Press Archives - American Composers Forum

American Composers Forum Announced Winners of the NextNotes® High School Awards

Monday, April 22nd, 2019

Download PDF Press Release Here The American Composers Forum (ACF) is thrilled to announce the winners of the fifth annual NextNotes® High School Composition Awards. NextNotes is a national program designed to nurture the next generation of creative voices in music composition inclusive of all musical styles. Awards encourage and recognize the creative and talented […]

Info Sessions for Bay Area Composer Residency: Dates Added

Tuesday, April 16th, 2019

This summer one San Francisco Bay Area composer will be selected to receive $10,000 for the design, coordination, and production of a residency project that begins after September 1, 2019 and ends by March 1, 2021. Learn more at an upcoming info session, so that you’ll be ready to apply before the June 3 deadline. […]

American Composers Forum Connect Program (ACF | connect) Partners with the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians™ (AACM)

Monday, April 1st, 2019

ACF to Award Three Commissions for Composers to Have World Premieres Performed by Great Black Music Ensemble, Part of AACM’s 55th Anniversary Season The American Composers Forum Connect Program (ACF | connect) today announces its partnership with the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM) and the Great Black Music Ensemble for the 2019-20 […]

Minneapolis Guitar Quartet to Perform Works by Winners of the 2019 American Composers Forum Showcase

Thursday, March 28th, 2019

ST. PAUL, MN – Minneapolis Guitar Quartet, hailed by Classical Guitar Magazine as “Flawless, musical and witty, this quartet is able to do anything it sets its mind on,” partners with the American Composers Forum to present three works by the winners of the 2019 ACF Showcase national competition. Composers Clarice Assad (Chicago, IL), Paul Brantley […]

Register for Bay Area Composer Residency Info Sessions

Tuesday, February 12th, 2019

This coming summer, one San Francisco Bay Area composer will be selected to receive $10,000 for the design, coordination, and production of a residency project that begins after September 1, 2019 and ends by March 1, 2021. This is an opportunity for you to design and lead a local project, in which you are the […]

“A Spectrum of Inspiring Music”

Thursday, February 7th, 2019

William J. Lackey, ACF’s VP of Programs, Reflects on the 2019 Minnesota Orchestra Composer Institute The Minnesota Orchestra in partnership with the American Composers Forum held the Minnesota Orchestra Composer Institute, January 14 – 18, 2019. The Institute is a unique week-long intensive immersion into the world of a major American symphony orchestra. Under the […]

Composer Abbie Betinis to write new ChoralQuest work in residence with MN, WA, and PA middle-level choirs

Friday, February 1st, 2019

Download PDF of Press Release American Composers Forum (ACF) has selected Abbie Betinis as the 2019 ChoralQuest® composer. ChoralQuest, now in its ninth year, is a commissioning program designed to enhance mid-level choral repertoire with new works by notable composers. An award-winning composer, Betinis is known for her audacious vocal music often inspired by language, […]

“My Brain Is a Definite Patchwork”: JFund Awardee Shelley Washington

Monday, January 7th, 2019

Written by Michael Cyrs. On their 2015 album Dysnomia, Dawn of Midi created something for jazz, classical, and DIY fans alike. Simply arranged, the album never reaches outside its toolbox of piano, drums, and double bass. What makes it one of the most memorable jazz records of the decade, however, lies in its patchwork rhythms. […]

Composers Selected for 2018 Minnesota Emerging Composer Award (MECA)

Tuesday, December 18th, 2018

ST. PAUL, MN – The AmericanComposers Forum is pleased to announce the results of the Minnesota Emerging Composer Awards (MECA), supported with funds from the Jerome Foundation. Three area creative musicians have been selected to receive Minnesota Emerging Composer Awards (MECA). Each selected musician will receive $3,000 to pursue a new project that will help […]

Composers Selected for 2018 ACF | Create Program

Tuesday, December 4th, 2018

SAINT PAUL, MN – The American Composers Forum is pleased to announce the results of the ACF | Create program (formerly JFund – Jerome Fund for New Music). With funding from the Jerome Foundation, the American Composers Forum now in its 40th year of commissioning and supporting the production of new works by early career composers […]

