Past Events

Wednesday, October 29, 2025 at 7:30 PM

American Composers Orchestra

Zankel Hall, Carnegie Hall | New York City, NY

Link: https://www.carnegiehall.org/Cart/Event-Seating?itemNumber=49300#/

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The New Virtuoso: For Art’s Sake features works that utilize newly created instruments and sonic media to explore symphonic texture. Spanning the use of sculptures that move and sonically react to their environments; graphic scores; gestural conduction; a survey of contemporary techniques for traditional instruments; the fashioning of instruments based on composers’ unique cultural backgrounds, these artists’ sense of design propels them into new compositional spaces.

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Mélisse Brunet, Conductor

Lucy Fitz Gibbon, Soprano

Daniel Rozin, Responsive Sculptures

Daniel Kramer, Libretto

The New Virtuoso: For Art's Sake

RAVEN CHACON, Inscription (NY Premiere, ACO Co-commission, developed via EarShot CoLABoratory) 15'

TAMAR MUSKAL, Square Off for voice, interactive kinetic sculpture and orchestra (World Premiere, ACO Commission) 20'
ELIJAH DANIEL SMITH, The Fall of Ideals (World Premiere, ACO Commission) 15'

MAZZ SWIFT, Memory FIVE: Freedom Initiate for Conductrix and Orchestra (ACO Commission, developed via EarShot CoLABoratory, World Premiere) 10'

AARON ISRAEL LEVIN, Lear in the storm (ACO Commission, World Premiere) 10'

Eastman School of Music | Rochester, NY

Link: https://events.rochester.edu/event/eastman-school-symphony-orchestra-6358?n=138

Michael Frazier, composer 

Jordan Bak, viola

In every era of uncertainty, artists and visionaries have been the true searchlights — illuminating new paths forward when the world needs them most. Join us for a celebration honoring two luminary couples who exemplify our core values of artistry, creativity, community, and equity. 

Immerse yourself in a genre-bending experience rooted in Prohibition Era rebellion and Gatsby-esque opulence. This gathering of artists and their champions is a celebration of artistic disruption and all the good trouble that may come!

This musical evening will honor the past, inspire the present, and light the way for the future, while supporting our American composers through ACO's national EarShot composer advancement programs, orchestral performances, and educational initiatives.

