Performances
& Events

Central to its values of diversity, disruption, and discovery, American Composers Orchestra partners each year with orchestras nationwide through its EarShot program (formerly the New Music Readings), which has identified and championed some of the most important rising compositional voices in the orchestral field since its founding in 1991.

To deepen the creative community around this work, the Virginia B. Toulmin Orchestral Commissions Program (formerly the Women Composers Readings and Commissions Program), an initiative of the League of American Orchestras in partnership with ACO, has commissioned three EarShot alumni each year to write a new orchestral work that is premiered by participating orchestras across the country.

Whether you are looking to discover composers new to you for your orchestra's programming, or simply share the boundless curiosity that comes with the discovery of new work, this series highlights four composers on each panel on June 23 and July 7, whose pieces have been recently premiered, or will soon premiere, as part of the program. Get to know each artist, hear recordings of their music, and catch an inside look into the relationships they've built with the orchestras that will premiere their works.

Featured composers, works, orchestras, and moderators are included below.

July 7, 2021 ModeratorsMelissa Ngan, President & CEO, American Composers OrchestraMeghan Martineau, Vice President, Artistic Planning, Los Angeles Philharmonic

Composers, Works & Partner Orchestras Julia Adolphe, Underneath the Sheen, New York PhilharmonicCindy Cox, Transfigurations of Grief, Saint Paul Chamber OrchestraStacy Garrop, The Battle for the Ballot, St. Louis Symphony OrchestraNiloufar Iravani, The Seven Valleys, South Dakota Symphony Orchestra

The Virginia B. Toulmin Orchestral Commissions Program (formerly the Women Composers Readings and Commissions Program) has created partnerships between composers and orchestras since 2014, and is embedded in EarShot, an initiative of American Composers Orchestra in collaboration with American Composers Forum, the League of American Orchestras, and New Music USA. All Toulmin Commission winners were participants of past EarShot readings. The Virginia B. Toulmin Orchestral Commissions Program is an initiative of the League of American Orchestras, in partnership with American Composers Orchestra (ACO) and supported by the Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation.

ACO's Artistic Director Derek Bermel hosts an hour-long listening party of live archival recordings made from ACO performances in Carnegie Hall's Stern Auditorium from 1985-2012, with special guests John Adams, Laurie Anderson, Anthony Davis, Hannibal Lokumbe, Eugene Moye, and Melinda Wagner. Registrants will listen to previously unheard audio recordings of the following works:David Diamond'sSymphony No. 9. Conducted by Leonard Bernstein (November 17, 1985)Hannibal Lokumbe's African Portraits. Conducted by Paul Lustig Dunkel, ACO Co-Founder. (October 11, 1990)Earl Kim's Violin Concerto with soloist Itzhak Perlman. Conducted by Paul Lustig Dunkel, ACO Co-Founder. (February 10, 1991)Melinda Wagner's Falling Angels. Conducted by Paul Lustig Dunkel, ACO Co-Founder. (October 29, 1995)Derek Bermel's Voices with Bermel on Clarinet. Conducted by Tan Dun (May 24, 1998)Laurie Anderson's Songs for A E. Conducted by Dennis Russell Davies, ACO Co-Founder & Conductor Laureate (February 27, 2000)Frank Zappa's The Adventures of Greg Peccary. Conducted by Steven Sloane (March 2, 2003)Anthony Davis’Wayang V. Conducted by Steven Sloane (April 28, 2004)John Adams' My Father Knew Charles Ives Conducted by John Adams (April 27, 2007)Philip Glass' Symphony No. 9. Conducted by Dennis Russell Davies, ACO Co-Founder & Conductor Laureate (January 31, 2012)Following the event, full recordings will be made available to donors who give $250+ to this event. Recording links will be password-protected, hosted online, and available for on-demand streaming through August 31, 2021.Don’t miss this chance to hear previously unavailable recordings with commentary and history provided by Derek Bermel, and a chance to support ACO's work in the coming season.

ACO's Artistic Director Derek Bermel hosts an hour-long listening party of live archival recordings made from ACO performances in Carnegie Hall's Stern Auditorium from 1985-2012, with special guests John Adams, Laurie Anderson, Anthony Davis, Hannibal Lokumbe, Eugene Moye, and Melinda Wagner. Registrants will listen to previously unheard audio recordings of the following works:David Diamond'sSymphony No. 9. Conducted by Leonard Bernstein (November 17, 1985)Hannibal Lokumbe's African Portraits. Conducted by Paul Lustig Dunkel, ACO Co-Founder. (October 11, 1990)Earl Kim's Violin Concerto with soloist Itzhak Perlman. Conducted by Paul Lustig Dunkel, ACO Co-Founder. (February 10, 1991)Melinda Wagner's Falling Angels. Conducted by Paul Lustig Dunkel, ACO Co-Founder. (October 29, 1995)Derek Bermel's Voices with Bermel on Clarinet. Conducted by Tan Dun (May 24, 1998)Laurie Anderson's Songs for A E. Conducted by Dennis Russell Davies, ACO Co-Founder & Conductor Laureate (February 27, 2000)Frank Zappa's The Adventures of Greg Peccary. Conducted by Steven Sloane (March 2, 2003)Anthony Davis’Wayang V. Conducted by Steven Sloane (April 28, 2004)John Adams' My Father Knew Charles Ives Conducted by John Adams (April 27, 2007)Philip Glass' Symphony No. 9. Conducted by Dennis Russell Davies, ACO Co-Founder & Conductor Laureate (January 31, 2012)Following the event, full recordings will be made available to donors who give $250+ to this event. Recording links will be password-protected, hosted online, and available for on-demand streaming through August 31, 2021.Don’t miss this chance to hear previously unavailable recordings with commentary and history provided by Derek Bermel, and a chance to support ACO's work in the coming season.

Central to its values of diversity, disruption, and discovery, American Composers Orchestra partners each year with orchestras nationwide through its EarShot program (formerly the New Music Readings), which has identified and championed some of the most important rising compositional voices in the orchestral field since its founding in 1991.

