Finding music to play and then obtaining the parts used to be one of the major obstacles for amateur players in gaining access to the broadest range of chamber music.

That all changed in 2006 when Edward Guo, a  composition sophomore at New England Conservatory, created IMSLP (the International Music Score Library Project). IMSLP is a vast virutal resource of public domain music that’s accessible for download at the click of a button. Guo’s initial motivation came from the desire to remove the barriers that prevent people from gaining access to classical music scores by making them more widely available on the Internet. 

ACMP’s own chamber music databased featuring more than 200,000 pieces is now aligned with the IMSLP library, thanks to the co-operation of Guo when the new ACMP website was estabilished in 2016. 

Because of his deep impact on revolutionizing the way players can access music through the creation of IMSLP, ACMP has awarded the 2018 Helen Rice Award to Edward Guo. The Helen Rice Award is given in memory of ACMP’s founder in recognition of those who have moved the chamber music world in new directions.

The award was presented at an ACMP event in New York on September 24, attended by ACMP members, amateur and professional players, ACMP board members, colleagues, grantees, and friends. Musical entertainment was provided by a quartet convened especially for the event, with a performance of Shubert’s Quartettsatz No. 12 in C Minor, D.703. The ensemble included Lilit Gampel & Tony Vine (AMCP Foundation Vice Chair), violins; Laura Goldberg (ACMP Board member) viola; and Sibylle Johner, cello.

Photos by Abby Verbosky