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HONOREES

Ray & Vivian Chew

Elizabeth & Justus Schlichting

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GALA CHAIRS

Diana Elton

Melin Tan-Geller

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HONORARY COMMITTEE

In formation

Raven Chacon

Philip Glass

George Lewis

Meredith Monk

Huang Ruo

Shanta Thake

Joan Tower

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GALA COMMITTEE

In formation

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ICON

Thomas Brener* and Inbal Segev

Augusta Gross* and Leslie Samuels

Matthew Keesan*

Justus and Elizabeth Schlichting

Melin Tan-Geller* and David Geller

Marilyn Go* and Richard Dolan, Schlam, Stone, & Dolan LLP

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MAVERICK

Ray and Vivian Chew

Diana Elton

Ilya Karaulov*

Frederick Wertheim and Angelo Chan

MUSE

‍Alberta Arthurs

Tess Mateo* and Gary Brewster

George and Andrea Miller

Cate Moye

Steinway and Sons

Judith R. and Michael E. Thoyer

EXPLORER

Patricia Barksdale

Astrid and John Baumgardner

Atif Bhanjee*

Lillian Z. Bender Fund

Scott Dunn* and Robbie Moray

Marisa Eisemann

Susan Feder and Todd Gordon

Michael Fehrman* and Andrea Luciano

Jonathan Bailey Holland*

Annette McEvoy* and Harold Bronheim

Yimin Ngan and Patricia Saich

Wende Persons

Dennis Powers

Norman Ryan

Deborah Steinglass and Al Giammarinaro

Melinda Wagner* and Jim Saporito

Jess Ting*

Dionne Warwick

Lisa Evanson Washburn*

André Washington*

Brian Waters*

Philip Webb  

Richard Weinert*

Shinian Ye* and Cathy Huang  

SUPPORTERS

Mashey Bernstein

Anthony and Kathleen Calabrese

Jane Cavalier*

Valentine Chmerkovsky

NancyBell Coe

Ruth Eliel

Corey Field

Marc Giosi

Eric Hutcherson

Will Kerlick, Center Staging

Ron Lipuma

Tim Mar, Concert Artists Guild

Patricio Molina

Dominique Pasols

Azi Schwartz

Kenny Seymour

Sean Statser, Kettles & Co.

JoAnn Tominaga

Theodore Wiprud

* Indicates ACO Board Member

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SPONSORSHIP & TICKETS

Purchase your tickets before the event.

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Visionary $25,000

• 8 Premiere tickets to the dinner & performance with priority table placement; includes placement of two guest artists at your table, if desired  
• Inside Gala Journal Cover Ad (full color)
• Recognition as an official sponsor of The New Virtuoso: For Art’s Sake ACO’s October 29, 2025 concert at Carnegie Hall
• 8 VIP tickets to ACO’s The New Virtuoso: For Art’s Sake concert at Carnegie Hall, plus invite to exclusive post-show reception

$23,000 of this purchase is tax-deductible

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Icon $10,000

• 8 VIP tickets to the dinner & performance with preferred table placement; includes placement of two guest artists at your table, if desired  

• Full-page Gala Journal Ad (B&W)
• Recognition as an official sponsor of The New Virtuoso: For Art’s Sake, ACO’s October 29, 2025 concert at Carnegie Hall

• 4 VIP tickets to ACO’s The New Virtuoso: For Art’s Sake concert at Carnegie Hall, plus invite to exclusive post-show reception 

$8,000 of this purchase is tax-deductible

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Maverick $5,000

• 4 VIP tickets to the dinner & performance, with select table placement, includes placement of one guest artist at your table, if desired    
• Listing in Gala Journal

• Invitation to a special ACO insider event

$4,000 of this purchase is tax-deductible

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Muse $1,500  

• 1 VIP ticket to the dinner & performance with select seating
• Listing in Gala Journal

• Invitation to a special ACO insider event

$1,250  of this purchase is tax-deductible

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Explorer $1000

• 1 VIP ticket to the dinner & performance
• Listing in Gala Journal

$750  of this purchase is tax-deductible

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Non-Profit/Artist Ticket $300

• 1 VIP ticket to the dinner & performance
• Listing in Gala Journal

$50  of this purchase is tax-deductible

September 22, 2025

4:00 PM ET

Staff Moderator: LaRob K. Rafael 

Featured Speakers: Shawn Johnson & Jasmine (Moni) Guo

EarShot Readings are the first systemic program connecting composers with orchestras, providing the unique opportunity to rehearse and interact with large ensembles in a way that many composers never have. This webinar, featuring two previous EarShot Readings participants, will offer insights on the application process and outcomes of this program.

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REGISTRATION LINK

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Shawn Johnson, a Virginia Beach native, studied Music Theory and Composition at Old Dominion University and East Carolina University. He studied Composition with composers such as Adolphus Hailstork, Andrey Kasparov, and Edward Jacobs. Johnson grew up listening to popular styles such as R&B, Hip-Hop, Rock, and Jazz, among others. He works to infuse key elements from those styles into his music. In addition, he works to have a keen understanding of the concepts related to popular music. He wrote his Master’s Thesis on the music of the Pulitzer Prize Winning Artist, Kendrick Lamar. 

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Moni (Jasmine) Guo (b. 1993) is a classical pianist, a contemporary concert composer and film composer from Taiyuan, Shanxi, China. She has appeared as both a performer and composer in Asia, Europe, South America, Canada, and the United States. As a composer, Jasmine is highly interested in using her music to encourage and comfort people around the world; moreover, she also hopes to use her music as a bridge between Western and Eastern culture.