To deepen the creative community around this work, the Virginia B. Toulmin Orchestral Commissions Program (formerly the Women Composers Readings and Commissions Program), an initiative of the League of American Orchestras in partnership with ACO, has commissioned three EarShot alumni each year to write a new orchestral work that is premiered by participating orchestras across the country.

Whether you are looking to discover composers new to you for your orchestra's programming, or simply share the boundless curiosity that comes with the discovery of new work, this series highlights four composers on each panel on June 23 and July 7, whose pieces have been recently premiered, or will soon premiere, as part of the program. Get to know each artist, hear recordings of their music, and catch an inside look into the relationships they've built with the orchestras that will premiere their works.

Featured composers, works, orchestras, and moderators are included below.

June 23, 2021ModeratorsMelissa Ngan, President & CEO, American Composers OrchestraAlecia Lawyer, Founder, Artistic Director & Principal Oboe, ROCO

Composers, Works & Partner OrchestrasLeanna Primiani, 1001, ROCOHilary Purrington, Harp of Nerves, Philadelphia OrchestraAndrea Reinkemeyer, Water Sings Fire, Louisiana Philharmonic OrchestraWang Jie, Symphony No. 1, Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra

The Virginia B. Toulmin Orchestral Commissions Program (formerly the Women Composers Readings and Commissions Program) has created partnerships between composers and orchestras since 2014, and is embedded in EarShot, an initiative of American Composers Orchestra in collaboration with American Composers Forum, the League of American Orchestras, and New Music USA. All Toulmin Commission winners were participants of past EarShot readings. The Virginia B. Toulmin Orchestral Commissions Program is an initiative of the League of American Orchestras, in partnership with American Composers Orchestra (ACO) and supported by the Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation.

Established film composers talk about the film industry and the essentials of being a film composer. ACO Artistic Director Derek Bermel moderates a panel of experts. The panel will be followed by a Q&A session with the audience.Co-presented by ACO and American Composers ForumPanelists:Terence Blanchard, composer and trumpeterKathryn Bostic, composerLaura Karpman, composerRachel Portman, composerIf you require an interpreter, closed-captioning, or any other accommodations to fully engage, please contact ACF’s Laura Krider within 48 hours of the webinar (lkrider@composersforum.org or 612.314.9228).

Join ACO for an hour-long interactive event, led by ACO-commissioned composer Lisa Bielawa, that celebrates and unlocks the creativity and curiosity that lives in each of us. Do you delight in making things up? Are you ready to explore how to spark new vitality in your life through your natural creativity? This event is for you! Please join us for a unique opportunity to energize your imagination through prompts, Surrealist games and interactive idea-making, while supporting ACO’s Sonic Spark education programs.

Lisa Bielawa is known for her participatory works including Broadcast from Home, Voters’ Broadcast and her current project, BFH Radio - Broadcast from Here. Described by The Washington Post as “spellbinding,” Broadcast from Home was realized online throughout the period of the coronavirus lockdown, featuring over 500 submitted testimonies and recorded voices from six continents. Voters’ Broadcast’s mission was to stimulate voter engagement, political awareness, and community participation in challenging lockdown conditions, through the act of giving voice to the concerns of fellow citizens, during the lead-up to the 2020 Presidential election. Bielawa is currently at work on BFH Radio, a continuous and evolving soundscape incorporating words, voices, and found audio from participants all over the world which gathers the sounds of people’s first experiments with narrowing social distance or re-engaging with formerly familiar activities, as well as their encounters with new lockdowns or new challenges, and weaves these together with musical materials.

Don’t miss this chance to create, experiment, and play with Lisa, ACO’s artistic director Derek Bermel, and the ACO community.

Photo: Lisa Bielawa's movement map for her composition Crissy Broadcast, courtesy of Bielawa

The Composer to Composer series features major American composers in conversation with each other about their work and leading a creative life. The intergenerational discussions will begin by exploring a single work with one composer interviewing the other. Attendees will gain insight to each work’s genesis, sound, influence on the American orchestral canon, and be invited to ask questions of the artists. Events will be live-streamed and available for on-demand viewing for seven days following the live event. The conversation will be hosted by ACO's Artistic Director, Derek Bermel.On May 26, Jonathan Bailey Holland talks with Alvin Singleton about his work BluesKonzert, a triple commission from 1995 by the Detroit, Houston and Kansas City symphony orchestras. Of the piece, Michael Fleming writes in the program note, "Vernacular and classical traditions have often cross-pollinated in American music, both in performance and composition. A case in point is BluesKonzert, which mixes musical bloodlines as neatly as its title does language. Konzert is a German term that can mean either 'concert,' as in a musical program, or 'concerto,' as in a work for solo instrument and orchestra. Singleton, who trained in both classical music and jazz, is perfectly positioned to exploit such ambiguities and crossovers."

Photo of Alvin Singleton by Jo Eldredge MorrisseyPhoto of Jonathan Bailey Holland by Robert Torres

How does traditional programming change when it’s focused online? Where is classical music headed in the digital age? American Composers Orchestra CEO and President Melissa Ngan moderates a panel of experts, followed by a Q&A with the audience.Co-presented by ACO and American Composers ForumPanelists:Keith Obadike, maker of music, art, and literatureMendi Obadike, maker of music, art, and literaturePaola Prestini, composer, Co-Founder and Artistic Director of National SawdustKamala Sankaram, composer, performerIf you require an interpreter, closed-captioning, or any other accommodations to fully engage, please contact ACF’s Laura Krider within 48 hours of the webinar (lkrider@composersforum.org or 612.314.9228).

Orchestral conductors Marin Alsop&George Manahan provide insight into the conductor-composer relationship, programming new works, and other topics relevant to composers, followed by a Q&A with the audience. Hosted by ACO Artistic Director Derek Bermel.Co-presented by ACO and American Composers ForumIf you require an interpreter, closed-captioning, or any other accommodations to fully engage, please contact ACF’s Laura Krider within 48 hours of the webinar (lkrider@composersforum.org or 612.314.9228).

