June 13–14, 2024EarShot Readings: American Composers OrchestraNeidorff-Karpati Hall, Manhattan School of MusicNew York City, NYEnsemble:American Composers OrchestraMentor Composers:TBDConductor:TBDFeatured Artists and Works:TBD

Through orchestral, choral, gospel and soul choral music, this one-night-only event is the signature celebration for The Kennedy Center’s Conflux partnership with the National Black Theatre (NBT) running May 26 - June 2, 2024.  The Gathering: A Collective Sonic Ring Shout will take us on a sonic quest produced by National Black Theatre & The Apollo. Taking place in the Opera House at The Kennedy Center, The Gathering will center the soul of Black folks and the heart of America's brilliant and bitter present. With Creative Concept and Direction by NBT’s Executive Artistic Director, Jonathan McCrory, and featuring the American Composers Orchestra and NEWorks Voices of Inspiration chorale, this night will feature the DC premiere of Seven Last Words of the Unarmed by Joel Thompson alongside Carlos Simon’s Amen! and Courtney Bryan’s Sanctum. In conjunction with these pieces, the night has been curated in the African tradition of call and response to include original works by genre-defying Black artists such as Abby Dobson, Toshi Reagon, Troy Anthony, and Nona Hendryx. The Gathering: A Collective Sonic Ring Shout was originally performed at The Apollo in Harlem, New York 2022.

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April 15–16, 2024EarShot Readings: Illinois Philharmonic OrchestraVenue TBDPalo Heights, ILEnsemble:Illinois Philharmonic OrchestraMentor Composers:Jessie MontgomeryJames StephensonConductor:Stilian KirovFeatured Artists and Works:TBD

April 6–7, 2024Virginia B. Toulmin Commission ConcertAngel Lam, TBD (World Premiere)Quad City Symphony OrchestraToulmin Commissioning Consortium: ACO and LAO have established a 30-orchestra consortium to support commissions by 6 women and nonbinary EarShot alumni. Each composer will write a 6–8 minute orchestral work and develop an educational or community-focused program presented in partnership with each orchestra.

March 22–24, 2024Virginia B. Toulmin Commission ConcertAngel Lam, TBD (World Premiere)Kansas City SymphonyToulmin Commissioning Consortium: ACO and LAO have established a 30-orchestra consortium to support commissions by 6 women and nonbinary EarShot alumni. Each composer will write a 6–8 minute orchestral work and develop an educational or community-focused program presented in partnership with each orchestra

March 20–22, 2024EarShot Readings: Indiana UniversityBloomington, INMentor composers:TBDConductor:Jeffrey MeyerFeatured Artists and Works:TBD

March 12, 2024, 7:30pm Zankel Hall, Carnegie HallRei Hotoda, conductorChrystal E. Williams, mezzo-sopranoFelipe Hostins, accordionJerod Impichcha̱achaaha' Tate, narrator and lead vocalAMERICA IN WEIMAR: ON THE MARGINSGeorge Antheil: Jazz Symphony 7’Jerod Impichcha̱achaaha' : Lowak Shoppala' (Clans) (NY premiere) 10–15’John Glover (composer)/Kelley (librettist): Right Now (World Premiere) 15’Duke Ellington: “Solitude” and “Sophisticated Lady”, arr. Morton Gould 8’Tonia Ko: Breath, Untamed (World Premiere) 15’Kurt Weill/Ira Gershwin: “My Ship” from Lady in the Dark 5’AMERICA IN WEIMAR: ON THE MARGINS explores American influence on the Weimar period and—conversely—the legacy of Weimar's embrace of transgression, non-Teutonic identity, and utopian ideals, all of which continually resonate in today's American art and music.

February 22–23, 2024“Beethoven Violin Concerto”Virginia B. Toulmin Commission ConcertSarah Gibson, to make this mountain tallerKnoxville Symphony OrchestraToulmin Commissioning Consortium: ACO and LAO have established a 30-orchestra consortium to support commissions by 6 women and nonbinary EarShot alumni. Each composer will write a 6–8 minute orchestral work and develop an educational or community-focused program presented in partnership with each orchestra.

February 7–8, 2024“Pouliot & Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto& Shelley conducts Scheherazade”Virginia B. Toulmin Commission ConcertGity Razaz, Methuselah (In Chains of Time)National Arts Centre OrchestraToulmin Commissioning Consortium: ACO and LAO have established a 30-orchestra consortium to support commissions by 6 women and nonbinary EarShot alumni. Each composer will write a 6–8 minute orchestral work and develop an educational or community-focused program presented in partnership with each orchestra.

January 25, 2024“Birth of a Culture”Virginia B. Toulmin Commission ConcertArlene Sierra, KiskadeeLouisiana Philharmonic OrchestraToulmin Commissioning Consortium: ACO and LAO have established a 30-orchestra consortium to support commissions by 6 women and nonbinary EarShot alumni. Each composer will write a 6–8 minute orchestral work and develop an educational or community-focused program presented in partnership with each orchestra.

Event Details

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November 9, 2023, 7:30pm

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Zankel Hall, Carnegie Hall

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Vimbayi Kaziboni, conductor

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Sidney Outlaw, baritone

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Luke Dubois, video design

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THE QUEST: EPIC JOURNEYS

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Augusta Read Thomas: Sun Dance—In memoriam Oliver Knussen (NY Premiere) 6’

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George Lewis: New Work (World Premiere/ACO Commission) 15’

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Jack Hughes: Three Ways of Getting There (World Premiere/ACO Underwood commission) 10-12’

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Guillermo Klein: The Kingdom (CoLABoratory/World Premiere) 10’

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Nina C. Young: Out of whose womb came the ice (World Premiere, Carnegie Hall/ACO Co-commission) 28’

