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A special birthday gift: a newly commissioned chamber work!

Looking for the perfect birthday gift for a chamber music lover’s milestone birthday? ACMP member flutist Trish Maxson had just the right idea: commissioning a brand-new piece of music by Jonathan Newmark for her friend Cindy Buhse’s 60th birthday, for the unusual combination of flute and 2 violas. It’s not easy to find a piece for that exact combination, and Trish wanted something she could play with Cindy and her daughter Emma who both play viola. The time was right for a “made to order” contemporary composition. Read all about it and download the score!

An ACMP Love Story

They Met Through ACMP!

Dr. Nancy Jiang (pianist/violinist from Australia) first played chamber music at the home of Toronto NAOC Councillor Carol Kirsh. Little did she know that chamber music sessions with Carol would lead her to meet the love of her life, Stefano Morra (ACMP violinist in Paris, France.) Read about their ACMP romance and wedding!

The Queen of Paradise Orchestra Project of Papua New Guinea

In 1975, the year El Sistema was founded in Venezuela, a tiny new country was founded on the other side of the world: Papua New Guinea. One of the world’s least explored and most rural nations, PNG would seem to have little in common with the homeland of El Sistema. But in 2018, El Sistema came to Papua New Guinea.

In memoriam: John Dexter

Longtime coach and ACMP member, and founding member of the Manhattan String Quartet

ACMP mourns the loss of John Dexter, who passed away on May 21, 2023. A long-time member of ACMP, he participated as a professional coach in the Home Coaching program and was deeply committed to helping chamber music players to improve their skills, develop musical insight, and expand their repertoire.

ACMP 2023 Giving Report

Over $190,000 in grants to organizations and individuals in 2023!

ACMP Foundation has awarded a total of $193,875 USD in its 2023 fiscal year to date, distributed over four grants programs.

NAOC Adventures in Vancouver, Canada

Travel the world through ACMP!

ACMP Executive Director Stephanie Griffin made new musical friends in her native British Columbia by connecting with NAOC councilors in Vancouver and on Vancouver Island.
Online Master Class Video

New Video: The April 15 Kronos Quartet Master Class

ACMP’s second online master class with the Kronos Quartet on its 50 for the Future repertoire was a huge success! Congratulations to all three quartets who played so beautifully, and you can now watch the entire class on ACMP’s YouTube channel.

Watch the video!

A new website and free membership for all

In celebration of its 75th anniversary, ACMP is returning to its roots by dropping its membership dues. Read all about it, and about some of the new features of this new website (including helpful tips on how to renew your membership and tweak your personal profile.)

Join ACMP!

ACMP Guide to Playing Levels

Consult the guide to help determine your playing level for the Directory of Chamber Musicians

Self-rating can be tricky! But it is an essential tool to get the most of your chamber music experiences through the ACMP Directory of Chamber Musicians. Read ACMP’s handy guide to help make your assessment. And please remember: you can edit your profile and change your playing level at any time!

Grants

The ACMP Foundation awards grants to foster the playing of chamber music for pleasure by people of all ages and skill levels from all over the world. Since its founding in 1993, the ACMP Foundation has awarded over 3,000 grants totaling over $4 million dollars for ongoing programs and special projects promoting participatory chamber music activities worldwide. ACMP grant recipients include workshop presenters, nonprofit organizations, regional and national institutions, individuals, and ensembles. The ACMP Foundation does not require non-profit/charity status for grantees (501c3 in the U.S.).

Workshops and Community Music Programs

Apply for funding for your workshops and community programs for amateur musicians of all ages. Grants are awarded to programs offering active participatory chamber music experiences to adult amateurs and children.

 Guidelines Apply

Home Coaching

The Home Coaching program encourages musicians who meet regularly as a group to engage a professional coach in order to gain musical insight, develop efficient rehearsal skills and exchange musical ideas.

Guidelines Apply

Play-In

ACMP awards up to $500 to individuals or organizations towards expenses for public Play-Ins. A Play-In is a participatory chamber music event, where all in attendance bring their instruments and play chamber music for pleasure in small and large ensembles. Listeners are also welcome, but Play-Ins are not concerts.

 Guidelines Apply

Just Play

ACMP awards micro-grants to help chamber music ensembles showcase work they have rehearsed and prepared in an informal concert setting. All players in the ensemble must be members of ACMP.

