About

For 30 years ACO's educational programs have positioned music composition as a gateway to creative thinking, problem solving, and self-expression. Our long-term Sonic Spark residencies nurture the imagination through creative rituals and play, cultivating personal, social, and academic growth. Sonic Spark serves students at every stage of creative development, including those who have never played an instrument before, are learning to write music for the first time, or are on track to develop high level careers as performers and composers.

ACO offers 3 Sonic Spark programs:

Each is designed to magnify the social and academic goals of your school or organization.

SONIC SPARK by the Numbers

  • 30+ years of experience in NYC public schools​
  • Serves grades 4-12
  • All programs available in-school or after-school​
  • Programming for special needs students, classes, and schools, including District 75
  • All programs embody all strands of the Blueprint for Arts Learning & NYS Arts Standards​

Our Focus on Creativity

Creativity is more than just making art; it is shown to advance academic growth, support personal transformation, and is ranked among the most in-demand skills for job preparedness.
  • Sonic Spark Lab uses music performance, improvisation, and composition
    as a vehicle for developing creative thinking and complex problem-solving
  • Students develop tools for approaching academic and professional
    life with a flexible, adaptable, creative mindset
  • Self-esteem and confidence are nurtured through creative collaboration, rooted
    in a recognition of each student’s unique talents, mindfulness, personal
    agency/empowerment, and collective decision-making

Recent Partners

  • LaGuardia High School for the Performing Arts, Manhattan
  • Achievement First Bushwick Middle School, Bushwick Brooklyn
  • Fort Hamilton High School, Bay Ridge Brooklyn
  • IS 229 Roland Patterson Middle School, Morris Heights Bronx
  • Frank Sinatra High School of the Arts, Astoria Queens
  • Brooklyn High School for the Arts, Brooklyn
  • The Computer School, Manhattan
  • Brotherhood Sister Sol, Harlem
  • Youth Orchestra of St. Luke’s, Manhattan
  • Brooklyn Youth Chorus, Brooklyn
  • Harlem School of the Arts, Manhattan
  • The Apollo Theater, Harlem
  • Talent Unlimited High School, Manhattan
  • Lenox Academy, Brooklyn
  • WHIN Community Charter School, Manhattan

Meet our Teaching Artists

Elizabeth Pupo Walker

Elizabeth is a percussionist who has performed, and recorded with headlining stars including John Legend, Dave Grohl, The Roots, Reggie Watts, Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, Sinead O’Connor, Harry Styles, Mark Ronson, Uri Caine, Chris Potter, Los Lobos, Michael Bublé, Zakir Hussain, and Elvis Costello as well as the house bands on the Conan O’Brien and James Cordon shows.. Elizabeth has studied in Cuba with Los Munequitos de Matanzas, and at Conjunto Folklórico Nacional School of Music in Havana. She has been featured in DRUM! magazine and has been studying and performing percussion for 30 years.  Elizabeth has been teaching Drumming for ACO at IS 229 Middle School since 2011(!) and  has also been teaching percussion and leadership skills through The Leadership Program since 2006.

Reinaldo De Jesus

Reinaldo De Jesus is a world-class multi-percussionist, originally inspired  by  the  rich  drumming  traditions  of  Puerto  Rico  and  the  teachings  and encouragement of great percussionists like Giovanni Hidalgo, Anthony Carrillo, Richie Flores and Paoli Mejias. Reinaldo  attended  the  University  of  Puerto  Rico,  the Conservatory of Music of Puerto Rico, and Berklee College of Music. Reinaldo  has  worked with  a  wide  array  of  musicians  and  artists, including Antibalas, Sharon  Jones, Lauryn  Hill, William Cepeda and many, many more. In 2003, as part of the Kennedy Center Jazz  Ambassadors  Program,  Reinaldo  toured West  Africa  with Alto-Saxophonist,  Miguel  Zenon  and  the  Rhythm  Collective.  In  2006,

Tom Nazziola

Tom Nazziola is a composer and performer based in Brooklyn. Tom is  the musical director and composer for The BQE Project, a celebrated New York-based chamber ensemble known for its original compositions performed live-to-film throughout the world.  His music has been performed by ensembles including the Chicago Philharmonic Orchestra, Bang on a Can, and the Eastman Percussion Ensemble. Tom has received commissions and awards from groups such as the  American Composer’s Forum, VocalEssence, Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts and most recently the Samuel Adler Grand Prize (2020). As a performer, Tom has played with artists such as Rufus Reid, Dave Liebman, and Bob Brookmeyer. He’s played percussion on Broadway productions including Martin Short’s “Fame Becomes Me” and Disney’s “Newsies.” He’s recorded on the soundtrack for Paramount Picture’s “Mad Hot Ballroom” and on Disney’s “Baby Einstein” CDs and DVDs. Tom is a graduate of the Eastman School of Music and holds a masters degree in composition from Brooklyn College and a Ph.D. in composition from Rutgers University.

