ALEX GROTH
Redwood Symphony Board member, trumpet player, ACSO supporter

ACSO is delighted to highlight Alex Groth, who plays trumpet and sits on the Redwood Symphony Board. This interview was conducted by Alessandra Aquilanti, ACSO Board member and Development Director at Music@Menlo.

DANIEL COOPERMAN
San Francisco Symphony Board of Governors, Carmel Bach Festival Board member, ACSO donor

Dan Cooperman sits on both the San Francisco Symphony Board of Governors and the Carmel Bach Festival Board. He is also a proud supporter of ACSO! We are grateful for the opportunity to highlight his remarkable dedication and contributions to our music community. This interview was conducted by Alessandra Aquilanti, ACSO Board member and Development Director at Music@Menlo.

TODD ALDRICH
Santa Barbara Symphony Board member, music lover, ACSO donor

ACSO is honored to feature a profile of Todd Aldrich, member of the Santa Barbara Symphony Board. The interview was conducted by Alessandra Aquilanti, ACSO Board member and Development Director at Music@Menlo.

CARMINA EYLAR
Arts administrator, bassist, and ACSO donor

ACSO is excited to shine a spotlight on arts administrator, bassist, and ACSO donor Carmina Eylar. The interview was conducted by Alessandra Aquilanti, ACSO Board member and Development Director at Music@Menlo.

BARBARA FAULKNER
Former Executive Director of the Mendocino Music Festival, pianist and piano teacher, ACSO donor

ACSO is excited to shine the spotlight Barbara Faulkner, recently retired as Executive Director of the Mendocino Music Festival. The interview was conducted by Alessandra Aquilanti, ACSO Board member and Development Director at Music@Menlo.

Here at ACSO, we think Valentine's Day is the perfect opportunity to tell our donors, funders, and sponsors how much we love and appreciate them and to publicly recognize their support.

On January 14, 2025, The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) announced the first round of recommended awards for fiscal year 2025, with nearly $36.8 million in funding to support the arts nationwide. This is the first of the NEA’s two major grant announcements each fiscal year. These grants fall under three NEA funding categories: Grants for Arts Projects, Our Town, and State and Regional Partnerships. Six ACSO members have been selected to receive grants totaling $175,000 in funding (see list below). For the full announcement from the NEA, please click here.

NEA Chair Maria Rosario Jackson, PhD said, “The NEA is proud to continue our nearly 60 years of supporting the efforts of organizations and artists that help to shape our country’s vibrant arts sector and communities of all types across our nation. It is inspiring to see the wide range of creative projects taking place—those that address our past and help us consider our future, integrate arts and culture in new ways into our lives and communities, and provide powerful opportunities for people throughout our nation to come together through a shared arts experience.”

ACSO offers heartfelt thanks to our members and friends who donated to our 2024 year-end Season of Giving Campaign in December.

With the support of the 97 generous donors below, we exceeded our goal of $11,000 and raised $12,150 to support future professional development programs like Annual Conferences, Virtual Peer Forums, and Youth Orchestra Confabs.

By Sarah Weber, ACSO Executive Director
   
I'm so proud that the Association of California Symphony Orchestras (ACSO) has launched a new Strategic Framework to guide us forward over the next five years. Its vision articulates a strong focus on advocacy, community-building, resource-sharing, and it reaffirms our commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.

Having gone through the process twice now with ACSO, I have been reflecting on what I have learned about strategic planning and have come up with ten takeaways that I hope may resonate with or be helpful to others.

By Luc Edouard Eldridge, ACSO 2024 Conference and Marketing Intern

This past summer, I had the opportunity (pictured here) to join the Association of California Symphony Orchestras (ACSO) as the Conference and Marketing Intern and help put on ACSO's 2024 Annual Conference in San Francisco. I’m currently a student at the University of Southern California studying Composition. I’ve been in music spaces for the majority of my life, as I began playing piano at a young age and have played clarinet for many years. Although I have a background in music, it was interestingly my first time attending a professional conference centered on orchestra management.

During the ACSO Annual Meeting on Friday, July 26, 2024, members welcomed the association's new 2024/25 board officers and elected three new board members to serve a three-year term beginning October 1, 2024. Congratulations!

2024/25 BOARD OFFICERS

Scott Vandrick
President
Senior Director of Advancement
The Music Center 

The Association of California Symphony Orchestras (ACSO) is pleased to announce the 2024 recipients of the Executive Leadership Award, Emerging Professional Award, Young Musician Leadership Award, and Most Valuable Player (MVP) Volunteer Awards. Awards will be presented at ACSO’s 2024 Annual Conference in San Francisco from July 25-27. Congratulations to all the worthy nominees and recipients!