The Composer to Composer series features major American composers in conversation with each other about their work and leading a creative life. The intergenerational discussions, moderated by ACO Artistic Director Derek Bermel, begin by exploring a single work with one composer interviewing the other. Attendees will gain insight to each work’s genesis, sound, influence on the American orchestral canon, and be invited to ask questions of the artists. Events will be live-streamed and available for on-demand viewing for seven days following the live event.On April 28, Angélica Negrón talks with Tania León about León's work Carabalí for orchestra, from 1991. James Melo writes in the note for the piece, “The title Carabalí refers to a people of West Africa who rebelled against slavery, and whose saga continued through the cimarrones in the Caribbean region. The quiet and introspective character of much of the piece belies something that stirs much more deeply below the surface in preparation for the final outburst, a carnavalesque frenzy that seems to release all the energy accumulated in the previous sections. The trumpets’ calls at the end acquire a heroic and defiant urgency.”Tania León (b. Havana, Cuba) is highly regarded as a composer, conductor, educator and advisor to arts organizations. Recent commissions include works for New York Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic, NDR Symphony Orchestra, Grossman Ensemble, International Contemporary Ensemble, and pianist Ursula Oppens with Cassatt String Quartet. Appearances as guest conductor include Philharmonic Orchestra of Marseille, Gewandhausorchester, Orquesta Sinfonica de Guanajuato, and Orquesta Sinfónica de Cuba. Upcoming premieres feature commissions for the NewMusic USA Amplifying Voices Program, The Musical Fund Society in Philadelphia to celebrate their 200^th anniversary, and for The Crossing chamber choir with Claire Chase, flutist, among others. A founding member of the Dance Theatre of Harlem, León instituted the Brooklyn Philharmonic Community Concert Series, co-founded American Composers Orchestra’s Sonidos de las Américas Festivals, was New Music Advisor to the New York Philharmonic, and is the founder/Artistic Director of the nonprofit and festival Composers Now. Her honors include the New York Governor’s Lifetime Achievement, awards from the American Academy of Arts and Letters and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the ASCAP Victor Herbert Award, among others. She also received a proclamation for Composers Now by New York City Mayor, and the MadWoman Festival Award in Music (Spain). León has received Honorary Doctorate Degrees from Colgate University, Oberlin and SUNY Purchase College, and served as U.S. Artistic Ambassador of American Culture in Madrid, Spain. A CUNY Professor Emerita, she was awarded a 2018 United States Artists Fellowship.Puerto Rican-born composer and multi-instrumentalist Angélica Negrón writes music for accordions, robotic instruments, toys, and electronics as well as for chamber ensembles, orchestras, choir, and film. Her music has been described as “wistfully idiosyncratic and contemplative” (WQXR/Q2) while The New York Times noted her “capacity to surprise.” Negrón has been commissioned by the Bang on a Can All-Stars, Kronos Quartet, loadbang, MATA Festival, Brooklyn Youth Chorus, Sō Percussion, American Composers Orchestra, and the New York Botanical Garden, among others. She has composed numerous film scores, including Landfall (2020) and Memories of a Penitent Heart (2016), in collaboration with filmmaker Cecilia Aldarondo. Upcoming premieres include works for the Dallas Symphony Orchestra and National Symphony Orchestra, Opera Philadelphia, LA Philharmonic and NY Philharmonic Project 19 initiative.

Photo of Tania León by Michael ProvostPhoto of Angélica Negrón by Catalina Kulczar

Chris Campbell, Director of Recordings at Innova Recordings, leads a panel covering the basics of recording law and licensing. The panel will be followed by a Q&A session with the audience.Co-presented by ACO and American Composers ForumPanelists:Meerenai Shim, flutist, artist, record producer, music educator, movement coachAri Solotoff, Esq., entertainment lawyer / Founder & Managing Attorney, Solotoff Law Group, PLLCIf you require an interpreter, closed-captioning, or any other accommodations to fully engage, please contact ACF’s Laura Krider within 48 hours of the webinar (lkrider@composersforum.org or 612.314.9228).

Violinist Jennifer Koh’s ongoing exploration of “The New American Concerto” provides the impetus for works by Christopher Cerrone and Lisa Bielawa. Koh’s initiative encourages composers to engage with the issues of the day and respond to them with a violin concerto. Cerrone’s “Breaks and Breaks” features intense dialogues between solo violin and orchestra as they comment on current affairs. Bielawa’s work meditates on the word sanctuary and its significance in the American consciousness. It’s also a deeply personal work with moving quotations of Chopin and Bach—music where Bielawa finds her own sanctuary.

Be part of a new musical work: from the composer’s first creative spark to the premiere at Carnegie Hall. You support fees paid to the composer, printing, rehearsal and performance costs. We invite you to exclusive events to interact with the artists, like this discussion about with Lisa Bielawa about her extensive research when composing her piece, Sanctuary.“My task was simple: find instances of the use of 'sanctuary' in a broad range of American writings, in order to reach a greater understanding of its layered meaning within American consciousness. I undertook the historical research for the Sanctuary project at the American Antiquarian Society in MA, where I was the William Randolph Hearst Artist Fellow in July 2018. I explored broadsides, poetry, political tracts and speeches, novels and children’s literature – vernacular as well as statesmanlike works – discovering writings that capture the off-hand use of the word in different eras of American history.” -Lisa Bielawa

Orchestral conductors Mei-Ann Chen and David Alan Miller provide insight into the conductor-composer relationship, programming new works, and other topics relevant to composers.Co-presented by ACO and American Composers ForumIf you require an interpreter, closed-captioning, or any other accommodations to fully engage, please contact ACF’s Laura Krider within 48 hours of the webinar (lkrider@composersforum.org or 612.314.9228).

