About the
Associated Chamber Music Players
&
ACMP Foundation
Executive Director Stephanie Griffin on ACMP
Associated Chamber Music Players (ACMP) is a US-based nonprofit organization with the joyous mission of supporting chamber music for pleasure. Founded by Helen Rice in 1947, it was a dynamic social network of passionate amateur chamber musicians well before Facebook! Today ACMP maintains four searchable online directories that are a valuable resource for amateur and professional chamber musicians alike.
Are you planning a chamber music session, party, Play-In or workshop? You can search for compatible players by location, name, instrument, playing level and musical interests in the Players Directory.
Going on a trip somewhere? Make new friends through the Players Directory and use ACMP’s new Organization Directory to connect with local membership organizations, workshops and community music schools.
Looking for a chamber music coach or workshop near home or on your travels? ACMP has you covered, with its Coach Directory and its Events and Workshops Directory focused primarily on amateur chamber music workshops and camps. (Filter the directory by Event Type to find chamber music concerts, as well.)
The “A” in ACMP originally stood for “amateur” – and we celebrate the true meaning of that word with our mission of chamber music for the love of it! But we also value our professional chamber musician friends, who enrich our musical lives and help us grow as musicians. Through ACMP, professionals can connect with their most important and enthusiastic audience– amateur chamber musicians– by listing themselves as coaches, promoting their chamber music organizations and posting information about chamber music workshops and concerts – all at no cost.
The ACMP grants program, unique in the world for its focus on amateur chamber music, supports a wide range of activities, from helping individual members to afford professional coaching to standing up new workshops in underserved communities. Each year we also offer our own online webinars and master classes, where members have the opportunity to learn from leading chamber ensembles such as the Imani Winds, and Jasper and Kronos Quartets.
Join ACMP – membership is free!
Support ACMP in its mission of chamber music for pleasure.
1946
Leonard Strauss writes a letter to friends suggesting the formation of “A Society for the Stimulation of Chamber Music.” One of these letters reaches Helen Rice as someone who might be interested. Rice becomes the founding force behind the organization.
1947
Helen Rice sends the first of many letters circulated to a list of friends and other players sounding out their interest.
1949
The first Directory to help chamber music players connect and play music together is distributed to 1200 people.
1953
The name is shortened to Amateur Chamber Music Players (ACMP). The first Directory that includes overseas listings is distributed.
1962
ACMP membership grows to 4000 members in North America and 1000 overseas.
1970
Amateur Chamber Music Players is incorporated as a non-profit organization.
1980
Helen Rice dies.
1983
ACMP publishes biography of Helen Rice, The Great Lady of Chamber Music.
1984
The List of Recommended Chamber Music is compiled and sent to all ACMP members.
1985
The Helen Rice Memorial Chamber Music Collection is established at Hartford, CT public library.
1992
The Clinton B. Ford Bequest is received, forming the basis of an endowment fund and the beginning of the ACMP Foundation.
1993
The ACMP Foundation is incorporated as subsidy controlled by ACMP. ACMP moves to its own office space at 1123 Broadway, NYC. Daniel Nimetz is engaged as first Executive Director.
1994
ACMP Foundation Grant Programs begin. The Foundation has awarded over $4 million in grants since 2016. Grant programs include Workshop Grants, Home Coaching, and Community Music Grants.
2006
Amateur Chamber Music Players name is changed to Associated Chamber Music Players – The Chamber Music Network.
2013
The first Worldwide Play-In Weekend takes place (planned annually for the first full weekend in March, the month of J.S. Bach’s birthday).
2015
Daniel Nimetz retires as Executive Director. Rebecca Sayles is appointed as Executive Director.
2016
The first Susan McIntosh Lloyd Award is presented to the Sphinx Organization for achievements in classical music education and diversity.
2016
The first Emeritus Award is presented to William Selden.
2016
The first Helen Rice Award is presented to Franz Marcus (Brussels, Belgium) for his long-term contribution to chamber music in Europe.