ACO invites you to kick off the 2023-24 season with us at our 2023 Gala & Creative Catalyst Awards, a joyful celebration of the music and culture of the Americas honoring three visionary leaders - Paquito D'Rivera, Dr. Indira Etwaroo, and Edward Yim - who exemplify our core values of artistry, creativity, community, and equity.Meet rising stars of tomorrow over a caipirinha at the bar. Discover new sounds with NYC's most culturally curious. Make lifelong connections through the one-of-a-kind communal dining experience that is Brazilian churrasco. And, because it's a party after all, bring out your most creative festive attire!Save the date and join us for a night featuring music by composer & saxophonist Paquito D'Rivera, soprano Chrystal E. Williams, forró musician Felipe Hostins, composer Raquel Acevedo Klein, and sound artist Chris Kallmyer, among others, and a fabulous dinner.Founded in Porto Alegre, Brazil, Fogo de Chão's interactive tableside service features fire roasted meats, fish, and vegan/vegetarian entrees alongside Fogo's signature Market Table spread inspired by the farms of Southern Brazil where family and friends gather to share the finest and freshest from their harvests.We look forward to welcoming you for an evening of enthralling performances, sparkling company, and delicious food, while supporting the expansion of ACO's national EarShot composer advancement programs, orchestral performances, and educational initiatives.EVENT6:00pm Cocktail Hour7:00pm Awards Ceremony & Performances7:30pm Dinner & DessertTICKETSOnline tickets will be available by August 2023. Until then, please RSVP to Chaele Davis at chaele@americancomposers.orgVisionary $25,000

• 8 VIP 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 Quest: Epic Journeys, ACO’s November 9, 2023 concert at Carnegie Hall
• 8 VIP tickets to ACO’s The Quest: Epic Journeys concert at Carnegie Hall, plus invite to exclusive post-show reception

$23,000 of this purchase is tax-deductibleIcon $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 Quest: Epic Journeys, ACO’s November 9, 2023 concert at Carnegie Hall
• 4 VIP tickets to ACO’s The Quest: Epic Journeys concert at Carnegie Hall, plus invite to exclusive post-show reception

$8,000 of this purchase is tax-deductibleMaverick $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-deductibleMuse $1,000

• 1 VIP ticket to the dinner & performance with select seating
• Listing in Gala Journal
• Invitation to a special ACO insider event

$750 of this purchase is tax-deductibleExplorer $600

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

$350 of this purchase is tax-deductibleTRIBUTESI cannot attend, but I’d like to place a tribute in the program book:Back Cover (color) 5” x 7 5/8” $1,500 Full page (B&W): 5” x 7 5/8” $500½ page (B&W): 5” x 3 11/16” $300¼ page (B&W): 2 3/8” wide x 3 11/16” $175ABOUT THE HONOREESNEA Jazz Master Paquito D'Rivera defies categorization. The winner of 14 combined Grammy and Latin Grammy awards with his celebrated musical career that reflects a dedication to jazz, bebop, and Latin music, including his impressive contributions to classical music. In his passion to bring Latin repertoire to greater prominence, D'Rivera has successfully created and championed all types of classical compositions, including chamber compositions and symphonies. His second National Symphony commission "The Journey" premiered in 2022 with Yo-Yo Ma as Soloist.Dr. Indira Etwaroo is an award-winning producer, director, scholar, and non-profit arts leader, and currently serves as the Director of the Steve Jobs Theater at Apple. Previously, she led RestorationART and The Billie Holiday Theatre through radical growth, including the launch of the first national strategic plan for Black theaters, The Black Seed.As Chief Content Officer and Senior Vice President of WQXR, Edward Yim is responsible for developing and implementing a strategic vision that helps WQXR reach a broader, more inclusive audience, drives digital innovation, bolsters the station’s role in New York City’s arts and culture ecosystem, and increases WQXR’s relevance and service to the city’s communities. Prior to joining WQXR, he served as President & CEO of the American Composers Orchestra.

October 19–21, 2023“Korngold’s Violin Concerto”Virginia B. Toulmin Commission ConcertArlene Sierra, KiskadeeDetroit Symphony OrchestraToulmin Commissioning Consortium: ACO and LAO have established a 30-orchestra consortium to support commissions by 6 women and nonbinary EarShot alumni. Each composer will write a 6–8 minute orchestral work and develop an educational or community-focused program presented in partnership with each orchestra.

Presented by the Pittsburgh Symphony, this concert is free and open to the public. This 90-minute concert features selections from Mozart’s “Jupiter” Symphony, Tchaikovsky’s Romeo and Juliet Suite, and Gershwin’s An American in Paris. Also, a RAD Days first: the Pittsburgh premiere of “to make this mountain taller” by American composer Sarah Gibson. Online reservations are encouraged. This concert is family-friendly, recommended for ages six and older.Sarah Gibson's work is made possible through the Virginia B. Toulmin Commissioning Consortium: ACO and LAO have established a 30-orchestra consortium to support commissions by 6 women and nonbinary EarShot alumni. Each composer will write a 6–8 minute orchestral work and develop an educational or community-focused program presented in partnership with each orchestra.

October 6–8, 2023Kimmel Center"Trifinov Plays Brahms"Virginia B. Toulmin Commission ConcertAnna Clyne, This MomentThe Philadelphia OrchestraToulmin Commissioning Consortium: ACO and LAO have established a 30-orchestra consortium to support commissions by 6 women and nonbinary EarShot alumni. Each composer will write a 6–8 minute orchestral work and develop an educational or community-focused program presented in partnership with each orchestra.

CSO Assistant Conductors Samuel Lee and Daniel Wiley will conduct the CSO in a performance featuring composers of EarShot, the nation’s first ongoing, systematic program for creating relationships between orchestras and composers. EarShot is operated in partnership with the American Composers Forum, New Music USA, and the League of American Orchestras. The composers will be mentored by CSO Music Director Louis Langrée.

Featured Artists & Works:

Leyou Wang: Impressions from TianqianMartin Hebel: Radiant PillarsGiuseppe Gallo-Balma: Los Huesos de YayaelJoseph Sowa: Summer Has Ten Thousand StarsMentor Composers: Melinda Wagner, Curtis Stewart, Texu KimRead more about Composers & their Works. CLICK HERE –>

“The Four Seasons”Virginia B. Toulmin Commission ConcertGity Razaz, Methuselah (In Chains of Time)Rochester Philharmonic OrchestraSeptember 28th and 30th, 2023Toulmin Commissioning Consortium: ACO and LAO have established a 30-orchestra consortium to support commissions by 6 women and nonbinary EarShot alumni. Each composer will write a 6–8 minute orchestral work and develop an educational or community-focused program presented in partnership with each orchestra.