The Composer to Composer series features major American composers in conversation with each other about their work and leading a creative life. The intergenerational discussions, moderated by ACO Artistic Director Derek Bermel, begin by exploring a single work with one composer interviewing the other. Attendees will gain insight to each work’s genesis, sound, influence on the American orchestral canon, and be invited to ask questions of the artists. Events will be live-streamed and available for on-demand viewing for seven days following the live event.On March 31, Missy Mazzoli talks with Meredith Monk about her work WEAVE, from 2010, of which Monk writes, “I conceived of WEAVE for Two Voices, Chamber Orchestra and Chorus as a continuous, seamless form in which layers that are at first part of a texture are gradually revealed, take on their own life and then are modified by the next layer that appears. Each passage evolves from the preceding one . . . There is an organic build of momentum in each passage of WEAVE leading naturally to the next, as indicated by the marked tempi. The ebb and flow of the piece depend on the relationship of tempi from one passage to another and the balance between the solo voices, instruments and chorus.”Meredith Monk is a composer, singer, and creator of new opera and music-theater works. Recognized as one of the most unique and influential artists of our time, she is a pioneer in what is now called “extended vocal technique.” Celebrated internationally, her work has been presented at major venues around the world. Over the last six decades Ms. Monk has been hailed as one of National Public Radio’s 50 Great Voices and “one of America’s coolest composers.” Her numerous awards and honors include a MacArthur Fellowship, Officer of the Order of Arts and Letters from the Republic of France, induction into the American Academy of Arts and Letters, the Dorothy and Lillian Gish Prize, and a National Medal of Arts. Most of her music can be heard on the ECM label, including the Grammy-nominated impermanence. Since the early 2000s, Monk has been creating vital new repertoire for orchestra, chamber ensembles, and solo instruments, with recent commissions from the San Francisco Symphony and Carnegie Hall where she held the 2014-15 Richard and Barbara Debs Composer’s Chair in conjunction with her 50th Season of creating and performing. Currently Monk is developing Indra’s Net, the third part of a trilogy of music-theater works exploring our interdependent relationship with nature.Recently deemed “one of the more consistently inventive, surprising composers now working in New York” (New York Times) and “Brooklyn’s post-millennial Mozart” (Time Out NY), Missy Mazzoli has had her music performed by the Kronos Quartet, LA Opera, eighth blackbird, the BBC Symphony, Scottish Opera and many others. In 2018, she became the first woman to receive a main stage commission from the Metropolitan Opera and was nominated for a Grammy award in the category of Best Classical Composition. She is currently Composer-in-Residence at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and from 2012-2015 was Composer-in-Residence with Opera Philadelphia. Her 2018 opera Proving Up, a commentary on the American dream commissioned and premiered by Washington National Opera, was deemed “harrowing… a true opera for its time” by The Washington Post. Her 2016 opera Breaking the Waves was called “one of the best 21^st-century American operas yet” by Opera News and had its European premiere at the 2019 Edinburgh Festival. Upcoming commissions include works for Opera Philadelphia, the National Ballet of Canada and Norwegian National Opera. In 2016, with composer Ellen Reid and in partnership with the Kaufman Music Center she founded Luna Lab, a mentorship program for young female, nonbinary and gender non-conforming composers. Her works are published by G. Schirmer.

Photo of Meredith Monk by F. Scott SchaferPhoto of Missy Mazzoli by Caroline Tompkins

A panel of experts converse about the role of race in orchestral culture, individual responsibility, and how racism manifests in the classical music industry. They will use Nebal Maysaud's article, "It's Time to Let Classical Music Die'" as a jumping off point. Pratichi Shah, President and CEO, Flourish Talent Management Solutions, moderates. A Q&A with the audience will follow.Co-presented by ACO and American Composers ForumPanelists:Nebal Maysaud, composer and consultantMelissa Ngan, American Composers Orchestra CEO & PresidentDaniel Bernard Roumain, composer, violinist, educatorIf you require an interpreter, closed-captioning, or any other accommodations to fully engage, please contact ACF’s Laura Krider within 48 hours of the webinar (lkrider@composersforum.org or 612.314.9228).

How can composers help guide their own careers? What part does creating an ensemble play in that? Frank J. Oteri moderates a panel of innovative ensemble creators to explore topics of entrepreneurship and career advancement as a composer. Q&A with audience will follow.Co-presented by ACO and American Composers ForumPanelists:Afa Dworkin, Sphinx OrganizationNadia Sirota, yMusicSugar Vendil, The Nouveau Classical ProjectIf you require an interpreter, closed-captioning, or any other accommodations to fully engage, please contact ACF’s Laura Krider within 48 hours of the webinar (lkrider@composersforum.org or 612.314.9228).

Be part of a new musical work: from the composer’s first creative spark to the premiere at Carnegie Hall. You support fees paid to the composer, printing, rehearsal and performance costs. We invite you to exclusive events to interact with the artists, like this discussion about Lisa Bielawa’s new work Sanctuary, written for violin and string orchestra featuring Jennifer Koh.

What skills should a composer have in order to produce their own work? Topics include audio and video recording, project management, and producing recordings. John Glover moderates a panel of creators and producers. Q&A with audience will follow the panel discussion.Co-Presented by ACO and American Composers ForumPanelists:Habib Azar, Film and Stage DirectorJudith Sherman, Producer and Audio EngineerDu Yun, Composer, Performer, and AdvocatorIf you require an interpreter, closed-captioning, or any other accommodations to fully engage, please contact ACF’s Laura Krider within 48 hours of the webinar (lkrider@composersforum.org or 612.314.9228).

