Youth Programs

Music Factory Youth Education Programs

Music Factory is a hands-on, minds-on program designed to serve school aged children of New York City and can expand to individuals of all ages who have a love and curiosity for new music. Music Factory programs center on providing close interaction with world class composers and musicians.

You don’t have to be a school group to take advantage of ACO education programs – other groups who we serve include libraries, senior centers, and community music schools. Please look at our general offerings below and call if you want to explore a partnership with the ACO education department.

General Programs

  • Rhythm Factory – a technology based program which gets your students using computers to create their own rhythm tracks and musical compositions.
  • Songwriters Factory – especially effective with a bi-lingual approach, students are immersed in music making, teamwork and writing skills as they’re led through the process of writing and performing their own songs.
  • Improvise! – master composer/performers work with your students on developing the courage, and technique necessary for a confident and creative approach to improvisation.
  • Film Music Factory – a technology based program by which the students work with award winning film composers to create a musical score to accompany a real Hollywood film scene.
  • Coming to America: Immigrant Sounds and Voices – a composer who has immigrated to this country is paired with one of our ensembles. to introduce how concepts of background and identity effect their work and their performance.

School Programs

  • Composer Residencies – In-school residencies ranging from one day to several weeks, introduce students to concepts of musical composition. Students learn from some of today’s brightest musical creators.
  • Ensemble Performances – world class ensembles showcase work with renowned composers featuring contemporary American music in interactive school workshop settings.
  • Open Rehearsals – the students attend dress rehearsals of the American Composers Orchestra at Carnegie Hall and other venues, observing and interacting with the conductor, musicians and composers.
  • Academic Ticket Program – ACO makes free and discounted tickets available to students for all of it’s performances. Rehearsal or concert attendance makes a great adjunct to any of the ACO Music Factory programs!
  • Instrumental Lessons or Sectionals – Any of our guest artist programs may be augmented with sectional rehearsals or instruction, oftentimes conducted by the musicians of the guest ensembles themselves.