New ChoralQuest Release: Somos los dueños by Judd Greenstein

Tuesday, November 20th, 2018

We are thrilled to announce our newest addition to ChoralQuest®, our music series for middle-level choir: Somos los dueños by Judd Greenstein. “Judd Greenstein is one of America’s freshest new voices in choral music. What a joy for any young singer to be exposed to his work early in their choral journey. Through an infectious rhythmic ostinato and simple vocal […]

Vanessa Rose Appointed as American Composers Forum President and CEO

Tuesday, October 30th, 2018

For Immediate Release: October 30, 2018 Press Contacts: Bonnie Marshall, Vice President of Development 651.251.2822 bmarshall@composersforum.org John Nuechterlein, Current President & CEO 651.251.2811 jnuechterlein@composersforum.org ST. PAUL, MN: American Composers Forum Board Chair Anne LeBaron today announced the appointment of Vanessa Rose as ACF’s new President and CEO, effective January 1, 2019. Rose currently serves as […]

BandQuest New Release: Pop! by Tawnie Olson

Monday, October 1st, 2018

We are thrilled to announce our newest addition to BandQuest®, our music series for middle-level band: Grade 3 Pop! by Tawnie Olson!   “Pop! is a delightful musical journey for the players and the audience. This artistically constructed exercise in acceleration, tension, crescendo and their oppositional counterparts begins with melodic fragments that gradually combine to reveal the […]

Member Spotlight: Celebrating a Kalo Taxidi (Good Journey)

Thursday, August 30th, 2018

Dr. Christos J. Granias remarks early in the conversation, “I’m a glass half full kind of person.” Composer, educator, humorist, and longtime ACF member, Granias has been living with multiple sclerosis (MS) since the 1990’s, and he sees it as part of life’s journey. This month, as Granias focuses his creative talents on raising money […]

Seven Emerging Composers Chosen for 2019 Minnesota Orchestra Composer Institute

Tuesday, July 10th, 2018

Composers will travel to Minneapolis for Orchestra’s acclaimed professional training program, directed by Pulitzer Prize-winner Kevin Puts and co-presented with the American Composers Forum Institute runs from January 14 to 18, 2019, culminating in a Minnesota Orchestra concert conducted by Osmo Vänskä. Seven emerging composers have been selected as participants in the Minnesota Orchestra’s16th annual […]

Kashimana Ahua Chosen as Composer-in-Residence for In Common, Willmar, MN

Tuesday, June 26th, 2018

The American Composers Forum (ACF) is thrilled to announce that Kashimana Ahua has been selected as composer-in-residence for In Common, a year-long community songwriting project in Willmar, funded by the Otto Bremer Trust. Through the creation and performance of new songs, the project aims to bridge cultural differences and share the stories of the diverse […]

2018 McKnight Composer Fellows and McKnight Visiting Composers Announced

Thursday, May 31st, 2018

The American Composers Forum (ACF) today announced the recipients of this year’s McKnight Fellowships for Composers, funded by the McKnight Foundation. These awards, which include $25,000 in unrestricted funds for each recipient, acknowledge excellence in the field of music composition. The four fellows were chosen from a pool of 50 applicants. In another McKnight funded […]

Winners of the NextNotes High School Composition Awards Nominate Educators for Recognition

Friday, May 25th, 2018

The American Composers Forum, in partnership with MakeMusic®, is proud to acknowledge the influential teachers of the 2018 NextNotes® High School Composition Awards winners. NextNotes is a national program designed to nurture the next generation of creative voices in music composition regardless of musical style. The following winners were selected for their compositional skills and […]

American Composers Forum and Roomful of Teeth Announce Three Composers Selected for ACF CONNECT

Monday, May 7th, 2018

Three composers have been selected as participants for the second annual ACF CONNECT program offered by the American Composers Forum (ACF) in partnership with the GRAMMY-winning eight-voice ensemble Roomful of Teeth. Recognized for reimagining the expressive potential of the human voice and forging a new repertoire without borders, Roomful of Teeth is an excellent match […]

American Composers Forum Announces Winners of the NextNotes High School Composition Awards

Monday, April 23rd, 2018

The American Composers Forum (ACF) is thrilled to announce the winners of the fourth annual NextNotes® High School Composition Awards. NextNotes is a national program designed to nurture the next generation of creative voices in music composition regardless of musical style. Awards encourage and recognize the creative and talented composers with mentorship, scholarship funds, and […]