The Composer to Composer series features major American composers in conversation with each other about their work and leading a creative life. The intergenerational discussions will begin by exploring a single work with one composer interviewing the other. Attendees will gain insight to each work’s genesis, sound, influence on the American orchestral canon, and be invited to ask questions of the artists. Events will be live-streamed and available for on-demand viewing for seven days following the live event.On February 24, Conor Brown talks with Joan Tower about her work Sequoia. Sequoia was commissioned by ACO with support from the Jerome Foundation, and was first performed on May 18, 1981 in Alice Tully Hall by ACO with ACO co-founder, conductor Dennis Russell Davies. The piece is dedicated to the concertmaster and first horn player of the orchestra at the time, Jean and Paul Ingraham, respectively. Sequoia was Tower's first major orchestral composition and remains one of her most performed works.Tower writes of the piece, “I think most composers would have to admit that they live, to various degrees, in the sound-worlds of other composers both old and new, and that what they consciously or unconsciously take from them enables them to discover what they themselves are interested in. Long ago, I recognized Beethoven as someone bound to enter my work at some point, because for many years I had been intimately involved in both his piano music and chamber music as a pianist. Even though my own music does not sound like Beethoven's in any obvious way, in it there is a basic idea at work which came from him. This is something I call the "balancing" of musical energies. In Sequoia, that concept is not only very much present in the score but it actually led to the title (which is meant in an abstract rather than a pictorial sense). What fascinated me about sequoias, those giant California redwood trees, was the balancing act nature had achieved in giving them such great height."

Photo of Joan Tower by Bernie MindichPhoto of Conor Brown by Michelle Christiance

This panel peers into the inner-workings of the orchestra, illuminating the structure and best practices for composers. New York Philharmonic Librarian Sara Griffin moderates a panel of experienced orchestra administrators. Q&A with audience will follow the panel discussion.Co-presented by ACO and American Composers ForumPanelists:Nicole Jordan, Philadelphia Orchestra LibrarianAnna Kuwabara, Albany Symphony Orchestra Executive DirectorMeghan Martineau, Los Angeles Philharmonic Vice President of Artistic PlanningIf you require an interpreter, closed-captioning, or any other accommodations to fully engage, please contact ACF’s Laura Krider within 48 hours of the webinar (lkrider@composersforum.org or 612.314.9228).

How can a composer navigate publishing? What are their options? Self-published composer Jonathan Bailey Holland leads a panel of experienced professionals to discuss avenues of publishing and management for orchestral composers. Q&A with audience will follow.Co-presented by ACO and American Composers ForumPanelists:Carol Ann Cheung, Director of Publicity and Marketing at Boosey & HawkesMelissa Dunphy, composer & owner of Mormolyke PressElizabeth Dworkin, Founder & Chief Executive of Dworkin & CompanyIf you require an interpreter, closed-captioning, or any other accommodations to fully engage, please contact ACF’s Laura Krider within 48 hours of the webinar (lkrider@composersforum.org or 612.314.9228).

How can composers find their true artistic message and convey that effectively online? Dameun Strange moderates a panel and Q&A exploring topics of authenticity and effectiveness online.Co-presented by ACO and American Composers ForumPanelists:Anthony R. Green, composer & performerMary Prescott, composer & interdisciplinary artistBeth Stewart, Verismo Communications founder

The Composer to Composer series features major American composers in conversation with each other about their work and leading a creative life. The intergenerational discussions will begin by exploring a single work with one composer interviewing the other. Attendees will gain insight to each work’s genesis, sound, influence on the American orchestral canon, and be invited to ask questions of the artists. Events will be live-streamed and available for on-demand viewing for seven days following the live event.On January 27, Mason Bates talks with John Corigliano about Corigliano’s work Circus Maximus (Symphony No. 3 for Large Wind Ensemble) from 2004. Corigliano writes of the piece, “The Circus Maximus of ancient Rome was the largest arena in the world. 300,000 spectators were entertained by chariot races, hunts, and battles. The Roman need for grander and wilder amusement grew as its empire declined. The parallels between the high decadence of Rome and our present time are obvious. Entertainment dominates our reality, and ever-more-extreme ‘reality’ shows dominate our entertainment.”

The Composer to Composer series features major American composers in conversation with each other about their work and leading a creative life. The intergenerational discussions will begin by exploring a single work with one composer interviewing the other. Attendees will gain insight to each work’s genesis, sound, influence on the American orchestral canon, and be invited to ask questions of the artists. Events will be live-streamed and available for on-demand viewing for seven days following the live event.On January 13, Gabriela Lena Frank talks with William Bolcom about his Symphony No. 9, from 2012, of which Bolcom writes, “Today our greatest enemy is our inability to listen to each other, which seems to worsen with time. All we hear now is shouting, and nobody is listening because the din is so great. Yet there is a ‘still, small voice’ that refuses to disappear…I pin my hope on that voice. I search for it daily in life and in music – and possibly the ‘Ninth Symphony’ is a search for that soft sound.”

