Performances
& Events

April 6, 2025

Virginia B. Toulmin Commission Concert

Angel Lam, Let there be a paradise…

Quad City Symphony Orchestra

Link: https://qcso.org/event/masterworks-vi-rhapsody-in-blue/

The Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation Orchestral Commissions Program for women composers is an initiative of the League of American Orchestras, in partnership with American Composers Orchestra (ACO) and supported by the Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation. Selected composers are previous participants in ACO's EarShot Readings.

The League and ACO have established two 30-orchestra consortiums, each supporting commissions by six women and nonbinary EarShot alumni. Each composer writes a 6–8 minute orchestral work and develops an educational or community-focused program presented in partnership with each orchestra. In the 2024-25 season,  10 composers have their works performed by 15 orchestras across the U.S.

Let there be a paradise... was commissioned by the League of American Orchestras with the generous support of the Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation.

‍

‍

May 8, 2025, 10:30 AM - 1:00 PM

CoLABoratory Workshop

American Composers Orchestra

Benzaquen Hall at DiMenna Center

New York City, New York

‍

Quintet: Violin, viola, cello, bass, percussion + electronics

‍

Featured Artists and Works

Horacio Fernandez, New Work (ACO Commission, developed via EarShot CoLABoratory)

Kian Ravaei, New Work (ACO Commission, developed via EarShot CoLABoratory)

‍

May 12-13, 2025

EarShot Readings: Lawrence University Symphony Orchestra

Appleton, WI

Michael Clayville, Conductor

‍

Via EarShot, Lawrence University will workshop scores that fall outside of typical performance and notation standards including graphic scores, scores that engage improvisation, and scores with other components that are non-typical to Western musical notation. Selected works include those for open instrumentation (scores that can be read by any configuration of instruments), compositions that integrate "shape note" notation, and works that require light improvisation. Selected composers - Alicia Castillo, Matthew Mason, Lila Meretzky, and Logan Rutledge - will receive individualized feedback from mentor composers Marcos Balter, Joanne Metcalf, and Asha Srinivasan.

Artists will return to Lawrence University in January 2026 to participate in EarShot Readings where they will develop these compositions for the Lawrence University New Music Ensemble.

‍

‍

‍

May 17, 2025

Virginia B. Toulmin Commission Concert

Karena Ingram, TBD (World Premiere)

Memphis Symphony Orchestra

The Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation Orchestral Commissions Program for women composers is an initiative of the League of American Orchestras, in partnership with American Composers Orchestra (ACO) and supported by the Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation. Selected composers are previous participants in ACO's EarShot Readings.

The League and ACO have established two 30-orchestra consortiums, each supporting commissions by six women and nonbinary EarShot alumni. Each composer writes a 6–8 minute orchestral work and develops an educational or community-focused program presented in partnership with each orchestra. In the 2024-25 season,  10 composers have their works performed by 15 orchestras across the U.S.

This work was commissioned by the League of American Orchestras with the generous support of the Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation.

‍

‍

‍

June 1, 2025

Virginia B. Toulmin Commission Concert

Gity Razaz, Methuselah (In Chains of Time)

Berkeley Symphony

The Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation Orchestral Commissions Program for women composers is an initiative of the League of American Orchestras, in partnership with American Composers Orchestra (ACO) and supported by the Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation. Selected composers are previous participants in ACO's EarShot Readings.

The League and ACO have established two 30-orchestra consortiums, each supporting commissions by six women and nonbinary EarShot alumni. Each composer writes a 6–8 minute orchestral work and develops an educational or community-focused program presented in partnership with each orchestra. In the 2024-25 season,  10 composers have their works performed by 15 orchestras across the U.S.

In Chains of Time was commissioned by the League of American Orchestras with the generous support of the Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation.

‍

‍

June 5–6, 2025

EarShot Readings: American Composers Orchestra

Neidorff-Karpati Hall, Manhattan School of Music | New York City, NY

Link TBA

Conductor Rei Hotoda

Featured Artists and Works:

Grace Ann Lee

Marie Douglas

Cheng Jin KOH

Lavell Blackwell

Shawn Johnson

Arjan Singh

Mentor Composers:

Curtis Stewart

‍

‍

June 5–6, 2025

EarShot Readings: American Composers Orchestra

Neidorff-Karpati Hall, Manhattan School of Music | New York City, NY

Conductor Rei Hotoda

Featured Artists and Works:

Grace Ann Lee

Marie Douglas

Cheng Jin KOH

Lavell Blackwell

Shawn Johnson

Arjan Singh

Mentor Composers:

Curtis Stewart

‍

Wednesday, October 29, 2025 at 7:30 PM

American Composers Orchestra

Zankel Hall, Carnegie Hall | New York City, NY

Link TBA

‍

The New Virtuoso: For Art’s Sake features works that utilize newly created instruments and sonic media to explore symphonic texture. Spanning the use of sculptures that move and sonically react to their environments; graphic scores; gestural conduction; a survey of contemporary techniques for traditional instruments; the fashioning of instruments based on composers’ unique cultural backgrounds, these artists’ sense of design propels them into new compositional spaces.

‍

Lucy Gibbon, Soprano

Mélisse Brunet, Conductor

Daniel Rozin, Responsive Sculptures

The New Virtuoso: For Art's Sake

RAVEN CHACON, Inscription (NY Premiere, ACO Co-commission, developed via EarShot CoLABoratory)

TAMAR MUSKAL, Square Off for Voice and Mirror with Responsive Sculptures (World Premiere, ACO Commission)
ELIJAH DANIEL SMITH, Horizon of Closure (World Premiere, ACO Commission)

MAZZ SWIFT, Memory FIVE: Freedom Initiate (ACO Commission, developed via EarShot CoLABoratory, World Premiere)

AARON ISRAEL LEVIN, Multiverse verse chorus bridge verse chorus chorus (ACO Commission, World Premiere)

January 26-30, 2026

EarShot Readings: Lawrence University Symphony Orchestra

Appleton, WI

TBD, Conductor

Featured Artists and Works: TBD

Mentor Composers:

Joanne Metcalf  

Asha Srinivasan

Marcos Balter

‍

American Composers Orchestra

Zankel Hall, Carnegie Hall | New York City, NY

Link TBA

‍

Commemorating the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, we focus on artists’ musical open letters to America, which reflect 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.

‍
Karen Slack, soprano

Amanda Goookin, cello

Cynthia Yeh, percussion

Carolyn Kuan, conductor

‍

Hello, America: Letters to Us, from Us

JOSEPH PHILIPS, We hold these truths (ACO Commission, developed via EarShot CoLABoratory)

BRITTANY GREEN, Letters to America (ACO Co-commission, developed via EarShot CoLABoratory)

KITE, Wičhínčala Šakówin (ACO Commission, developed via EarShot CoLABoratory)

SHELLEY WASHINGTON, Haymaker (ACO Commission, developed via EarShot CoLABoratory)

JESSIE MONTGOMERY, Procession (arrangement)

‍