Sarah Cahill, Nicole Mitchell, Jim Staley to Receive Champion of New Music Award

The American Composers Forum (ACF) Board of Directors has voted to present its 2018 Champion of New Music award to three outstanding recipients: pianist, writer, producer Sarah Cahill; flutist, composer, educator Nicole Mitchell; and Jim Staley, founder of the iconic new music venue Roulette in Brooklyn, NY, at public ceremonies this year. The Champion of […]

Jelloslave (aka Purple Orange) to Perform Works by Winners of the 2018 American Composers Forum Showcase

Monday, April 16th, 2018

Jelloslave (aka Purple Orange), hailed by Rebecca Lang of the Star Tribune as “…an infectious, mysterious melee of genres.” partners with the American Composers Forum to present three works by the winners of the 2018 ACF Showcase national competition on Saturday, June 2 at the Open Eye Figure Theatre in Minneapolis, MN. Composers Robin Holcomb (Seattle, […]

John Nuechterlein to Retire as President & CEO of American Composers Forum

Wednesday, April 11th, 2018

John Nuechterlein has announced that he will retire as President/CEO of the American Composers Forum effective December 31, 2018. He shared the news recently with Forum board and staff, noting the decision to move on came slowly over the past few months. “The Forum is an extraordinary ecosystem of creative, imaginative people,” Nuechterlein says. “I feel privileged to have […]

Composers Selected for 2017 Jerome Fund for New Music & Minnesota Emerging Composer Award (MECA)

Thursday, November 30th, 2017

  SAINT PAUL, MN – The American Composers Forum is pleased to announce the results of two programs supported with funds from the Jerome Foundation; The Jerome Fund for New Music (JFund) and the Minnesota Emerging Composer Award (MECA). Now in its 36th year, JFund supports the production of new works by emerging composers in […]

2017 McKnight Composer Fellows and Visiting Composers Announced

Wednesday, May 31st, 2017

The American Composers Forum (ACF) today announced the recipients of this year’s McKnight Fellowships for Composers, funded by The McKnight Foundation. These awards, which include $25,000 in unrestricted funds for each recipient, acknowledge excellence in the field of music composition. The four fellows were chosen from a pool of 55 applicants. In another McKnight funded […]

Winners of the NextNotes High School Composition Awards Nominate Educators for Recognition

Wednesday, May 24th, 2017

The American Composers Forum (ACF), in partnership with MakeMusic®, is proud to acknowledge the influential teachers of the 2017 NextNotes® High School Composition Awards winners. NextNotes is a national program designed to nurture the next generation of creative voices in music composition regardless of musical style. The following winners were selected for their compositional skills […]

Healing & Hope Through Song Composer and Poet Announced

Monday, May 22nd, 2017

The American Composers Forum is pleased to announce a new community residency program with Giving Voice Chorus (GVC), Giving Voice Initiative (GVI), and the MacPhail Center for Music in Minneapolis. Composer Victor Zupanc and poet Louisa Castner will collaborate to create a new choral work to be premiered by GVC singers in spring 2018. This […]

American Composers Forum and the Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble Announce Three Composers Selected for ACF CONNECT

Thursday, May 18th, 2017

Three composers have been selected as participants for the first annual ACF CONNECT program offered by the American Composers Forum (ACF) in partnership with the highly acclaimed Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble (PNME). Long recognized for its world-class performances and commitment to new work beyond the premiere, PNME is a perfect match for the ACF CONNECT […]

Auburn Junior High Choir to Perform World Premiere of Choral Work by Composer Rosephanye Powell

Wednesday, May 3rd, 2017

While the school year kicks into overdrive with end-of-year activities, students in Teresa Rhyne’s select girls’ choral class will have a rare opportunity: they will perform the world-premiere performance of a new work by internationally known, local composer Rosephanye Powell. The piece, “When I Sing”, was written as the eighth piece for ChoralQuest®, a series […]

American Composers Forum Announces Winners of the NextNotes High School Composition Awards

Monday, May 1st, 2017

The American Composers Forum (ACF) is pleased to announce the winners of the third annual NextNotes®High School Composition Awards. NextNotes is a new, national program designed to nurture the next generation of creative voices in music composition regardless of musical style. Awards encourage and recognize the creative and talented composers with mentorship, scholarship funds and […]