American Composers Orchestra

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The American Composers Orchestra ( ACO ) is an orchestra in New York City that specializes exclusively in contemporary compositions by American composers. It has no permanent venue and alternates between Carnegie Hall , the DiMenna Center for Classical Music, the Mannes School of Music , the Winter Garden on Brookfield Place and the Miller Theater at Columbia University for its performances .

The ACO is the only orchestra in the world that is dedicated to the presentation, maintenance and premieres of the compositions of its own compatriots. After an idea and on the initiative of the four composers and conductors Francis Thorne , Dennis Russell Davies , Paul Lustig Dunkel and Nicolas Roussakis , the orchestra was founded in 1975 and had its first performance on February 7, 1977 in Alice Tully Hall in Lincoln Center .

Davies headed the orchestra as the first music director from 1977 to 2002, after his retirement as director of the orchestra he was awarded the title of honorary conductor. As early as November 2000, Steven Sloane was named as Davies' successor as music director from 2002. His appointment was unusual because Sloane did not previously work as a guest conductor at the ACO, as is usual with such obligations. Sloane first conducted the orchestra in March 2002 and took the position of music director in November of that year until 2006. Thereafter, the position of music director remained vacant for four years, until 2010, when George Manahan was appointed new director.

In addition, Robert Beaser was composer in residence from 1988 to 1993 , then artistic advisor and from January 2001 artistic director of the orchestra. After leaving in 2013, he was awarded the honorary title of Artistic Director. Derek Bermel became composer in residence in 2006, artistic advisor in 2009 and, in 2013, as successor to Beaser, artistic director at the ACO.

Since it was founded in 1975, the ACO has performed more than 800 compositions and over 350 world premieres by American composers. In the 1990s, the ACO initiated the Underwood New Music Readings program , which gives young composers the opportunity to conduct their own compositions and, if necessary, record them on sound carriers. It also launched the Sonidos de las Américas festival , which focuses on Latin American music.

The ACO received several honorary awards from the American Academy of Arts and Letters , BMI , ASCAP and a METLife Award for its outstanding public engagement.

The ACO recorded sound carriers for ARGO, CRI, ECM, Point, Phoenix USA, MusicMasters, Nonesuch, Tzadik and New World Records.

Music directors

literature

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Anthony Tommasini: True to His Mission, Davies Bows Out With Orchestra . In: New York Times , April 17, 2002. Retrieved March 18, 2017. 
  2. ^ Anthony Tommasini: American Composers Names a Music Director . In: New York Times , November 4, 2000. Retrieved March 18, 2017. 
  3. ↑ Allan Kozinn: New Man for New Music: A debut for an International Commuter . In: New York Times , November 1, 2002. Retrieved March 18, 2017. 
  4. ↑ a b Allan Kozinn: Composing a More Useful Future . In: New York Times , May 25, 2012. Retrieved March 18, 2017. 
  5. ↑ Robert Beaser. In: americancomposers.org. Retrieved February 26, 2020 .
  6. ^ Beaser Composer of the Month. In: sdg Music Foundation. 2017, accessed February 26, 2020 .
  7. ^ Derek Bermel Named New Artistic Director of the American Composers Orchestra. In: newmusicusa.org. May 24, 2013, accessed February 26, 2020 .
  8. ^ Mission & History. In: americancomposers.org. 2017, accessed February 26, 2020 .
  9. ^ Underwood New Music Readings & Commission. American Composers Orchestra, accessed April 4, 2017 .
  10. ^ Awards and Recognition. MetLife, accessed April 4, 2017 .