Brooklyn’s own Tamar-kali joins forces with international opera and theatre director James Blaszko and the American Composers Orchestra to bring Freedom Is a Constant Struggle to Lincoln Center. A second-generation musician with roots in the coastal Sea Islands of South Carolina, Tamar-kali has designed an evening of orchestral performances and readings that highlight the African-American struggle to reap the benefits of liberty and justice defined as a part of American citizenry. The concert traces the African-American struggle to achieve freedom—from the call to abolish chattel slavery through the Civil War, from reconstruction and the early movement for racial equality to the ‘60s civil rights movement, all the way to our present-day fights for equity. The performance includes the world premiere of Tamar-kali’s Sea Island Symphony: Red Rice, Cotton and Indigo, and spotlights pivotal works by Ta-Nehisi Coates, Frederick Douglass, Langston Hughes, Nina Simone, and Ida B. Wells, among other notable works. Featuring an orchestra, choir, guest vocalists, orators, and ring shouters, this will be an unforgettable, not-to-be missed evening of innovation, experimentation, and introspection.

Brooklyn’s own Tamar-kali joins forces with international opera and theatre director James Blaszko and the American Composers Orchestra to bring Freedom Is a Constant Struggle to Lincoln Center. A second-generation musician with roots in the coastal Sea Islands of South Carolina, Tamar-kali has designed an evening of orchestral performances and readings that highlight the African-American struggle to reap the benefits of liberty and justice defined as a part of American citizenry. The concert traces the African-American struggle to achieve freedom—from the call to abolish chattel slavery through the Civil War, from reconstruction and the early movement for racial equality to the ‘60s civil rights movement, all the way to our present-day fights for equity. The performance includes the world premiere of Tamar-kali’s Sea IslandSymphony: Red Rice, Cotton and Indigo, and spotlights pivotal works by Ta-Nehisi Coates, Frederick Douglass, Langston Hughes, Nina Simone, and Ida B. Wells, among other notable works. Featuring an orchestra, choir, guest vocalists, orators, and ring shouters, this will be an unforgettable, not-to-be missed evening of innovation, experimentation, and introspection.This is a FREE event with first-come first-served General Admission. If you have any questions about this event, please contact Guest Experience at 212-875-5456 or guestexperience@lincolncenter.org.

The Dallas Symphony Orchestra hosts EarShot Readings on Wednesday, June 21, 2023 with four featured composers: Moni (Jasmine) Guo, Diallo Banks, Ricardo Ferro, and Iván Enrique Rodríguez. The composers will work throughout the day with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra musicians and DSO Assistant Conductor Maurice Cohn, and receive feedback from mentor composers Quinn Mason, a 27-year old Dallas-based composer and conductor; “expert in orchestration” (The New York Times) Jimmy López Bellido; and Xi Wang, a Dallas-based composer and faculty member at Southern Methodist University. At 2:00pm that afternoon, the DSO and Cohn perform all four works at Meyerson Symphony Hall, after which a recording will be provided to the participants and published online. The public is invited to a free concert at 2:00pm.

EarShot is the first ongoing, systematic program for developing relationships between composers and orchestras on the national level, developed by the American Composers Orchestra to ensure the vibrant future of new American orchestral music. Over the last 25 years, these readings have provided more than 250 composers with vital artistic and technical resources, as well as career-accelerating public exposure. Alumni of EarShot have won every composition award, including the Pulitzer, GRAMMY, Grawemeyer, American Academy of Arts & Letters, and Rome Prizes, to name a few. Composer-orchestra relationships extend beyond the EarShot Readings, and since 2009, 28 works have been commissioned by partner orchestras from EarShot participants and more than half of selected EarShot composers report receiving a commission directly resulting from their participation.

Reserved tickets are required for this free event. General admission seating.

Read more about Composers & their Works. CLICK HERE –>

Program:

Moni (Jasmine) Guo – Rays of the After-rain Evening Sun

Diallo Banks – Chute Libre

Ricardo Ferro – ‘17-North

Iván Enrique Rodríguez – Symphony No. 2: Naa Okùnkùn ti Òkúnta Dídán

Dallas Symphony Orchestra

Maurice Cohn, conductor

Music from Copland House presents six world premieres of the new works it commissioned from the 2023 Fellows of its acclaimed annual Emerging Composers Institute: Henry Dorn, Seare Farhat, Oswald Huỳnh, Maya Miro Johnson, Grace Ann Lee, and Max Vinetz. CULTIVATE 2023, directed by Grammy-nominated composer-clarinetist Derek Bermel, is an intensive, creative workshop and mentoring program for gifted American composers of all backgrounds and identities, in the initial stages of their professional careers. Each year, six young composers are awarded fellowships to participate in this immersive, weeklong session, which takes place at Aaron Copland’s National Historic Landmark home in Westchester County, one hour north of New York City.

SONiC and Mannes/The New School co-present three new interactive works developed through ACO’s EarShot CoLABoratory composer residency program. Inspired by the African-American history of resilience, healing, and awakening post-trauma, Grammy-winner Marcus Gilmore’sPulse, developed with ACO through the Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative with his mentor, world-renowned tabla player Zakir Hussain, is scored for drums, jazz ensemble, spoken word, and orchestra. Pulse will feature spoken word by Tracy K. Smith, the 22nd Poet Laureate of the United States and a Pulitzer Prize winner. Trevor New’s Cohere Touch connects artists across continents using the composer’s own augmented reality environment and performance on viola. Mendi + Keith Obadike’s DreamTrain is an immersive sound installation and performance that encourages audiences to dream collectively as a means of social transformation. The American Composers Orchestra will be led by David Bloom.Featuring American Composers OrchestraDavid Bloom, conductorPaloma McGregor, director/choreographerMarcus Gilmore TrioTrevor New, violistTracy K. Smith, poetProgramDreamTrain by Mendi + Keith Obadike, sound artistsCohere Touch by Trevor New, electro-acoustic violist and composerPulse byMarcus Gilmore, drummer and composer, Fellow in the Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts InitiativePost-Concert Discussion and Q&A, moderated by Melissa Ngan, featuring Rolex Mentor and Protégé Artists Zakir Hussain & Marcus Gilmore, plus CoLABoratory Fellows Trevor New, Mendi + Keith Obadike