Doron Lev

Doron Lev is a drummer/percussionist, vocalist, illustrator, and arts educator. He has recorded & performed with many artists such as Hip Hop legends Newcleus, Ski Beats, Beledo, Eyal Amir, Evil Giraffes on Mars, Uglybraine, & Esko Boogie to name a few. His music has appeared in award winning films such as “Don’t Let Me Drown”, directed by Angeles Cruz. Doron has been a cast member of “Break The Funk Spectacular!!”, “The Radio City Spring Spectacular”, “Through the Fire” Labyrinth Theater, & serves as MD for “Invincible” & Rennie Harris’ “Funkedified”. As an arts educator, he teaches percussive arts for American Composers Orchestra in NYC, & is on the teaching staff of University of West London, Zurich campus @Tanzwerk.

Jackie Traish

Jackie Traish is originally from Rocky Mount, North Carolina, and currently lives in New York City as a musician, teaching artist, and arts administrator. She is a graduate of the Mannes School of Music at the College of Performing Arts at The New School where she received her Masters of Music in Orchestral Studies and her Professional Studies Diploma under the instruction of Judith Mendenhall (principal flutist of the American Ballet). Prior to this, she received her Bachelors in Music Performance with Dr. Christine Gustafson, as well as her Bachelors in Science Education, from East Carolina University.​​Her love of collaboration with other artists has given her the opportunity to perform with world-renowned programs and ensembles, such as The Lion King on Broadway, the Martha Graham Dance Company, New York City Ballet Choreography Institute, International Contemporary Ensemble, Brooklyn Youth Chorus, The Chelsea Symphony, and the Metropolitan Opera. She has performed in venues such as Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, New York City Center, and Joe’s Pub. As a lover of musical theater and opera, Jackie has had the opportunity to perform in many workshops, recording projects, and world premieres of newly-written works. It is her passion for interdisciplinary art that has guided her music and artistry throughout her career thus far. Along with being a performer, Jackie enjoys working in arts administrative roles to create impactful and exciting music opportunities for her community and beyond. She currently works in different production, programming, and operational roles for the Bloomingdale School of Music, the New York Youth Symphony, The Chelsea Symphony, the New York Flute Club, and more. She is also an active private teacher (both flute and ukulele), and a teaching artist for Midori & Friends and Art Beyond the Ink.

J.L. (Jess) Marlor

J.L. (Jess) Marlor is a multidisciplinary artist, composer, songwriter, performer, and educator. Called “refreshingly bold” by Opera Wire, J.L. primarily writes chamber music, opera, musical theater, and contemporary classical music. Best known for her vocal music, J.L. has written for Wet Ink Ensemble, SparkDuo, The DeCamera Singers, Mivos Quartet, OperaRox, LoftOpera, and the New Music Gathering, J.L. creates multi-genre works involving, among others, Balkan folk techniques, musical theater, bel canto, riot grrrl punk, folk singing, and American protest music.As an electric guitarist, J.L. performs as the frontwoman of the indie rock band, THB, at venues such as Arlene’s Grocery, Union Pool, The Knitting Factory, and others.  J.L. also performs regularly as a singer and lead guitarist of the punk-rock musical turned concert experience, Riot Antigone, at La Mama, Ars Nova and Joe’s Pub. A passionate educator J.L. teaches composition and musicianship with the NY Phil’s Very Young Composer program, The Symphony of Westchester’s Songcatchers program, and the American Composers Orchestra.

Jacinta Clusellas

Jacinta Clusellas is a composer, songwriter and guitarist based in New York City. Originally from Buenos Aires, Argentina, Jacinta is a Jonathan Larson Grant recipient (American Theatre Wing, 2023). Her debut concept album El Pájaro Azul was published in Japan and became the inspiration for the bilingual musical AZUL which was programmed at the Writers Grove at Goodspeed Musicals in 2023, the Eugene O'Neill Theatre Center in 2022, the 2021 NAMT 33rd Annual Festival of New Musicals, the 2020 National Music Theatre Conference at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre Center, as well as previously developed at New York Theatre Workshop, BRIC, The Drama League, Tofte Lake Center, Catwalk Art Institute and the Prelude Festival. Jacinta has toured the US as a composer, songwriter, performer and resident artist. Selected: South by Southwest [SXSW] (Austin, TX), People’s Light (PA) Lanesboro Arts (Jerome Foundation, MN), Audacious Raw Theatre (MN), Brush Creek Foundation for the Arts (WY) Good Hart Artist Residency (MI). Internationally, she has toured her music throughout Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Canada, Greece and Italy. Jacinta has also worked as an arranger for Grammy award-winning artists Alejandro Sanz (Berklee Performance Center) and A.R. Rahman (Boston Symphony Hall).As a Teaching Artist at the New York Philharmonic, Jacinta develops curriculums and leads the Very Young Composers program and the NY Phil Schools program. She is also a Teaching Artist at the American Composers Orchestra and has lead workshops for Lincoln Center’s Music Across Borders program and Lincoln Center Passport To The Arts program. She has served as an Assistant Professor at Berklee College of Music in the Contemporary Writing and Production department.

