April 25, 2024
Contact: Rachelle Schlosser
Director of Media Relations and Communications
rschlosser@americanorchestras.org
646 822 4027
EarShot / American Composers Orchestra:
Katy Salomon, Primo Artists
katy@primoartists.com
212 837 8466
Thirty Orchestras Join League of American Orchestras’ Consortium, Presenting Newly-Commissioned Works by Six Women Composers
Premieres Scheduled in Grand Rapids, Memphis, Naples and Tucson, with Additional Concert Dates to Be Announced
New York, NY (April 25, 2024) – Thirty orchestras from across the United States will take part in the League of American Orchestras’ Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation Orchestral Commissions Program, the League and American Composers Orchestra (ACO) have announced. This national consortium ensures that new works by women and nonbinary composers will receive multiple performances throughout the country. The consortium’s initial six lead orchestra-composer pairings were previously announced, with more than fifty orchestras applying for the additional twenty-four spots.
The six composers participating in the new consortium are Brittany J. Green, Moni (Jasmine) Guo, Karena Ingram, Chelsea Komschlies, Marina López, and Meilina Tsui. The consortium is comprised of the following orchestra-composer pairs (lead orchestras in bold):
Amarillo Symphony (TX) – Brittany Green
Arapahoe Philharmonic/Symphony of the Rockies (CO) – Meilina Tsui
Arkansas Symphony Orchestra (AR) – Marina López
Asheville Symphony (NC) – Karena Ingram
Bangor Symphony Orchestra (ME) – Jasmine Guo
Canton Symphony Orchestra (OH) – Meilina Tsui
Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra (OH) – Marina López
Dallas Symphony Orchestra (TX) – Jasmine Guo
Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra (NC) – Brittany Green
Grand Rapids Symphony (MI) – Marina López
Grant Park Music Festival (IL) – Chelsea Komschlies
Jacksonville Symphony (FL) – Brittany Green
Knoxville Symphony Orchestra (TN) – Meilina Tsui
Lexington Philharmonic (KY) – Jasmine Guo
Lima Symphony Orchestra (OH) – Chelsea Komschlies
Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra (LA) – Karena Ingram
Memphis Symphony Orchestra (TN) – Karena Ingram
Monterey Symphony (CA) – Marina López
Artis–Naples, Naples Philharmonic (FL) – Meilina Tsui
National Symphony Orchestra (DC) – Karena Ingram
Oregon Symphony (OR) – Brittany Green
Pacific Symphony (CA) – Meilina Tsui
Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (PA) – Chelsea Komschlies
Portland Columbia Symphony (OR) – Karena Ingram
Richmond Symphony (VA) – Jasmine Guo
St. Louis Symphony Orchestra (MO) – Jasmine Guo
South Bend Symphony Orchestra (IN) – Marina López
Tucson Symphony Orchestra (AZ) – Chelsea Komschlies
Vermont Symphony Orchestra (VT) – Chelsea Komschlies
Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra (WI) – Brittany Green
Four of the initial premieres have been scheduled, with additional performances to be announced:
Karena Ingram’s new work will be premiered by the Memphis Symphony Orchestra, Music Director Robert Moody conducting, on May 17 and 18, 2025
Chelsea Komschlies’s new work will be premiered by the Tucson Symphony Orchestra, Music Director José Luis Gomez conducting, on February 1 and 2, 2025
Marina López’s new work will be premiered by the Grand Rapids Symphony, Lidiya Yankovskaya conducting, on January 10 and 11, 2025
Meilina Tsui’s new work will be premiered by the Naples Philharmonic, Music Director* Alexander Shelley conducting, on December 13 and 14, 2024 (*Music Director Designate through the 2023-24 season)
The Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation Orchestral Commissions Program is an initiative of the League of American Orchestras, in partnership with American Composers Orchestra and supported by the Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation. The program seeks to increase the programming of works by women and nonbinary composers on orchestra stages.
Networking, mentoring, career development, and community engagement opportunities are built into the program. Orchestras participating in the consortium demonstrate a commitment to engaging the composers in rehearsals, networking opportunities, and education or community engagement activities, and orchestras receive funds for marketing efforts, and to support composer attendance at performances and local educational and community events.
The Virginia B. Toulmin Orchestral Commissions Program is linked to EarShot, an initiative of American Composers Orchestra in collaboration with American Composers Forum, the League of American Orchestras, and New Music USA. The six commission recipients were selected from women and nonbinary composers who have participated in EarShot reading sessions.
The composer cohort meets annually at the League’s National Conference, taking place this year in Houston, June 6-8, 2024. This year, EarShot Readings will be held in conjunction with the Conference, featuring ROCO at the Kinder High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, June 4-7, and culminating in a performance of the works on June 6, from 9:30am to 12:30pm. One work will be chosen by ROCO to be performed as part of a public concert given by ROCO on June 7 at 11am and live streamed for free on ROCO.org, YouTube, and Facebook. This concert is sponsored by the Albert and Margaret Alkek Foundation, the Carol Franc Buck Foundation, the Texas Commission on the Arts, and BMI.
This is the Virginia B. Toulmin Orchestral Commissions Program’s second thirty-orchestra consortium. Read more about both consortiums and the participating composers on the League’s website.
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The League of American Orchestras champions the vitality of music and the orchestral experience, supports the orchestra community, and leads change boldly. The only national organization dedicated to orchestras and their communities, the League supports the field through advocacy, research, convenings, leadership development, artistic programs, and grants. Founded in 1942 and chartered by Congress in 1962, the League includes nearly 25,000 musicians, conductors, orchestra staff, board members, volunteers, and business partners working within our membership of 1,600 world-renowned orchestras, community groups, summer festivals, student and youth ensembles, conservatories and libraries, businesses serving orchestras, and individuals who love symphonic music. Visit americanorchestras.org.
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 committed to artistry, creativity, community, and equity, 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 concert series at Carnegie Hall, 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. Visit americancomposers.org for more information.
Now encompassing all of ACO’s composer advancement initiatives, EarShot is the first ongoing, systematic program for developing relationships between composers and orchestras on the national level. Through orchestral readings, CoLABoratory fellowships, consortium commissions, publishing, and professional development, EarShot ensures a vibrant musical future by investing in creativity today. Serving over 350 composers since inception, ACO Readings in NYC began in 1991, and since 2008, national Readings have been offered in partnership with orchestras across the country in collaboration with the League of American Orchestras, New Music USA, and American Composers Forum. EarShot Readings composers have gone on to win every major composition award, including the Pulitzer, Grammy, Grawemeyer, American Academy of Arts and Letters, and Rome Prizes.