The Composer to Composer series features major American composers in conversation with each other about their work and leading a creative life. The intergenerational discussions will begin by exploring a single work with one composer interviewing the other. Attendees will gain insight to each work’s genesis, sound, influence on the American orchestral canon, and be invited to ask questions of the artists. Events will be live-streamed and available for on-demand viewing for seven days following the live event.On December 2, Kerwin Young talks with Chen Yi and Zhou Long about their co-composed work, Symphony “Humen 1839,” from 2009. The work commemorates the public burning of over 1000 tons of opium -- an event which led to the First Opium War between Great Britain and China. The piece was commissioned and premiered by the Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra in 2009, conducted by Guangzhou Symphony’s Music Director Long Yu. Symphony “Humen 1839” won First Prize in the Sixteenth Chinese National Composition Competition for Symphonic Works, sponsored by the Chinese Ministry of Culture in 2012. The Naxos recording, performed by the New Zealand Symphony and conducted by Darrell Ang, was nominated for a 2016 Grammy.Join us for this one-hour conversation, during which the composers will guide us through this masterful symphony -- complete with listening examples and an exploration of the Cantonese folk music elements in the work.About the ComposersAbout Chen Yi: Born in Guangzhou in 1953, Dr. Chen Yi received her composition degrees from the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing and Columbia University in New York, studying with Profs. Wu Zuqiang, Chou Wen-chung, and Mario Davidovsky. She has been the Distinguished Endowed Professor at the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory since 1998. Chen Yi blends Chinese and Western traditions, transcending cultural and musical boundaries. She has composed over 150 works ranging from solo instruments and chamber groups (over 60), to chorus (over 30), and large ensembles (over 50, including orchestra or wind band, concertos, or mixed vocal and instrumental works), recorded in over 120 commercially released albums on various labels, and received the prestigious Charles Ives Living Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters in 2001. Published by Theodore Presser Company, her music has reached a wide range of audiences and inspired people around the world. As a strong advocate for new music with diversity and inclusion, particularly for women in music, Prof. Chen has been awarded five Honorary Doctorates in the States and Distinguished Visiting Professorship from many music institutes in China. She has been inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2005, and the American Academy of Arts and Letters in 2019.About Zhou Long: Zhou Long is internationally recognized for creating a unique body of music that brings together the aesthetic concepts and musical elements of East and West. Winner of the 2011 Pulitzer Prize for his first opera, Madame White Snake, Dr. Zhou also received the American Academy of Arts and Letters Award, the Elise Stoeger Prize from Lincoln Center Chamber Music Society in New York, and the Barlow Prize. He has received commissions from Koussevitzky and Fromm Music Foundation, Meet the Composer, Chamber Music America, and NYSCA, and fellowships from NEA, Guggenheim and Rockefeller Foundation, the AAAL, and New York Foundation for the Arts. Dr. Zhou’s music has been widely performed and recorded on major labels and published by the Oxford University Press and the Shanghai Music Publishing House. He studied composition at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing and Columbia University in the City of New York. Major composition teachers were Profs. Su Xia, Chou Wen-chung, Mario Davidovsky, and George Edwards. He is currently Bonfils Distinguished Research Professor of Composition at the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory.About Kerwin Young: Kerwin Young is a prolific international concert and media composer, and recording producer, whose music has served as social commentary the world over since 1989. A member-producer of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducted Public Enemy, Kerwin Young is a multi-platinum, Grammy-winning composer/producer of popular music in multiple genres, including film, television, and video games. His works have been performed by Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Kansas City Symphony, University City Symphony, Inscape Chamber Orchestra, Music From China, Del Sol String Quartet, Tesla Quartet, ROCO, and other well-known ensembles. Young studied music composition at the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music and Dance with Chen Yi, Zhou Long, and Jazz Messenger legend, Bobby Watson. Since 2019, he serves as Performing Rights Associate with Next Level, an initiative of the U.S. Department of State, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and Meridian International Center. Internationally, Kerwin Young is a traveling scholar, lecturing on music composition and production across multiple genres, and entrepreneurship. See: www.kerwinyoung.com

The Composer to Composer series features major American composers in conversation with each other about their work and leading a creative life. The intergenerational discussions will begin by exploring a single work with one composer interviewing the other. Attendees will gain insight to each work’s genesis, sound, influence on the American orchestral canon, and be invited to ask questions of the artists. Events will be live-streamed and available for on-demand viewing for seven days following the live event.On November 18, Courtney Bryan and Damon Holzborn will talk with George Lewis about his Virtual Concerto from 2004, a piece for improvising computer piano soloist and orchestra, written for ACO. The New York Times described the premiere, writing, “the soloist was a computer-driven piano, its software programmed to ‘react’ to aspects of the orchestra's performance.”About the ComposersGeorge Lewis, Professor of American Music at Columbia University, Area Chair in Composition, and member of the faculty in Historical Musicology, is a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Letters, a Corresponding Fellow of the British Academy, and an Honorary Member of the American Musicological Society. Lewis’s other honors include a MacArthur “genius” Fellowship (2002), a Guggenheim Fellowship (2015), and the Doris Duke Artist Award (2019). A member of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM) since 1971, Lewis's work in electronic and computer music, computer-based multimedia installations, and notated and improvisative forms is documented on more than 150 recordings. His work has been presented by the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Ensemble Dal Niente, Ensemble Intercontemporain, London Philharmonia Orchestra, Talea Ensemble, International Contemporary Ensemble, Musikfabrik, Mivos Quartet, London Sinfonietta, Spektral Quartet, and others; his opera Afterword (2015) has been performed in the United States, United Kingdom, and the Czech Republic. He is the author of the award-winning book, A Power Stronger Than Itself: The AACM and American Experimental Music (University of Chicago Press 2008), and co-editor of the two-volume Oxford Handbook of Critical Improvisation Studies (2016). An Honorary Member of the American Musicological Society, Lewis holds honorary doctorates from the University of Edinburgh, New College of Florida, and Harvard University. Lewis’s music is published by Edition Peters. See https://music.columbia.edu/bios/george-e-lewisCourtney Bryan is “a pianist and composer of panoramic interests” (The New York Times). Her music is in conversation with various musical genres, including jazz and other types of experimental music, as well as traditional gospel, spirituals, and hymns. Bryan has academic degrees from Oberlin Conservatory (BM), Rutgers University (MM), and Columbia University (DMA) with advisor George Lewis, and completed postdoctoral studies in the Department of African American Studies at Princeton University. Bryan is currently the Albert and Linda Mintz Professor of Music at Newcomb College in the School of Liberal Arts, Tulane University. She was the 2018 music recipient of the Herb Alpert Award in the Arts, a 2019 Bard College Freehand Fellow, a 2019-20 recipient of the Samuel Barber Rome Prize in Music Composition and is currently a recipient of a 2020-21 Civitella Ranieri Fellowship, and a 2020 United States Artists Fellow. See www.courtneybryan.comDamon Holzborn is a Brooklyn-based musician, new media artist, and software developer. As a musician, he is an improviser and composer who works primarily with electronics. In performance he uses custom software, traditional effects, and interactive processes. Holzborn has long relied on instruments that he develops for use in his own compositions and performances, creating software that produces dynamic instruments that are particularly effective for improvisational performance. Holzborn has presented his work in the U.S., Mexico, Canada, Europe and Japan, performing as a solo artist and with several ensembles, including Donkey – a decades-long collaboration with musician/filmmaker Hans Fjellestad. He was a founding member of the Trummerflora Collective (1999-2009), a group whose aim was to create a fertile, varied, self-sustaining environment for experimental and improvised music. In addition to instruments he creates for his own work, he collaborates with other artists to produce custom technology for use in performances and installations. Previous work includes software or hardware for George Lewis, Eric Metcalfe, Miya Masaoka, Hans Fjellestad, and Duane Pitre. See www.damonholzborn.com

