American Composers Orchestra Announces 2022 EarShot Readings in New York City
American Composers Orchestra Announces 2022 EarShot Readings in New York City June 16-17, 2022
Conducted by ACO Music Director Emeritus George Manahan
Mentor Composers: ACO Artistic Director Derek Bermel, Jonathan Bailey Holland, Jessie Montgomery
Participating Composers: Tommy Dougherty, Adeliia Faizullina, Patrick Holcomb, Elijah Daniel Smith, Will Stackpole, Yuting Tan, Yuqin (“Strucky”) Yi Open-to-the-Public Working Rehearsal: Thursday, June 16 at 9:30AM Open-to-the-Public Reading: Friday, June 17 at 7:30PM DiMenna Center for Classical Music | 450 W. 37th St., NYC Tickets & Information: www.americancomposers.org
American Composers Orchestra (ACO) continues its commitment to the creation and development of new orchestra music, and to the next generation of composers, through its 2022 ACO EarShot Readings in New York City on June 16 and 17, 2022 at the DiMenna Center for Classical Music (450 W. 37th St.). In what has become an influential platform for aspiring orchestral composers, seven artists from throughout the United States are selected to receive a reading of a new work, giving audiences a chance to look behind the scenes of bringing new, diverse orchestral music to life. Each composer participating in the Readings receives rehearsals, a reading, and a digital recording of his or her work, and one commission will be awarded to write a new work for ACO. In addition, participants attend a series of online Professional Development Sessions which cover topics including creative collaboration, self-publishing for composers, fundraising, and orchestral commissions and contracting.
Two open-to-the-public events will be held. A free, working rehearsal will be presented on Thursday, June 16 at 9:30AM (reservations required); on Friday, June 17 at 7:30PM, all selected pieces will be polished and performed in their entirety (tickets $10). Both events will be held at the DiMenna Center; capacity is limited.
This year, seven of the nation’s most promising composers in the early stages of their professional careers were selected from over 200 submissions. Tommy Dougherty, Adeliia Faizullina, Patrick Holcomb, Elijah Daniel Smith, Will Stackpole, Yuting Tan, and Yuqin (“Strucky”) Yi represent a broad spectrum of musical backgrounds and sound worlds. Feedback sessions with ACO Music Director Emeritus George Manahan, ACO players, mentor composers, and ACO’s directors provide crucial artistic, technical, and conceptual assistance. This year’s mentor composers ACO Artistic Director Derek Bermel, Jonathan Bailey Holland, and Jessie Montgomery.
EarShot is a nationwide network of new music readings and composer development programs that provide professional level working experience with orchestras from every region of the country. Since 1991, EarShot Readings, and their predecessor ACO’s New Music Readings, have provided all-important career development and public exposure to the country’s most promising emerging composers, with over 350 composers participating. Readings alumni have won every major composition award, including the Pulitzer, Grammy, Grawemeyer, American Academy of Arts & Letters, and Rome Prizes. Orchestras around the globe have commissioned EarShot alumni.
This season, ACO also partnered with the Houston Symphony for EarShot Readings from March 29-30, 2022, conducted by Ting Tsung and Wei Fong Chao Foundation Assistant Conductor Yue Bao; the Oregon Symphony, conducted by Raúl Gómez-Rojas, from April 18-20, 2022; and the Tucson Symphony Orchestra from May 17-21, 2022, conducted by Music Director José Luis Gomez.
To date, ACO has partnered with orchestras including the New York Philharmonic, Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, Colorado Symphony Orchestra, Detroit Symphony, Nashville Symphony Orchestra, San Diego Symphony and Aguascalientes Symphony Orchestra (Mexico) through EarShot. ACO EarShot operates in partnership with American Composers Forum, New Music USA, and the League of American Orchestras.