American Composers Orchestra to be Featured at Lincoln Center with Lara Downes
American Composers Orchestra takes the stage in Declaration: Songs of Democracy, Voices of Hope, an ambitious concert event curated by acclaimed pianist, producer, and cultural advocate Lara Downes. Centered on the question, “What does it mean to be an American today?”, the program brings together newly commissioned works, celebrated artists, and a wide range of musical traditions to explore identity, community, and shared values.
At the heart of the evening are three world premieres by leading contemporary composers. Valerie Coleman contributes Life, a new work for solo piano performed by Downes, while Arturo O’Farrill’s Liberty and Christopher Tin’s The Pursuit of Happiness receive their premieres with the American Composers Orchestra under the baton of Eric Jacobsen. These new works reflect ACO’s ongoing commitment to championing living composers and expanding the orchestral repertoire through the creation and performance of new music.
The program also features an exceptional lineup of guest artists whose performances draw from classical, jazz, folk, bluegrass, cabaret, and popular traditions. Joining Downes are renowned vocalists Kurt Elling, Ekep Nkwelle, and Aoife O’Donovan; jazz bassist Christian McBride; singer-songwriter Carrie Rodriguez; bluegrass musician Wyatt Ellis; performer Migguel Anggelo; The Late Show bandleader Louis Cato; the historic Golden Voices Concert Choir of Tuskegee University; and additional special guests.
Hosted by Terrance McKnight of WQXR, Declaration brings together diverse musical voices and perspectives through the unifying power of live performance, with the American Composers Orchestra at the center of a program dedicated to new music and contemporary artistic expression.
Before and after the show, stop by the Hauser Digital Wall in the David Geffen Hall lobby for a display of video portraits captured during Downes' travels across America with The Declaration Project.
Wednesday, 1 July 2026 7:30pm at David Geffen Hall
Tickets are available on a Choose What You Pay basis, with a minimum of $5.00.
All guests aged 2 and up will need their own ticket to join us for the performance.
To accommodate as many patrons as possible ticket limit is set for 6 per person per show.
Accessible Wheelchair, ASL, Audio Description, Extra Width, and Transfer locations are reserved exclusively for guests with disabilities. For a companion seat or if you do not require these specific accessibility features, please select a General Admission ticket.
Corporate gifts to match employee contributions are made by Goldman Sachs, Deutsche Bank, Triton Container International Incorporated of North America, and Neiman Marcus.
Public funds are provided by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, and the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature, Office of Brooklyn Borough President Reynoso, and the National Endowment for the Arts.