Learn how to raise funds for your next project by leveraging the support of generous individuals. ACO Acting President and Director of Development Lyndsay Werking leads a panel of artists and administrators fluent in grassroots fundraising.Co-presented by ACO and American Composers Forum.Panelists:Bonnie Marshall, American Composers Forum VP of DevelopmentNicholas Phan, tenorDafnis Prieto, drummer, composer & educatorSomi, singer, composer, playwright

ACO’s Composer to Composer Talks are intergenerational discussions, which will begin by listening to and exploring a featured work selected by one of the composers, with one composer interviewing the other. Composer pairings have been inspired by existing collaborative, and student-mentor relationships between the writers. Volume One runs from October 21, 2020 through January 27, 2021 and includes composers George Lewis, Courtney Bryan, and Damon Holzborn (October 21); Chen Yi, Zhou Long, and Kerwin Young (December 2); William Bolcom and Gabriela Lena Frank (January 13); and John Corigliano and Mason Bates (January 27).Attendees will gain insight to each work’s genesis, sound, and influence on the American orchestral canon, and will be invited to ask questions of the artists. Events will be live-streamed and available for on-demand viewing for seven days following the live event. The conversations will also be archived by Oral History of American Music (OHAM) within Yale University’s Irving S. Gilmore Music Library. Single tickets are available on a sliding scale of $15-30; subscriptions will range from $45-$90 for four events.Composer to Composer Talks – Volume One Schedule:October 21, 2020 at 5pm ET: George Lewis’s Virtual Concerto with George Lewis, Courtney Bryan, Damon HolzbornCourtney Bryan and Damon Holzborn talk with George Lewis about his Virtual Concerto from 2004, a piece for improvising computer piano soloist and orchestra.December 2, 2020 at 5pm ET: Chen Yi and Zhou Long’s Symphony “Humen 1839”with Chen Yi, Zhou Long, Kerwin YoungKerwin Young talks with Chen Yi and Zhou Long about their co-composed work, Symphony “Humen 1839,” from 2009. The work commemorates the public burning of over 1000 tons of opium, an event which led to the First Opium War between Great Britain and China.January 13, 2021 at 5pm ET: William Bolcom’s Symphony No. 9with William Bolcom and Gabriela Lena FrankGabriela Lena Frank talks with William Bolcom about his Symphony No. 9, from 2012, of which Bolcom writes, “Today our greatest enemy is our inability to listen to each other, which seems to worsen with time. All we hear now is shouting, and nobody is listening because the din is so great. Yet there is a ‘still, small voice’ that refuses to disappear…I pin my hope on that voice. I search for it daily in life and in music – and possibly the ‘Ninth Symphony’ is a search for that soft sound.”January 27, 2021 at 5pm ET: John Corigliano’s Symphony No. 1With John Corigliano and Mason BatesMason Bates talks with John Corigliano about his Symphony No. 1 from 1989, composed while he was in residence with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Inspired in part by the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt, the symphony seeks to memorialize Corigliano’s friends and colleagues who were lost during the AIDS crisis.

Attend all 10 webinars for composers co-presented by American Composers Orchestra and American Composers Forum.Confirmed events:

Oct 14, 3pm EST - Orchestra Musician Roundtable

Description: Experienced orchestral musicians talk about their connection to composers and new orchestral music.

Moderator: Derek Bermel

Panelists:

Kyu-Young Kim

Wayne Dumaine

Alecia Lawyer

Nov 9, 3pm EST - Fundraising via Supportive IndividualsDescription: Artists and small organization leaders talk about grassroots fundraising and how artists can raise support for their projects by engaging individual donors.Moderator: Lyndsay WerkingPanelists:Bonnie MarshallNicholas PhanDafnis Prieto

Jan 20, 3pm EST - Entrepreneurship & Ensembles for Composers

Description: How can composers help guide their own careers? What part does creating an ensemble play in that?

Moderator: Frank J. Oteri

Panelists:

Nadia Sirota

Afa Dworkin

Sugar Vendil

Feb 3, 3pm EST - Finding Your Voice Online

Description: How can composers find their true artistic message and convey that effectively online?

Moderator: Dameun Strange

Panelists:

Anthony R. Green

Beth Stewart

Mary Prescott

Topics to be announced:

Conductors RoundtableDiversity, Equity, and Inclusion in OrchestraFilm MusicOrchestra Administration 101Production Tools for ComposersPublishing, Self-Publishing, and ManagementRecording Law and Practice

Join seasoned orchestral musicians as they speak about their experiences with living composers and new orchestral music. They'll touch on topics of effective communication between composers and musicians in a variety of ways, including parts writing, email/remote communication, and in-person working sessions. ACO Artistic Director Derek Bermel will moderate the panel of musicians and Q&A with the audience.Co-presented by ACO and American Composers ForumPanelists:Wayne Dumaine, trumpet, ACOKyu-Young Kim, violin & Artistic Director, Saint Paul Chamber OrchestraAlecia Lawyer, oboe & Artistic Director, ROCO

Gather as a community online and experience the creation of new work!In response to the impacts of COVID-19 on composers and performers, American Composers Orchestra announces Connecting ACO Community, a new initiative to commission short works for solo instrument or voice. Each composer will receive $500 to write the work, and each performer will receive $500 to perform the work, with the rights to stream for six months. With this project, ACO aims to support artists who need financial assistance; to create new work that will live beyond this crisis; and provide virtual, interactive performances to ACO’s supporters and the general public.This event will include the world premiere of Brain Nabors' new work for ACO Sextet (Deborah Wong, Sandra Robbins, Gene Moye, Diva Goodfriend Koven, Harry Searing, and Susan Jolles) and an exclusive Q&A with the composer and performer, hosted by Ed Yim and Derek Bermel.Ticketholders will receive a private link to join the performance, and all of the proceeds from the ticket sales will go solely to fund artists involved in this project. If the $5 entrance fee poses a barrier to participation, please fill out an anonymous form at bit.ly/ACOConnectComp or email Aiden Feltkamp at aiden@americancomposers.org.The recorded session will be available within 24 hours after the performance on ACO’s website and social media platforms, as well as on MUSIC on the REBOUND: an online festival for participating in live events as well as a platform for streaming concerts.