SONiC teams up with Luna Composition Lab and International Contemporary Ensemble to present a concert of brand new works by the 2022–23 Luna Lab Fellows. Founded in 2016 by composers Missy Mazzoli and Ellen Reid, Luna Composition Lab provides mentorship and performance opportunities to young composers ages 13–18 who are female, nonbinary, or gender nonconforming. Missy Mazzoli, Ellen Reid, and George Lewis curate this evening of world premieres as well as additional works by Luna Lab mentors.

Read more about Composers & their Works. CLICK HERE –>

Featured Artists2022–23 Luna Lab FellowsHannah ChenLucy ChenLili MasoudiGabrielle SmithElaina Rae StupplerIsabelle TsengLuna Lab MentorsWang LuNina ShekharInternational Contemporary EnsembleAlice Jones, fluteLeah Asher, violinMeaghan Burke, celloEmmalie Tello, clarinetErika Dohi, pianoProgramHannah Chen: Spiral (World Premiere)Lucy Chen: Seventeen (World Premiere)Wang Lu: From the Distant Plains IILili Masoudi: [to be determined] (World Premiere)Nina Shekhar: GLITCHGabrielle Smith: Stellar Evolution (World Premiere)Elaina Rae Stuppler: Waluga (World Premiere)Isabelle Tseng: Bumbershoot (World Premiere)

Curators: George Lewis, Missy Mazzoli, Ellen Reid

SONIC welcomes a program of Caribbean music entitled Nexus, produced by Puentes Caribeños, an organization dedicated to promoting Caribbean art music since 2013. Featuring Jamaican pianist Paul Shaw, Puerto Rican flutist Nora Lee Garcia with pianist/composers Mariano Morales and Raymond Torres-Santos, and Bahamian ensemble C Force – with Christine Gangelhoff, flute; Christian Justilien, euphonium; and Paul Jones, piano – this performance presents works connected to the Caribbean, including four world premieres.

Curated by: Puentes CaribeñosCoordinated by: Christine Gangelhoff

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Puentes Caribeños is the organization behind the Caribbean art music symposia that have taken place across the Caribbean since 2013. Passionate about the extensive but little-known repertoire of music from the region, Puentes Caribeños is committed to promoting composers linked to the Caribbean in order that their voices may be heard more widely. As the classical music world finally begins to embrace more diversity and inclusion, the work of Puentes Caribeños is more timely than ever. The Puentes Caribeños committee consists of its co-founders Dr Carlos Carrillo (University of Illinois), Dr Christine Gangelhoff (University of The Bahamas) and Dr Adam Walters (University of Trinidad and Tobago).

Born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Composer Carlos R. Carrillo Cotto holds degrees from the Eastman School of Music (BM), Yale University (MM), and the University of Pennsylvania (Ph.D.). Dr. Carrillo is the recipient of numerous awards, including the Bearns Prize, the Charles Ives Scholarship from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, BMI, and ASCAP awards. He has taught composition at DePauw University, Reed College, and the Conservatory of Music in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Currently, Dr. Carrillo is an Associate Professor of Composition-Theory at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Flutist Christine Gangelhoff is currently Professor of Music at The University of The Bahamas and has also held positions on the faculties of Memorial University of Newfoundland and St. Thomas University in St. Paul, Minnesota. She is a founding member of C Force, a chamber ensemble that challenges the traditional concept of chamber music. Her extensive research on art music from the Caribbean has inspired albums, academic symposia, concert series, scholarly publications and most recently, an innovative textbook. She is a Powell performing artist and holds degrees from Yale University, the University of North Texas, and the University of Minnesota.

After a freelance career as a composer and French horn player in the UK, Adam Walters moved to Trinidad in 2009 to join the music faculty of the University of Trinidad and Tobago. Absorbing himself in local musical styles, Adam has developed an approach to composition that blends sounds and gestures of Trinidadian musics and environments with his own background in western classical styles. Now living back in London, Adam holds a PhD in composition from Royal Holloway, University of London, and his music has been performed in Trinidad, the UK and the US.

Audiences are invited to observe a collaborative session with orchestra, composers, and choreographers/dancers.The Next Festival’s 2023 Choreographer, Composer and Performance Fellows premiere new music and dance works, intermingling the world premiere of ACO EarShot compositions with a works-in-progress dance showing. This is the culmination of a week-long workshop, consisting of rehearsals, collaboration and spontaneous creation. ACO's EarShot is the nation's first ongoing program for creating relationships between orchestras and composers, in partnership with American Composers Forum, League of American Orchestras and New Music USA.Composer Mentors, the Pulitzer Prize and Grammy Award-winning composer Aaron Jay Kernis and “strikingly original” (The New York Times) Kamala Sankaram, along with Festival A.D. Peter Askim, will guide ACO’s Earshot Composer Fellows Michael R. Dudley Jr., Emil Ernström, and Akari Komura in the creation of new music. These new pieces will be played by the Festival’s String Performance Fellows. Choreography Mentor Sidra Bell will lead Choreographer Fellows Flora Ferguson, Jay Beardsley, and Ameeya Singh in the development of new dance work, in collaboration with EarShot Composer Fellows and String Performance Fellows.This workshop is one of eight SONiC Festival events that will be available for livestream. Access is free, but advance registration is required. To access links for all livestreamed events, register now.Read more about Composers & their Works. CLICK HERE –>Click here for more information about The Next Festival of Emerging ArtistsClick here for a closer look at Next Fest Composer/Choreographer Workshops

ACO teams up with the Public Theater for a night of SONiC explorations curated by two of ACO’s recently commissioned composers Paula Matthusen and inti figgis-vizueta. Two events on the same evening: Wednesday, June 7, 2023 at 7pm, and 9:30pm.The 9:30pm event is curated by Paula Matthusen.Program

Dani Dobkin, New Work

Anthony Sertel Dean, New Work

Natalie Greffel, New Work

Seth Cluett & Paula Matthusen, interstitial studies

ACO teams up with the Public Theater for a night of SONiC explorations curated by two of ACO’s recently commissioned composers Paula Matthusen and inti figgis-vizueta. Two events on the same evening: Wednesday, June 7 at 7:00pm and 9:30pm. The 7:00pm event curated by inti figgis-vizueta features The Rhythm Method, an ensemble of four composer-performers.