2016
Jennifer Clarke is engaged as Executive Director.
2018
The Helen Rice Award is presented to Edward Guo, the founder and director of the world’s most important online music library, IMSLP
2020
Stephanie Griffin becomes the next Executive Director
May 07
2022
ACMP honors long-time member and former newsletter editor Kitty Benton with the Helen Rice Award.
September 01
2022
ACMP celebrates its 75th Anniversary by dropping membership dues! (Photo of Helen Rice and her violin-shaped birthday cake)
Board of Directors
Susan Alexander
SecretaryPeter Aupperle, MD
Vice ChairBeatrice Francais
Member of the BoardRon Goldman
Member of the BoardNorm Malenke
Member of the BoardMarjana Rutkowski
Member of the BoardLouise K. Smith
TreasurerHenri van den Hombergh
Member of the BoardJonathan Wang
Member of the BoardRichard Weinert
ChairACMP Foundation Board of Directors
Susan Alexander
SecretaryPeter Aupperle, MD
ChairBeatrice Francais
Member of the BoardRon Goldman
Member of the BoardNorm Malenke
Member of the BoardMarjana Rutkowski
Member of the BoardLouise K. Smith
TreasurerHenri van den Hombergh
Member of the BoardJonathan Wang
Member of the BoardRichard Weinert
Vice ChairNorth American Outreach Council
The North American Outreach Council represent ACMP in their respective areas in the United States and Canada. Get in touch with them to meet other players and learn about local chamber music activities if you live in or plan to visit their state or province.
Peter Aupperle, MD
Westchester, NYCorinne Bergeron
Sherbrooke, QC CanadaEdward Bridge
Midwest South (Louisville, KY)Celeste Chau
Acting Chair – Kew Gardens, NYElaine Colprit
Bowling Green, OHVirginia M. Feldman
Portland, ORGary Hayes
Sidney , BC CanadaPhyllis Kaiden
Vashon, WACarol Kirsh
Toronto, ON CanadaRobert A. McGuigan
Greenfield, MAMonica Minden
Calabasas, CARobert B. Myers Jr.
Washington D.C.Carol Osborne
Fort Collins, CO United StatesDiana Helen Piggott
Calgary, AB CanadaLinda Burian Plaut
Blacksburg, VAChristina Wolf
Vancouver, BC CanadaRoberta Zalkind
Rochester, NYInternational Advisory Council
Members of the International Advisory Council serve as ambassadors for ACMP in their respective countries. Whether you live in their area or are visiting on vacation, reach out to our IAC Ambassadors for local chamber music connections and activities.
Andy Baruch
Kenilworth, United KingdomKeith Bowen
Warwick, United KingdomStephan Brandel
Beijing, ChinaJean Jellinek Carol
Allschwil (Basel), SwitzerlandPhoebe Csenki
Aldo De Vero
Pozzuoli (Napoli), ItalyMartin Donner
Wien, AustriaIsmail Douiri
Casablanca, MoroccoHarald Gabbe
Heikendorf, GermanyEduardo Gutiérrez-Rivas
Madrid, SpainPatsy Hulse
Auckland, New ZealandMichael Knoch
Berlin, GermanyFrançoise Longrée
Bruxelles, BelgiumTommaso Napoli
Milano, ItalyAkira Okamoto
Tokyo, JapanMaja Popovic
Podgorica, MontenegroMarjana Rutkowski
Porto Alegre, BrazilBernhard and Christel Schluender
Portimão, PortugalTakaharu Shimura
Tokyo, JapanHenri van den Hombergh
Chair, IAC; Nijmegen, NetherlandsBastiaan van Ouwerkerk
Dordrecht, NetherlandsSayoko Yamashita
Tokyo, JapanTechnology Task Force
Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, ACMP put together a group of volunteers to help other ACMP members learn to play chamber music online using low-latency music software such as JamKazam, Jamulus and SonoBus. Get in touch with members of this Technology Task Force and get yourself ready to play with musicians all over the world from your own home.