aco History

History

American Composers Orchestra (ACO) is the only orchestra in the world dedicated to the creation, performance, preservation and promulgation of music by American composers.

ACO identifies today’s brightest emerging composers, champions prominent established composers as well as those lesser-known, and increases regional, national and international awareness of the infinite variety of American orchestral music, reflecting geographic, stylistic, and temporal diversity. ACO also serves as an incubator of ideas, research and talent, as a catalyst for growth and change among orchestras, and as an advocate for American composers and their music. To date, ACO has performed music by nearly 500 American composers, including more than 100 world premieres and newly commissioned works. [Find out more…]

Artistic Leadership

Steven Sloane, Music Director and Robert Beaser, Artistic Director are the senior artistic leadership of the organization. They are joined by co-founder Francis Thorne, Conductor Laureate, co-founder Dennis Russell Davies, and our Artistic Advisors. [Find out more…]

 
Personnel

Meet the musicians of ACO, plus our administrative staff and board of directors. [Find out more…]

Press Excerpts

Want a sampling of what the press has said about ACO perforamances over the years? [Find out more…]

Support and Donations

Ticket sales cover only a small fraction of the ongoing expenses of presenting the widest array of American orchestral music. Supporting ACO is an important way to help foster the development of America’s unique musical heritage. [Find out more…]

Job Opportunities

Volunteer, employment, and internship opportunities are listed here. [Find out more…]