Bergamot Quartet and special guest Dan Trueman will present a program that pays homage to the intricate array of textures and pitches available on our non-fretted instruments, featuring works that explore “the spaces between the notes”, and backboned by fiddle traditions from around the world.​​

Jazz at Lincoln Center and SONiC co-present a program curated by two of the most innovative artists bridging the boundaries between Latin Jazz and classical music—Clarice Assad and Yosvany Terry—at Dizzy’s Club.Jazz at Lincoln Center and SONiC co-present a program curated by two of the most innovative artists bridging the boundaries between Latin Jazz and classical music – Clarice Assad and Yosvany Terry – at Dizzy’s Club at Lincoln Center on Monday, June 5, 2023. At 7:30pm, Grammy Award–nominated composer, pianist, and vocalist Clarice Assad curates a one-hour set featuring Brazilian guitarist João Luiz Rezende, pianists Mariel Mayz and Carolina Calvache, and more.At 9:30pm, JALC and SONiC present Atlantic Connections, created by Grammy-nominated saxophonist, percussionist, and composer Yosvany Terry and multi-dimensional vocalist Alicia Hall Moran, is a song cycle inspired by a selection of poets from the African Diaspora, including Maya Angelou, Salgado Maranhão (Brasil) and Silvie Kande (Senegal). The work of these poets served as a launching point for Terry and Hall to explore themes of land, home, motherhood, love, loss, distance, displacement, and water as some of the elements that spiritually connect the peoples’ of the African Diaspora. Atlantic Connections was originally commissioned by the Harvard University Committee on the Arts.Curated by: Yosvany Terry, saxophonist, percussionist, and composer

Jazz at Lincoln Center and SONiC co-present a program curated by two of the most innovative artists bridging the boundaries between Latin Jazz and classical music—Clarice Assad and Yosvany Terry—at Dizzy’s Club.Jazz at Lincoln Center and SONiC co-present a program curated by two of the most innovative artists bridging the boundaries between Latin Jazz and classical music – Clarice Assad and Yosvany Terry – at Dizzy’s Club at Lincoln Center on Monday, June 5, 2023. At 7:30pm, Grammy Award–nominated composer, pianist, and vocalist Clarice Assad curates a one-hour set featuring Brazilian guitarist João Luiz Rezende, pianists Mariel Mayz and Carolina Calvache, and more.At 9:30pm, JALC and SONiC present Atlantic Connections, created by Grammy-nominated saxophonist, percussionist, and composer Yosvany Terry and multi-dimensional vocalist Alicia Hall Moran, is a song cycle inspired by a selection of poets from the African Diaspora, including Maya Angelou, Salgado Maranhão (Brasil) and Silvie Kande (Senegal). The work of these poets served as a launching point for Terry and Hall to explore themes of land, home, motherhood, love, loss, distance, displacement, and water as some of the elements that spiritually connect the peoples’ of the African Diaspora. Atlantic Connections was originally commissioned by the Harvard University Committee on the Arts.Curated by: Clarice Assad

Composer-performers Angélica Negrón and Miguel Zenón curate an afternoon of works performed by a sensational and wide-ranging array of New York musicians highlighting the rich musical traditions of Puerto Rico leading up to the annual Puerto Rican Day Parade. Featured performers and composers include Ahmed Alom, Raquel Acevedo Klein, Angélica Negrón, Victor Pablo, Darian Thomas, and Miguel Zenón.

The Next Festival of Emerging Artists celebrates its 10th Anniversary with a program of World Premieres for string orchestra based on the theme of Interactivity, including by Guest Artist and soloist guitarist/composer Yvette Young, 2022 Pulitzer Finalist Leilehua Lanzilotti, composer/violinist (and Festival alum) Che Buford, saxophonist/composer Matthew Evan Taylor, and Peter Askim (The Next Festival’s Artistic Director).This concert is one of eight SONiC Festival events that will be available for livestream. Access is free, but advance registration is required. To access links for all livestreamed events, register now.PROGRAMYvette Young: New Work for Electric Guitar and String Orchestra (World Premiere)Leilehua Lanzilotti: New Work for String Orchestra (World Premiere)Che Buford: New Work for String Orchestra (World Premiere)Peter Askim: New Work for String Orchestra (World Premiere)Matthew Evan Taylor: New Work for String Orchestra (World Premiere)

Composer/singer Kamala Sankaram showcases an ongoing creative project in which the audience becomes integral participants in the music-making process. Celebrating ACO’s commitment to creativity, Sankaram has been developing an app to enable anyone to participate regardless of prior music experience or score reading ability. Come join this ever-evolving game-like work at this lunchtime concert co-presented by Kaufman Music Center.

American Composers Orchestra holds its 31st EarShot Readings (formerly Underwood New Music Readings) in June 2023 in New York City, conducted by Tito Muñoz.

Audiences are invited to experience the full read through of works by six composers. One composer will be selected to receive a $15,000 commission for a new work to be performed by ACO in a future season. Featured artists, venue and more details will be announced in early 2023.