ACSO’s annual awards program recognizes remarkable individuals and organizations within ACSO’s membership network for their meaningful contributions to the orchestra field.

On May 15, 2024, The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) announced the second round of recommended awards for fiscal year 2024, with more than $110 million in funding to support the arts nationwide. This is the second of the NEA’s two major grant announcements each fiscal year. These grants fall under three NEA funding categories: Grants for Arts Projects, Our Town, and State and Regional Partnerships. Eight ACSO members have been selected to receive grants totaling $260,000 in funding (see list below). For the full announcement from the NEA, please click here.

NEA Chair Maria Rosario Jackson, PhD said, “These projects exemplify the creativity and care with which communities are telling their stories, creating connection, and responding to challenges and opportunities in their communities—all through the arts. So many aspects of our communities such as cultural vitality, health and well-being, infrastructure, and the economy are advanced and improved through investments in art and design, and this funding at the local, state, and regional levels demonstrates the National Endowment for the Arts’ commitment to ensuring people across the country benefit.”

The 2024 summer music festival season is here! Artists and live music lovers from all over the world are coming to California and the Western U.S. to experience a unique blend of music-making, camaraderie, and scenic beauty. The Association of California Symphony Orchestras (ACSO) is pleased to share this summer's offerings from our festival members, highlighting a vital and vibrant way for artists and audiences alike to deeply engage in classical music in picturesque, unique communities.

No two festivals are exactly alike, yet each share one common thread: a love and respect for composers, musicians, and the communities in which they are rooted. There are many opportunities to experience world-class performances and connect with the artists who bring these great works of art to life.

By Retired Major Brian Dix, United States Marine Corps, an independent Conductor & Composer from San Diego California

In anticipation of America's momentous 250th birthday in 2026, the world of classical music stands poised to create a year-long celebration extending beyond the traditional festivities of Independence Day. Amidst the grandeur, there exists a delightful consideration of ‘diamonds in the rough’—musical works that skillfully strike the delicate balance in concert repertoire of patriotism without veering into the realm of going full-blown “Pops.”

The author of this blog, Julia Copeland, is a former ACSO Board member, the former Executive Director of Youth Orchestras of Fresno, and a professional violinist. Julia shares her thoughts and impressions of playing in the Fresno Philharmonic concert on Saturday, March 9, 2024. This concert, titled Mariachi Los Camperos, was guest conducted by Alexandra Arrieche.

What a blast! It’s been a long time since I lived in Mexico City, but a recent night with the Fresno Philharmonic and the Los Angeles-based mariachi group Los Camperos seemed to whisk me back in time and space to Mexico DF’s mariachi mecca, the Plaza Garibaldi.
Image description: Los Camperos backstage with fans

The author of this blog, Julia Copeland, is a former ACSO Board member, the former Executive Director of Youth Orchestras of Fresno, and a professional violinist. Julia shares her thoughts and impressions from attending the San Francisco Symphony's performance of Mahler's Symphony No. 5 guest conducted by Michael Tilson Thomas (MTT) on Thursday, January 25, 2024. The concert was part of the last subscription series MTT will conduct for SFS, where he was music director from 1995-2020, and marked the 50th anniversary of his debut with the orchestra.

You knew the minute he came onstage what kind of night it would be. He was himself…and yet not exactly. We could feel the pressure of tears building already before he reached the podium. It was that kind of night. Anyone who tells you otherwise is just trying to seem tough.

The author of this blog, Julia Copeland, is a former ACSO Board member, the former Executive Director of Youth Orchestras of Fresno, and a professional violinist. Julia shares her thoughts and impressions from attending the Oakland Symphony's January 26, 2024, concert guest conducted by Kalena Bovell and featuring Samantha Ege on piano. 

On Friday night at the Oakland Symphony concert conducted by Kalena Bovell, with piano soloist Samantha Ege, I couldn’t avoid a moment of total happiness caused by what should probably be considered extraneous, non-music-related factors.

On January 24, 2024, The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) announced the first round of recommended awards for fiscal year 2024, with more than $32 million in funding to support the arts nationwide. This is the first of the NEA’s two major grant announcements each fiscal year and includes grants to organizations through the NEA’s Grants for Arts Projects, Challenge America, Research Grants in the Arts, and Research Labs categories. Four ACSO members have been selected to receive grants totaling $140,000 in funding (see list below). For the full announcement from the NEA, please click here.

NEA Chair Maria Rosario Jackson, PhD said, “The NEA is pleased to announce these grants, all of which strengthen our nation’s arts sector in different ways. Whether it’s the creation of new art, opportunities for the public to participate and engage in the arts, or work to better understand the impact of the arts, these grants contribute to the well-being of individuals and communities, help meet the challenges of our time, and build towards a future in which all people can lead artful lives and reach their full potential.”