 Guidelines Apply
What does ACMP mean to you? Join ACMP
“A long and generous tradition of providing a network for players, and a source of useful information on chamber music and performance”
— Ronald M Costell, cello
“The best Facebook “avant la lettre” for chamber music players”
— Henri van den Hombergh , Violin , Nijmegen, Netherlands
“A tremendous resource for networking, and a community of similarly chamber-music-crazed individuals!”
— Stephen Poppel, clarinet
“Education, opportunity!”
— Shari Ebert, violin
“A portal to promised serendipities. Some get to be tangible.”
— Marjana Viero Rutkowski, cello
“A worldwide resource not found in kayaking or cross-country skiing”
— Gary Leisman, flute
“As a chamber music junkie, ACMP is a great resource!”
— Arlene Hajinlian, piano
“An excellent resource for all things amateur adults need to know to find and play together”
— Rita Spillman, piano
“A great international family of musicians connecting players around the world. I found many friends by our community and even during the pandemic we kept well connected”
— Stephan Brandel, violin
“The way to stay connected to chamber music, the heart of my life…”
— Julie Fulkerson, violin
“An important database and support group”
— Linda Plaut, violin
“Very valuable resource and community builder for chamber music players and fans. Really appreciate your grants – they help small organizations like us (Chamber Music Madness, in Seattle WA) put on workshops for students and adults, with professional coaching”
— Pamela McDonald, violin
“I love the organization. I have made great friends and had wonderful chamber music experiences through ACMP”
— Janet White, cello
“A resource for diverse musical people interested in chamber music”
— Dwight Campbell, horn
“A network to find chamber music players worldwide”
— Yuki Konii, cello
“I was so excited when I found out it was possible to link up with players around the world. It’s a magical thing to be able to turn up somewhere and know you have a link with people in a foreign country because you share a love of chamber music.”
— Sarah Watson, viola
“It provides a way to connect with other chamber players, widen my knowledge of chamber music and improve my playing skills”
— Valerie Chereskin, flute
“Linked me with incredible friends all around the world to play music”
— David Rasmussen, violin
“ACMP helps me find workshops, other players when I travel, and now is getting me going with online playing.”
— Mari Gottdiener, violin
“A nice resource for finding players and workshops, and the founder of the Worldwide Play-In”
— Mary Felley, cello
“An international community of people who love playing chamber music”
— David Pearl, cello

ACMP By The Numbers

Players
>2,500
Grants Awarded
>$4M
Countries
>30
Email Subscribers
>5,000
Join ACMP
Master Class Video

Watch the first Kronos Quartet master class on YouTube

ACMP’s first online master class with the Kronos Quartet on Saturday, November 12, 2022 was a success! Congratulations to the three groups from Idaho State University, the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and SUNY New Paltz who performed so beautifully. Watch the November class and sign up now to play on April 15.

How to Hold a Play-In

Watch the videos from ACMP’s online panel discussion

Watch the video of ACMP’s online workshop “How to Hold a Play-In” with panelists Peter Aupperle, Susan Alexander, Michael Knoch, Virginia Feldman, Phyllis Kaiden and Bob Myers. Get some expert tips on holding a Play-In and organize one yourself for ACMP’s 2023 Worldwide Play-In Weekend, May 19 – 21.

Chamber Music for Novice-level Players

Violinist and educator Jill Schultz shares tips on how to find satisfying chamber music repertoire for novice-level players

 CMA and ACMP

Partners in Chamber Music!

Watch the video of ACMP’s panel discussion at the CMA 2023 National Conference

Chamber Music America (CMA) and ACMP are finding new ways to support one another in our shared mission of supporting the field of chamber music worldwide. In January 2023, ACMP gave its first public panel discussion at the CMA National Conference: “Coaching your Audience” on best practices for working with adult amateur musicians.

 Planned Giving

Remembering Louise Hauser: Educator and Philanthropist

ACMP is grateful to have received a generous bequest from the late Louise Jean Hauser Russo, who passed away on December 3, 2020 at the age of 99.

 Just Play Concert Video

ACMP Members in California perform Beethoven and Gabriela Lena Frank

California ACMP members Sue Soong, Kevin Jim, Angus Davol and Julie Park perform an ambitious program of Beethoven and Gabriela Lena Frank at their concert in Albany, California, supported in part by ACMP.

Watch the video!

 At a Glance

Online Chamber Music Resources

ACMP is committed to helping music lovers worldwide in their efforts to keep chamber music alive over the Internet throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, and beyond.

 JamKazam

Playing Chamber Music Over the Internet – For Real!

Susan Alexander shares her insights on JamKazam with links to her user-friendly how-to guide.
ACMP stimulates and supports the playing of chamber music for pleasure by musicians of all backgrounds, ages and skill levels worldwide by connecting people and supporting chamber music activities for individuals, groups and organizations Join ACMP