EarShot is a program of the American Composers Orchestra, in partnership with the League of American Orchestras, American Composers Forum, and New Music USA. Over the past 10 years the program has initiated dozens of composer/orchestra/conductor relationships across the country offering opportunities to more than 100 composers. In 2016, ACO launched a composer archive of past EarShot compositions as a resource to the field. Orchestras across the country and around the world rely on EarShot to identify and connect with creative artists, as well as to advise on commissions, competitions, and program design.Read more about Composers & their Works. CLICK HERE –>Program:Younje Cho – Feast of Particles Henry Dorn – …i forgot to say good morning todayBrittany J. Green – Rencontres for orchestraOswald Huỳnh – Gia ĐìnhAmy Nam – Mimi’s SongDaniel Reza Sabzghabaei – (گر آتش بارد به پیکرم)Hommage à Khāleqī American Composers OrchestraTito Muñoz, conductor

Violinist/composer Curtis Stewart premieres new music with pianist and Kaufman Music Center Artist-in-Residence Aaron Diehl, Harlem Quartet, Mazz Swift, and a chamber orchestra of musicians from The Next Festival of Emerging Artists and Kaufman Music Center's Special Music School, conducted by Peter Askim. Featuring the world premiere of Curtis’s ACO-commissioned work Embrace, the program brings new creative voices to the fore, in part through reinterpreting works from the past.

A New Sounds Live co-presentation hosted by John SchaeferFeatured ArtistsCurtis Stewart, Grammy-nominated violinist and composer Aaron Diehl, pianist and composer, 2022-23 Kaufman Music Center Artist-in-ResidencePeter Askim, conductorHarlem QuartetThe Next Festival of Emerging Artists OrchestraProgramCURTIS STEWART – GoneViolin soloCURTIS STEWART – Thalassaki MouViolin soloOSCAR PETERSON – Hymn to FreedomViolin and piano feat. Aaron DiehlDAVID N. BAKER – Deliver my SoulViolin and piano feat. Aaron DiehlSAMUEL COLERIDGE-TAYLOR – Selections from 24 Negro melodiesViolin and string orchestraCURTIS STEWART – Embrace World Premiere ACO commissionViolin and string orchestraJOSEPH BOLOGNE/CURTIS STEWART – KNIGHT MusicViolin and string orchestra

In June 2023, ACO will premiere new works by 80 composers exploring interactivity as part of the SONiC Activ8 Festival, a citywide event in partnership with Mannes/The New School featuring 14 ensembles and 100+ performers. The Festival will include ACO’s annual EarShot New Music Readings. Stay-tuned for more details!

American Composers Orchestra holds its 31st EarShot Readings (formerly Underwood New Music Readings) in June 2023 in New York City, conducted by Tito Muñoz.

In this initial reading session, hear the works of today’s emerging composers in an open rehearsal with American Composers Orchestra members and artistic staff. Audiences get an immersive view into what happens when an ensemble sits down to read a new work for the first time. Featured artists, venue and more details will be announced in early 2023. The rehearsal is free and open to the public, but reservations are required. Capacity is limited.

EarShot is a program of the American Composers Orchestra, in partnership with the League of American Orchestras, American Composers Forum, and New Music USA. Over the past 10 years the program has initiated dozens of composer/orchestra/conductor relationships across the country offering opportunities to more than 100 composers. In 2016, ACO launched a composer archive of past EarShot compositions as a resource to the field. Orchestras across the country and around the world rely on EarShot to identify and connect with creative artists, as well as to advise on commissions, competitions, and program design.Program:Younje Cho – Feast of Particles Henry Dorn – …i forgot to say good morning todayBrittany J. Green – Rencontres for orchestraOswald Huỳnh – Gia ĐìnhAmy Nam – Mimi’s SongDaniel Reza Sabzghabaei – (گر آتش بارد به پیکرم)Hommage à Khāleqī American Composers OrchestraTito Muñoz, conductor

Artis—Naples presents new music by three of today’s most promising emerging women composers: Mengmeng Wang, Jing Jing Luo, and Meilina Tsui. The composers engage with the Naples Philharmonic in private readings, feedback sessions with principal players and artistic directors, and work under the guidance of mentor composers Molly Joyce, a composer and performer whose work focuses on disability as a creative source, and Pulitzer Prize-winning composer and ACO board member Melinda Wagner.

Associate Conductor Radu Paponiu and the Naples Philharmonic perform the three works in a recorded public concert at Artis–Naples on May 16, 2023 at 7:00pm. Following the reading session in May, Artis—Naples will commission a new work from one of the three EarShot Readings composers for the Naples Philharmonic to give the world premiere in a subsequent season.

This EarShot Readings program at Artis–Naples is made possible by the van Bergen Women Composers Fund, which was a special fund initiated by the Artis–Naples Board of Directors in celebration of CEO and President Kathleen van Bergen’s 10-year anniversary at the organization in September 2021.

EarShot is the first ongoing, systematic program for developing relationships between composers and orchestras on the national level, developed by the American Composers Orchestra to ensure the vibrant future of new American orchestral music. Over the last 25 years, these readings have provided more than 250 composers with vital artistic and technical resources, as well as career-accelerating public exposure. Alumni of EarShot have won every composition award, including the Pulitzer, GRAMMY, Grawemeyer, American Academy of Arts & Letters, and Rome Prizes, to name a few. Composer-orchestra relationships extend beyond the EarShot Readings, and since 2009, 28 works have been commissioned by partner orchestras from EarShot participants and more than half of selected EarShot composers report receiving a commission directly resulting from their participation.

Read more about Composers & their Works. CLICK HERE –>

Program:

Mengmeng Wang – Onomatopoeia – The Architecture of Sound

Jing Jing Luo – Hakka

Meilina Tsui – “Scenes at the Uralsk Fair” from Nomadic Trails for Orchestra

Naples Philharmonic

Radu Paponiu, conductor

Jing Jing Luo, composer

Meilina Tsui, composer

Mengmeng Wang, composer

EarShot is the nation’s first ongoing, systematic program for creating relationships between orchestras and composers. Through EarShot New Music Readings at home in NYC and in partnership with orchestras nationwide, the American Composers Orchestra discovers and develops artists whose work expands the definition of American orchestral music.

