:00 PM EDT
Zoom

Staff Moderator: LaRob K. Rafael
Featured Speakers: Mali Irene and Mazz Swift

While creating and providing standard orchestral scores and parts remains a key component of being a broadly performed composer, more ensembles are increasingly exploring graphic notation and improvised scores. LaRob K. Rafael, Director of Composer Advancement at the American Composers Orchestra, will be joined by composers Mazz Swift and Mali Irene for a dynamic conversation on how to successfully navigate—and creatively thrive within—this expanding corner of new music.

🔗: https://secure.givelively.org/event/american-composers-orchestra/beyond-bars-creating-non-traditional-scores-and-parts-e72f2a30-b631-4c06-a0ae-2c56eafaea3c

04/14/2026

FREE WEBINAR - Signing the Dotted Line: Licensing and Publishing

Staff Moderator: Melissa Ngan

Featured Speaker: Elizabeth Blaufox (Senior Director, Promotion, Boosey & Hawkes)

4:00 PM – 5:00 PM EDT

A working understanding of publishing agreements, licensing for media, and royalty payments is vital to making a living as a composer. This webinar aims to demystify some of the fine print that composers face as their careers reach larger scale.

🔗: https://secure.givelively.org/event/american-composers-orchestra/signing-the-dotted-line-licensing-and-publishing-1f76ae11-1ab5-4c94-9f39-ba47b7ee9432

04/09/2026

Grateful for everyone who joined us, near and far, for Hello, America: Letters to Us, from Us at Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall last month 🧡

Led by Carolyn Kuan, we were joined by guest artists Cynthia Yeh, Amanda Gookin, Kiki Slaughter, and Cosmologyscape Ensemble. We are also grateful to the Boulanger Initiative for joining us.

PROGRAM:

Shelley Washington, Haymaker (World Premiere, ACO Commission, developed via EarShot CoLABoratory)

Joseph C. Phillips Jr., We Hold These Truths to Be Self-Evident (World Premiere, ACO Co-commission, developed via EarShot CoLABoratory)

Brittany J. Green, Letters to America (World Premiere, ACO Co-commission, developed via EarShot CoLABoratory)

Kite and Alisha B. Wormsley, Cosmologyscape: 7th Ave and 57th Street (World Premiere; ACO Commission, developed via EarShot CoLABoratory)

Jessie Montgomery, Procession for solo percussionist and Orchestra (NY Premiere)

Thank you to everyone who shared their stories, dreams, and family histories with us over the past year. It was an honor to bring them to life and to meet so many of you in person for the first time. We appreciate your curiosity, imagination, and support. You play a vital role in advancing this art form.

American Composers Orchestra was supported by New Music USA’s Organization Fund in 2025–26.

📸: Alfred Kan

04/02/2026

FREE WEBINAR - Onstage Do’s and Do’s: Rehearsal Techniques and Procedures

Staff Moderator: LaRob K. Rafael
Featured Speakers: Jimmy López, Kyle Dickson

4:00 PM – 5:00 PM EST

Receiving a performance by an orchestra isn’t the end of the road for a composer—it’s the beginning of an ongoing artistic relationship. In this webinar, composer Jimmy López and conductor Kyle Dickson join us to explore how composers can navigate the rehearsal room with clarity, confidence, and collaboration. Together, we’ll discuss practical rehearsal techniques, effective communication strategies, and how composers can meaningfully engage conductors, orchestras, and musicians throughout the rehearsal process to build lasting partnerships.

🔗: https://secure.givelively.org/event/american-composers-orchestra/onstage-do-s-and-do-s-rehearsal-techniques-and-procedures-workshop-webinar

03/17/2026

We’re proud to celebrate composers Michael Frazier and Shawn E. Okpebholo, whose works, commissioned through (Re)Loading the Canon, have been selected as part of the Sphinx Competition repertoire.

As two of four composers commissioned through this nationwide initiative in partnership with schools across the country, their competition-style movements now reach an even broader stage through the Sphinx Organization.

Congratulations to both composers on this exciting recognition-- we are so proud! 🥳

03/16/2026

Join us on March 23 at 3:30 PM for a candid conversation on the real work behind commissioning new music.

American Composers Orchestra President and CEO Melissa Ngan moderates a discussion with composer and performer Jeff Scott and artist manager Dan Visconti of Visconti Arts on how composers, managers, and organizations collaborate to navigate contracts, fee negotiations, consortium structures, and the balance between artistic vision and institutional priorities!

🔗: https://secure.givelively.org/event/american-composers-orchestra/put-me-on-2026-commissions-and-consortia-workshop-webinar

03/05/2026

We are thrilled to see Shelley Washington and Amanda Gookin featured in The Strad’s Premiere of the Month for Haymaker, Shelley’s exciting new cello concerto. 🔗 here: https://www.thestrad.com/for-subscribers/premiere-of-the-month-shelley-washingtons-new-cello-concerto/20847.article

Join us on March 11, 2026 at Carnegie Hall for the world premiere as Amanda brings this bold and electrifying work to life on our stage. Be there for this unforgettable night and get your tickets now. Tickets are on sale here: https://www.carnegiehall.org/Calendar/2026/03/11/American-Composers-Orchestra-0730PM 🎟️

03/04/2026

’s reflective words on her premiere work “Letters to America” featured in our upcoming concert NEXT WEEK! Grab your tickets in our bio! 👀

02/27/2026

⚠️ Less than 2 weeks away! ⚠️

Tickets are on sale now (🔗 below) for Hello, America: Letters to Us, from Us at Carnegie Hall!

Part of Carnegie Hall's United in Sound festival and celebrating the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, this concert features written and musical open letters to America. The program reflects stories from the summer homes of turn-of-the-century Black communities, Lakota Dream Kit symbology, unspoken emotions, rituals of celebration, and the writings of historic and contemporary Black American women.

Featuring soprano Karen Slack, cellist Amanda Gookin, percussionist Cynthia Yeh, and conductor Carolyn Kuan, the evening includes world and New York premieres by Shelley Washington, Numinous Music, Brittany J. Green, Kite, and Jessie Montgomery.

📍: Zankel Hall, Carnegie Hall

🎟️: https://www.carnegiehall.org/Calendar/2026/03/11/American-Composers-Orchestra-0730PM

ACO was supported by New Music USA’s Organization Fund in 2025-26.

02/24/2026

shares the inspiration behind his powerful work, “We Hold These Truths to Be Self-Evident.”
Don’t miss the world premiere of Joseph’s piece at our upcoming performance at on Wednesday, March 11 at 7:30pm. 🎟️ Tickets available in our bio!

02/23/2026

FREE WEBINAR: Today, join us for Composing the Future: Composers and Music Education, a free conversation exploring how young students are shaping the next generation of new music!

John Kilkenny, Executive Director of the New York Youth Symphony joins our President and CEO Melissa Ngan to discuss what meaningful collaboration between composers and grade schools can look like and why it matters now.

📅 Feb 23, 2026 | 4:00 PM ET
🎟️ Free, RSVP required: https://secure.givelively.org/event/american-composers-orchestra/composing-the-future-webinar

Address

494 Eighth Avenue, Suite 503 (building Entrance On 35th St. )
New York, NY
10001

Telephone

+12129778495

Website

http://www.americancomposers.org/

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