The American Composers Orchestra (ACO) has announced its highlights for the upcoming 2025-2026 season.
The 49th season highlights include two featured ACO performances presented by Carnegie Hall, the continuation of national and international EarShot Readings, and resumed partnerships with The Juilliard School, Northwestern University’s Bienen School of Music, and the University of Rochester’s Eastman School of Music.
ACO will showcase two performances presented by Carnegie Hall.
On October 29 at 7:30 p.m., Mélisse Brunet will lead “The New Virtuoso: For Art’s Sake.” The performance invites five visionary composers to explore the vast talents using a wide range of sources, from electronically collected dream data to sonically reactive moving sculptures.
On March 11, 2026, at 7:30 p.m., Carnegie Hall will present “Hello, America: Letters to Us, from Us,” as part of the United in Sound: America at 250 festival. Led by Carolyn Kuan, the performance will commemorate the 250th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence through the narratives around the summer homes of turn-of-the-century Black folk, dreams, unspoken emotions, rituals of celebration, and the connection between the historic and current patriotism of Black American women.
ACO will host the Searchlight: 2025 Gala & Creative Catalyst Awards at 48 Wall Street on October 16. The gala will honor Ray and Vivian Chew and Elizabeth and Justus Schlichting, who have exemplified ACO’s core values of artistry, creativity, community, and equity. Performers like Trevor New, Danny Rozin, and Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Valerie Simpson will showcase a genre-bending performance rooted in Prohibition Era rebellion and Gatsby-esque opulence. All proceeds will go to ACO EarShot composer advancement programs, orchestral performances, and educational initiatives. Tickets range from $300 to $25,000 with an RSVP by September 30. Click here for more information about the gala.
ACO’s EarShot Readings returns to national and international stages for the upcoming season. A collaboration with American Composers Forum, the League of American Orchestras, and New Music USA, the program serves as the nation’s first systemic program for building relationships between composers and orchestras nationwide, promoting diverse talent and cultivating the careers of composers.
From September 29 to October 1, EarShot Readings will return to Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music. Led by Jeffrey Meyer, EarShot Readings’ collaboration with IU first began with spring workshops that brought eight composers into early creative dialogue with conductor Meyer, IU orchestras and faculty, ACO staff, and mentors before four composers were selected to expand their sketches into full orchestral works for the fall readings. Click the link here for more information.
Other EarShot Readings performances will take place October 7 to 9 with the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra and Canada’s National Arts Centre Orchestra from November 17 to 18.
Partnering with The Juilliard School, Northwestern University’s Bienen School of Music, University of Rochester’s Eastman School of Music, Curtis Institute of Music, the Sphinx Organization, and Concert Artists Guild, American Composers Orchestra will present “(Re)loading the Canon,” a commissioning consortium to develop a series of eight-minute violin, viola, cello, and bass concertos by Black and Latino composers.
From October 3 to 4, the Eastman School of Music will host a workshop and recording session of Michael Frazier’s Viola Concerto “Los Quetzales” with violist Jordan Bak, concluding with a public performance on October 22 at 7:30 p.m. On October 9, The Juilliard School will host a workshop and recording session of Curtis Stewart’s Bass Concerto “Bass Concertante” with bassist Kebra-Seyoun Charles. From November 19 to 21, Northwestern University’s Bienen School of Music will host a workshop and recording session of Shawn Okpebholo’s Cello Concerto “Flow, Riffs, and Running Bass” with cellist Gabriel Cabezas. Lastly, the Curtis School of Music will host a workshop and recording session of Jonathan Bailey Holland’s Violin Concerto with violinist Melissa White in December 2025.
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