Join us for the final listening and recording session, featuring our selected composers and their mentors. The program will include an onstage discussion and Q&A.Read more about Composers & their Works. CLICK HERE –>

Featured Artists & Works:

Alyssa Regent: Where Even Shadows Are LightFred Onovwerosuoke: The Gathering - An Overture for OrchestraAhmed Alabaca: Ode to LibertySofía Rocha: Collage d'hommages

Mentor Composers: Valerie Coleman, Curtis Stewart, Carlos Simon

Public Ticketed Event: May 10 at 1:30pm Live Video Recording of EarShot Reading(free, ticketed event)

Named by Musical America as one of classical music’s Top 30 Influencers for 2015 and a Lorée oboe artist in 2019, Texas native, Alecia Lawyer, is the Founder, Artistic Director, and Principal Oboist of ROCO, a professional music ensemble that flexes from 1 to 40 musicians from around the US and Canada, including guest conductors from around the world. Corey Field is a professionally trained composer who is better known as a prominent entertainment, media, and copyright attorney at his Los Angeles based law firm Corey Field Law Group, P.C. They will bring their multifaceted expertise to this webinar to highlight the importance of understanding and abiding by current regulations related to unions, media rights, and more.Attendance is free, but advanced registration is required.

Composer, producer, and vocalist Lisa Bielawa is a Rome Prize winner in Musical Composition whose works have been described as “ruminative, pointillistic and harmonically slightly tart,” by The New York Times, and “fluid and arresting ... at once dramatic and probing,” by the San Francisco Chronicle. She joins ACO to guide a conversation and offer insights on the importance of building relationships with orchestras, and how to begin to do so.Attendance is free, but advanced registration is required.

Modern Yesterdays features four works, three of them brand new commissions, that trace the links composers build between the past and future, both individually and collectively. Conducted by Daniela Candillari and featuring world-renowned guitarist and composer Kaki King, this program includes new orchestral renderings by composer D. J. Sparr of King’s guitar pieces, including her acclaimed album Modern Yesterdays, with immersive video projections by Attilio Rigotti and Orsolya Szantho. Ellen Reid's Floodplain describes a landscape in which reality shifts virtually overnight, Carlos Simon's Fate Now Conquers represents the unpredictable ways of fate, and a newly commissioned work by up-and-coming composer Carlos Bandera presents a unique perspective on the power of music to bridge time, drawing inspiration from the mythological motif of the cosmic ocean.

Read more about Composers & their Works. CLICK HERE –>

FEATURED ARTISTS

Daniela Candillari, ConductorKaki King, GuitarAttilio Rigotti & Orsolya Szantho, Video ProjectionsCARLOS BANDERA: Materia Prima (World premiere, ACO Underwood Commission Winner 2018)ELLEN REID: Floodplain (New York premiere, Commissioned by Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, American Composers Orchestra with the generous support of Linda and Stuart Nelson, and RTÉ National Symphony)CARLOS SIMON: Fate Now ConquersKAKI KING: Modern Yesterdays (World premiere of orchestrations by D. J. Sparr, ACO commission)

​Yolanda F. Johnson, Soprano and Philanthropy Expert, has crafted a life as a successful performing artist, as a composer, as an educator, and as a supporter of the arts and of women’s equity. In this webinar, Yolanda will offer insights and guidance on grant application processes, fundraising strategies, and how relationships play a role in fundraising.Attendance is free but advanced registration is required.

Corey Field is a professionally trained composer who is better known as a prominent entertainment, media, and copyright attorney at his Los Angeles based law firm Corey Field Law Group, P.C. In this collaboration with ACO, Corey will unpack some of the need-to-know information surrounding orchestral commissions and the creation of consortia for composers.Attendance is free, but advanced registration is required.

*Please note: American Composers Orchestra is experiencing an issue with it's email systems. If you have registered for today's webinar and have not received the Zoom link yet, please email lyndsay@americancomposers.org.

Speakers: Lina González-Granados and Nina Shekhar Receiving a performance by an orchestra isn’t the end of the road for a composer, but the beginning of an ongoing relationship. This webinar will offer rehearsal techniques to composers, and will speak to how they should engage conductors, orchestras, and its musicians throughout the rehearsal process.Attendance is free, but advanced registration is required.

Celebrated as an “...eloquent, poetic voice in contemporary music...” [American Record Guide], Melinda Wagner’s esteemed catalog of works embodies music of exceptional beauty, power, and intelligence. She joins ACO to take musical works from the “canon” and use them as a guide for emerging composers to understand some of the important things to know about orchestration, part writing, and more.Attendance is free, but advanced registration is required.

The work of orchestra librarians often goes unnoticed, but preparing parts to be read by orchestral musicians is a vital part of the process. Manly Romero and Philip Rothman are experts in this aspect of musical performance, and join ACO in this webinar to help composers navigate the task of successful score and part preparation.Attendance is free, but advanced registration is required.

Valerie Coleman has quickly become one of America’s leading living composers, and couldn’t have done it without the help of her music publisher, Jonathan Page! He joins ACO in this webinar to offer insights on self-publishing as well as the ins and outs of the publishing process.Attendance is free, but advanced registration is required.

Central to its values of diversity, disruption, and discovery, American Composers Orchestra partners each year with orchestras nationwide through its EarShot 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, an initiative of the League of American Orchestras in partnership with ACO, supports women and nonbinary composers who are alumni of EarShot to write a new orchestral work to be premiered by participating orchestras across the country each year. Beginning in 2022, the program to a consortium model, supporting 6 composers to write works that will be premiered by 30 orchestras across nineteen U.S. states and Canada.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 virtual event highlights five composers whose works 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 listed below.ModeratorsDavid Styers, Director, Learning and Leadership Programs, League of American OrchestrasGarrett McQueen, Director Artist Equity, American Composers OrchestraComposers, Partner Orchestras & Premieres Wang Lu, New York Philharmonic | Premiere: January 20-23, 2023Sarah Gibson, Sarasota Symphony Orchestra | Premiere: March 31-April 2, 2023Gity Razaz, San Diego Symphony Orchestra | Premiere: May 20-21, 2023Angel Lam, Kansas City Symphony | Premiere: TBDArlene Sierra, Detroit Symphony | Premiere: TBDThe 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.

