American Composers Orchestra

In 1977, a collective of fearless New York City musicians came together to form the American Composers Orchestra (ACO), an ensemble dedicated to the creation, celebration, performance, and promotion of orchestral music by American composers. Over more than 40 years, ACO has blossomed into a national institution that not only cultivates and develops the careers of living composers, but also provides composers a direct pipeline to partnerships with many of America’s major symphony orchestras.

In addition to its annual season, presented by Carnegie Hall since 1987, ACO serves as a New York City hub where the most forward-thinking experimental American musicians come together to hone and realize new art. ACO produces national educational programs for all ages, and composer advancement programs to foster a community of creators, audience, performers, collaborators, and funders – all dedicated to American composition. To date, ACO has performed music by 800 American composers, including over 350 world premieres and newly commissioned works.

ACO’s EarShot is the first ongoing, systematic program for developing relationships between composers and orchestras on the national level. EarShot ensures a vibrant musical future by investing in creativity today and has served over 350 composers since its inception, who have since won every major composition award, including the Pulitzer, GRAMMY, Grawemeyer, American Academy of Arts and Letters, and Rome Prizes.

ACO has received numerous awards for its work, and ASCAP has awarded ACO its annual prize for adventurous programming 35 times, singling out ACO as “the orchestra that has done the most for new American music in the United States.” ACO’s world premiere recording of Huang Ruo and David Henry Hwang’s An American Soldier (May 2025 Platoon) was nominated for a GRAMMY® Award for Best Opera Performance, marking the first GRAMMY® nomination in ACO’s history.