June 6, 2025

EarShot Readings: American Composers Orchestra

Friday, June 6, 2025 at 7:30 PM – Public Reading

Neidorff-Karpati Hall, Manhattan School of Music

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Live Stream available here.

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Rei Hotoda, conductor

Vijay Iyer, mentor composer

Curtis Stewart, mentor composer

Melinda Wagner, mentor composer

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LAVELL BLACKWELL, Toccata for Orchestra

ARJAN SINGH DOGRA, Live Salmon

GRACE ANN LEE, In Crystallized Time

STEVEN R. GERBER, Spirituals for String Orchestra, 6. Call and Response (“Go Down, Moses”)

SHAWN JOHNSON, The Cardinal Takes Flight

CHENG JIN KOH, Midnight Visions

MARIE DOUGLAS, The People Could Fly

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Live Salmon is presented in partnership with the BMI Foundation

Spirituals for String Orchestra is made possible by the Steven R. Gerber Trust

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EarShot is a program of American Composers Orchestra completed in partnership with American Composers Forum, the League of American Orchestras, and New Music USA. The program is made possible with lead support from Altman Foundation, Elizabeth and Justus Schlichting, Mellon Foundation, Sphinx Venture Fund, TD Charitable Foundation, Fromm Foundation, Ford Good Neighbor Committee, Jerome Foundation, BMI Foundation, and The New York Community Trust Van Lier Fellowships; additional support is provided by the Aaron Copland Fund for Music, Arthur F. & Alice E. Adams Charitable Fund, Alice M. Ditson Fund of Columbia University, G. Schirmer/Wise Music Foundation, and the League of American Orchestras with support of the Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation.

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Public funds are provided by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

EarShot CoLABoratory Workshop: Shelley Washington

Thursday, June 5, 2025 @ 1:30-2:30pm | Neidorff-Karpati Hall, Manhattan School of Music

In her first work for full orchestra, Shelley Washington builds on a previous work, Seething, for cello and kick drum, commissioned and performed by Amanda Gookin. She will explore the question: What would it mean to treat each musician as a virtuoso within the context of a larger group of musicians?

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June 5, 2025

EarShot Readings: American Composers Orchestra

Thursday, June 5, 2025 at 10:30 AM – Open Rehearsal

Neidorff-Karpati Hall, Manhattan School of Music

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Rei Hotoda, conductor

Vijay Iyer, mentor composer

Curtis Stewart, mentor composer

Melinda Wagner, mentor composer

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LAVELL BLACKWELL, Toccata for Orchestra

ARJAN SINGH DOGRA, Live Salmon

GRACE ANN LEE, In Crystallized Time

STEVEN R. GERBER, Spirituals for String Orchestra, 6. Call and Response (“Go Down, Moses”)

SHAWN JOHNSON, The Cardinal Takes Flight

CHENG JIN KOH, Midnight Visions

MARIE DOUGLAS, The People Could Fly

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Live Salmon is presented in partnership with the BMI Foundation

Spirituals for String Orchestra is made possible by the Steven R. Gerber Trust

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EarShot is a program of American Composers Orchestra completed in partnership with American Composers Forum, the League of American Orchestras, and New Music USA. The program is made possible with lead support from Altman Foundation, Elizabeth and Justus Schlichting, Mellon Foundation, Sphinx Venture Fund, TD Charitable Foundation, Fromm Foundation, Ford Good Neighbor Committee, Jerome Foundation, BMI Foundation, and The New York Community Trust Van Lier Fellowships; additional support is provided by the Aaron Copland Fund for Music, Arthur F. & Alice E. Adams Charitable Fund, Alice M. Ditson Fund of Columbia University, G. Schirmer/Wise Music Foundation, and the League of American Orchestras with support of the Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation.

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Public funds are provided by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature, and the National Endowment for the Arts.