The Natural Order explores our relationship to the Earth in an age of climate anxiety, led by conductor Mei-Ann Chen and featuring the Attacca Quartet, Sandbox Percussion, and cello soloist Jeffrey Zeigler. The program includes the New York premiere of Mark Adamo’s Last Year, a dystopian reflection on Vivaldi’s Four Seasons. Viet Cuong’s highly charged Re(new)al is a concerto for percussion quartet inspired by the power of hydro, wind, and solar energies. Complemented with newly commissioned works by inti figgis-vizueta and Yvette Janine Jackson, the program grapples with our centuries-long struggle to harmonize with Mother Nature sharing both apocalyptic and aspirational visions of humanity’s future.

Read more about Composers & their Works. CLICK HERE –>

FEATURED ARTISTS

Mei-Ann Chen, ConductorJeffrey Zeigler, celloAttacca QuartetSandbox PercussionYvette Janine Jackson, electronicsMARK ADAMO: Last Year: Concerto for Cello and String Orchestra (New York Premiere, Commissioned by ACO, New Century Chamber Orchestra, Manitoba Chamber Orchestra and River Oaks Chamber Orchestra)VIET CUONG: re(new)al for chamber orchestra and percussion quartet (New York Premiere)INTI FIGGIS-VIZUETA: Seven Sides of Fire (World premiere, ACO commission)YVETTE JANINE JACKSON: Hello, Tomorrow! (World premiere, ACO commission)Q&A Interviews with Composers with Garrett McQueen, ACO's Director of Artist Equity

• Composer Mark Adamo & cellist Jeffrey Zeigler | YouTube LINK
• Composer Yvette Janine Jackson | YouTube LINK
• Composer inti figgis-vizueta | Soundcloud LINK

ACO’s 2022 Gala launches the inaugural year of ACO’s Creative Catalyst Award, which recognizes artists and leaders who exemplify its core values of discovery, diversity, disruption. 2022 Creative Catalyst Award Recipients are artist and SFJAZZ Board Chair Denise Young and composer and conductor John Adams.

READ MORE about the honorees and featured artists here.

Event Details6:00pm Cocktails7:00pm Dinner and Performance8:30pm After Party

Featured ArtistsMark Adamo, composerJohn Arida, pianistTimo Andres, composer & pianistGilbert Galindo, Composer & DJ-ProducerStephen Gosling, pianistAbby Harris, ACO student composerPaula Matthusen, composerTrevor New, violist & composerAlicia Olatuja, vocalistLeanna Primiani, composerHuang Ruo, composerOlivia Valentine, artistKaren Vuong, sopranoJeffrey Zeigler, cellistLEVELS OF SUPPORTVisionary $25,000

• 8 VIP tickets to Dinner & Performance with Priority table placement, includes placement of two guest artists at your table
• Inside Gala Journal Cover Ad (full color)
• Recognition as an official sponsor of The Natural Order, ACO’s October 20, 2022 concert at Carnegie Hall
• 8 VIP tickets to ACO’s The Natural Order, ACO’s October 20, 2022 concert at Carnegie Hall, plus invite to exclusive post-show reception$23,000 of this purchase is tax-deductible

Icon $10,000

• 8 VIP tickets to Dinner & Performance with Preferred table placement, includes placement of two guest artists at your table
• Full page Gala Journal Ad (B&W)
• Recognition as an official sponsor of The Natural Order, ACO’s October 20, 2022 concert at Carnegie Hall
• 4 VIP tickets to ACO’s The Natural Order, ACO’s October 20, 2022 concert at Carnegie Hall, plus invite to exclusive post-show reception$8,000 of this purchase is tax-deductible

Maverick $5,000

• 4 VIP tickets to Dinner & Performance with Select table placement, includes placement of one guest artist at your table
• Listing in Gala Journal
• Invitation to a special ACO insider event$4,000 of this purchase is tax-deductible

Muse $1,000

• 1 VIP ticket to Dinner & Performance with Select seating
• Listing in Gala Journal
• Invitation to a special ACO insider event$750 of this purchase is tax-deductible

Explorer $600

• 1 VIP ticket to Dinner & Performance
• Listing in Gala Journal$350 of this purchase is tax-deductible

AFTER-PARTY ONLYDynamic Duo $250

• 2 tickets to DJ After-Party with dessert, open bar and dancing
• Listing in Gala Journal$80 of this purchase is tax-deductible

Reveler $150

• 1 ticket to DJ After-Party with dessert, open bar and dancing
• Listing in Gala Journal$65 of this purchase is tax-deductible

TRIBUTESIf you can’t attend, please consider making a donation in support of ACO, or placing a tribute in the program book:

• Back Cover (color) 5” x 7 5/8” $1,500
• Inside Covers (color) 5” x 7 5/8” $1,000
• Full page (B&W): 5” x 7 5/8” $500
• ½ page (B&W): 5” x 3 11/16” $300
• ¼ page (B&W): 2 3/8” wide x 3 11/16” $175

QUESTIONS? Write to Lyndsay Werking at lyndsay@americancomposers.org

Hear in-progress works before their ACO premieres by four EarShot CoLABoratory Fellows including inti figgis-vizueta, Trevor New, Yvette Janine Jackson, and Mendi & Keith Obadike. The EarShot CoLABoratory Open Workshop features each artist collaborating with ACO musicians to workshop musical ideas and facilitate co-learning, and will engage in ACO’s artistic curation and educational and community-focused programming. Their resulting works will be premiered by ACO over the course of the season. Glenn Alexander II will conduct this CoLABoratory Workshop, and will also be the cover conductor for ACO’s October 20 concert at Carnegie Hall. Attendance is free, but registration is required.

EarShot CoLABoratory Fellowships advance the work of composers whose work is experimental or rooted in musical traditions underrepresented in orchestral repertoire. The program addresses systemic barriers within orchestral commissioning, providing a gateway to the field and a generative environment for composers from diverse musical backgrounds to create definition-expanding work for orchestra.Read more about ACO’s EarShot CoLABoratory program here.