Compose Yourself

The ACO Compose Yourself! program is designed to help young composers develop positive approaches to creativity, learn professional standards of notation, and develop strong orchestration technique in a supportive, hands-on environment.

This class is great for ambitious high school musicians who are interested in music creation, whether they’ll be attempting their first score, or have already been composing for years, whether they’re writing pop songs, jazz or the next great symphony.

Scroll down this page to find the registration form and more info.

REGISTRATION DEADLINE HAS BEEN EXTENDED to February 14

Learn to Write Music with ACO!

REGISTER NOW For the SPRING semester

  • Students will complete a new work during the semester
  • Professional reading of new works by ACO musicans
  • Reading sessions are recorded for inclusion in college portfolios, competitions, etc.
  • Class size is limited to assure personalized attention
  • Visits by renowned guest composers
STUDENT INTEREST IN ALL GENRES IS WELCOME

Our theme this semester will be 'Looking Homeward'. How does a composer's concept of 'home' affect their work? After all, for many composers, the music they create is a deeply felt reflection of their identity.

We'll examine how a variety of cultures and composers represent 'home' in their art We'll learn about the ideas, sounds, and techniques that make each of those representations unique, and we'll explore the ways that we're able to put our own home and identity into our compositions.

Special Note: It is not necessary to be local to New York to participate in Compose Yourself!. We regularly accommodate students from across the world via our hybrid and Zoom classes.


Teachers: Please print, post, and share the ready-to-print poster attached here.
CLICK HERE: READY-TO-PRINT POSTER

Important Info

This Class is for:
HIGH SCHOOL aged students (rising 9th graders through recent graduates)
Classes will begin the week of February 24th, with classes on the following weeks: March 3 & 10, April 1, 7, 21, and 28, May 5, 12, and June 2. Reading session TBD.

Classes will meet:
Classes will be held at an ACO partner facility in Midtown Manhattan such as the Resnick Education Wing at Carnegie Hall

Other Requirements
Students are required to attend ALL sessions.
Although we’re open to, and often explore alternative approaches, students need to be able to read music.

Tuition
$750*

*ACO is committed to assuring that all interested students are able to participate, regardless of need. Look for the appropriate check box on the registration form below to inquire about scholarships and financial aid. Through generous funding from the Fromm Foundation, in addition to our standard scholarship program, we’re able to offer a limited number of FULL SCHOLARSHIPS to students who might not otherwise be able to participate in this program.

Registration

Fill out and submit the form below – you’ll need to scroll through this section to see all the questions. When you hit “Submit”, you’ll receive a confirmation that your registration has been received.

Questions & Information

If you have any questions or would like further information on how you child could benefit from ACO Education programming:
contact Kevin James, Education Director at education@americancomposers.org