Arjan Singh Dogra

Arjan Singh is a composer and performer based in New York City who creates art to understand and contextualize his relationship with time, nature, and his culture. He invites audiences experiencing his art to challenge their own perception of time, and reflect on their connection to the natural and unnatural environments that surround them. Arjan is particularly interested in exploring perplexing elements of lived experience, such as space, perspective, memory, and temporal realms, and seeks meaning in the places where these elements intersect, interplay, and contradict.  Arjan completed his undergraduate studies at Berklee and received his Masters in Composition at Mannes, having studied with Christopher Cerrone. He also grew up studying Hindustani Classical violin with Dr. Sisirkana Dhar Choudhury, and Hindustani music continues to play a key role in his musical practice. A passionate collaborator, Arjan specializes in creating multidisciplinary works of art and regularly works with filmmakers, game developers, dancers, and more. He has worked with ensembles including the Jack Quartet, Sandbox Percussion, Arepo Ensemble, RE:Duo, the SEV ensemble, PubliQuartet, and the Mannes Orchestra, who awarded him with the Martinu Prize for his piece, Live Salmon. Arjan is a 2024 recipient of the Fromm Foundation Fellowship, as well as a winner of a BMI composer award. Other honors include awards and recognitions from the Society of New Music, the Society of Composers inc., RED NOTE Music Festival, the American Prize, and MTNA. 

Christopher McIntyre

Christopher McIntyre enjoys a singular, wide-ranging career in music and the performing arts. An in-demand performer on trombone and electronics, McIntyre specializes in ensemble work meshing improvisative & interpretive material as a player and as a composer, conductor, and band leader. Based in Brooklyn and bred in Minnesota, he composes for various media and instrumental forces, often employing creative systems suggested by the work of visual artists such as Serra, Smithson, and LeWitt. He serves as program curator and trombonist for NYC ensembles Either/Or and TILT Brass, as well as Director and Co-Founder of the latter. McIntyre also independently curates events for local venues including ISSUE Project Room and The Kitchen. He frequently performs around the city and in Europe with TILT, Either/Or, SEM and Talea Ensembles, among many others including numerous composer-led projects. He can be heard on recordings released by New World, Tzadik, XI, Mode, Braxton House, Edition Modern, POTTR, zOaR, and Non-Site Records. Since 2006, McIntyre has contributed to the broad revival of composer Julius Eastman’s music by creating several score realizations and leading performances by SEM, TILT Brass, Talea & Harlem Chamber Players, Queens College’s Copland Ensemble, Philly’s Arcana NME, and members of Orchestra of St. Lukes. He teaches contemporary brass chamber music at Mannes School of Music at The New School. cmcintyre.com

Audrey Flores

Audrey Flores is a freelancing horn player in New York City.  She attended the Juilliard School and the Mannes College of Music, and regularly plays in Broadway productions and with orchestras in the tri-state area. Audrey spends most of her time performing as a Broadway freelancer. She began playing as a substitute on Disney’s The Lion King in 2012, where she quickly was designated as an approved player for the Horn I position. In 2015, she was designated to perform the solo book at Disney’s Aladdin, and went on to become designated for both Horn I and II at Frozen in 2016. She was also designated for both Horn I and II at King Kong in 2017.  She has been a chairholder at Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, NJ; Westport Playhouse in Westport, CT; at Plaza Productions in Elmont, NY; and at the Delaware Theatre Company in Wilmington, DE. She has also worked for the Roundabout Theatre Company. She can be heard on album recordings for She Has Risen, an all-female concept album of Jesus Christ Superstar, and on Lempicka - A New Musical that is currently in its pre-Broadway run.Audrey also enjoys a full teaching schedule in addition to pursuing a varied career.  Audrey is the newest member of the Horn Faculty team at the Juilliard MAP Program. She is a Teaching Artist for Midori and Friends, an organization in New York City that works in tandem with the Department of Education to supplement and provide music instruction for public school students.  She taught beginning and intermediate brass at the Edward Said National Conservatory of Music in Palestine in 2006, and coached chamber music for the Juilliard Pre-College Program in 2005.  She specializes in teaching beginning brass students.Audrey is also the staff music arranger for the Patriot Brass Ensemble, a 501(c)3 that performs concerts in long-term care facilities for veterans of the United States.  Her arrangements have been featured on NBC’s Late Night with James Corden, NBC's The Voice, CBS's Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Entertainment Tonight, Inside Edition, Paramount Pictures events, New York Fashion Week events, various Improv Everywhere productions, and on several Patriot Brass Ensemble programs and corporate events across the country.  She also performs as a brass musician with PBE as a member of the large brass ensemble, the brass quintet, and the horn quartet.  She is also a member of the newly formed Patriot Concert Brass, and serves as Secretary of the Patriot Brass Ensemble Board of Trustees.