Gather as a community online and experience the creation of new work!In response to the impacts of COVID-19 on composers and performers, American Composers Orchestra announces Connecting ACO Community, a new initiative to commission short works for solo instrument or voice. Each composer will receive $500 to write the work, and each performer will receive $500 to perform the work, with the rights to stream for six months. With this project, ACO aims to support artists who need financial assistance; to create new work that will live beyond this crisis; and provide virtual, interactive performances to ACO’s supporters and the general public.The Festival Pass provides access to all 7 events in Volume 3 of the series:Sunday, August 2, 2020 at 5pm ETTanner Porter & Eric Jacobsen, cello and Aoife O'Donovan, voice$5 ticketsSunday, August 9, 2020 at 5pm ETVincent Calianno & Mike Seltzer, trombone$5 ticketsSunday, August 16, 2020 at 5pm ETWynton Guess & Aaron Diehl, piano$5 ticketsSunday, August 23, 2020 at 5pm ETAmina Figarova & Susan Palma Nidel and Laura Conwesser, flutes$5 ticketsSunday, August 30, 2020 at 5pm ETDawn Norfleet & Clarice Assad, voice$5 ticketsSunday, September 13, 2020 at 5pm ETGuy Mintus & Kelly Hall-Tompkins, violin$5 ticketsSunday, October 4, 2020 at 5pm ETBrian Nabors & Sextet of ACO Musicians: Debbie Wong, violin; Sandy Robbins, viola; Gene Moye, cello; Harry Searing, bassoon; Diva Goodfriend Koven, flute; Susan Jolles, harp$5 ticketsTicketholders will receive a private link to join the performance, and all of the proceeds from the ticket sales will go solely to fund artists involved in this project. If the $5 entrance fee poses a barrier to participation, please fill out an anonymous form at bit.ly/ACOConnectComp or email Aiden Feltkamp at aiden@americancomposers.org.The recorded session will be available within 24 hours after the performance on ACO’s website and social media platforms, as well as on MUSIC on the REBOUND: an online festival for participating in live events as well as a platform for streaming concerts.

Gather as a community online and experience the creation of new work!In response to the impacts of COVID-19 on composers and performers, American Composers Orchestra announces Connecting ACO Community, a new initiative to commission short works for solo instrument or voice. Each composer will receive $500 to write the work, and each performer will receive $500 to perform the work, with the rights to stream for six months. With this project, ACO aims to support artists who need financial assistance; to create new work that will live beyond this crisis; and provide virtual, interactive performances to ACO’s supporters and the general public.This event will include the world premiere of Guy Mintus' new work for violinist Kelly Hall-Tompkins and an exclusive Q&A with the composer and performer, hosted by Ed Yim and Derek Bermel.Ticketholders will receive a private link to join the performance, and all of the proceeds from the ticket sales will go solely to fund artists involved in this project. If the $5 entrance fee poses a barrier to participation, please fill out an anonymous form at bit.ly/ACOConnectComp or email Aiden Feltkamp at aiden@americancomposers.org.The recorded session will be available within 24 hours after the performance on ACO’s website and social media platforms, as well as on MUSIC on the REBOUND: an online festival for participating in live events as well as a platform for streaming concerts.

Gather as a community online and experience the creation of new work!In response to the impacts of COVID-19 on composers and performers, American Composers Orchestra announces Connecting ACO Community, a new initiative to commission short works for solo instrument or voice. Each composer will receive $500 to write the work, and each performer will receive $500 to perform the work, with the rights to stream for six months. With this project, ACO aims to support artists who need financial assistance; to create new work that will live beyond this crisis; and provide virtual, interactive performances to ACO’s supporters and the general public.This event will include the world premiere of Vincent Calianno's new work for trombonist Michael Seltzer and an exclusive Q&A with the composer and performer, hosted by Ed Yim and Derek Bermel.Ticketholders will receive a private link to join the performance, and all of the proceeds from the ticket sales will go solely to fund artists involved in this project. If the $5 entrance fee poses a barrier to participation, please fill out an anonymous form at bit.ly/ACOConnectComp or email Aiden Feltkamp at aiden@americancomposers.org.The recorded session will be available within 24 hours after the performance on ACO’s website and social media platforms, as well as on MUSIC on the REBOUND: an online festival for participating in live events as well as a platform for streaming concerts.

Gather as a community online and experience the creation of new work!In response to the impacts of COVID-19 on composers and performers, American Composers Orchestra announces Connecting ACO Community, a new initiative to commission short works for solo instrument or voice. Each composer will receive $500 to write the work, and each performer will receive $500 to perform the work, with the rights to stream for six months. With this project, ACO aims to support artists who need financial assistance; to create new work that will live beyond this crisis; and provide virtual, interactive performances to ACO’s supporters and the general public.This event will include the world premiere of Dawn Norfleet's new work for vocalist Clarice Assad and an exclusive Q&A with the composer and performer, hosted by Ed Yim and Derek Bermel.Ticketholders will receive a private link to join the performance, and all of the proceeds from the ticket sales will go solely to fund artists involved in this project. If the $5 entrance fee poses a barrier to participation, please fill out an anonymous form at bit.ly/ACOConnectComp or email Aiden Feltkamp at aiden@americancomposers.org.The recorded session will be available within 24 hours after the performance on ACO’s website and social media platforms, as well as on MUSIC on the REBOUND: an online festival for participating in live events as well as a platform for streaming concerts.