ACM’s popular Sound of Silent Film Festival celebrates its 18th year with an all-new program of modern silent films with scores we commissioned performed live. One night only!  Wednesday, April… Read More »Tickets Now on Sale for the Sound of Silent Film Festival in Chicago

The Thirsty Ears Festival is Chicago’s only classical music street festival happening on September 7 and 8 and we need your help to bring it to life!  Volunteers work two… Read More »Volunteer to help us at the Thirsty Ears Festival September 7 and 8

Don’t miss the 19th annual Sound of Silent Film Festival!  This unique event features newly composed scores, all commissioned by ACM, performed live to modern silent films.  It takes place… Read More »Tickets Now on Sale for the Sound of Silent Film Festival on April 4th in Chicago

ACM students will be participating in the first ever ACM Practice-o-thon! We’ll be getting into good habits while raising money for the ACM Scholarship Fund! Students will pledge to practice… Read More »Practice-o-thon begins January 17th!

Please support ACM’s mission of providing equitable access to the transformative power of music-making!  We are a non-profit organization and your support is critical to our success. We’ve launched an… Read More »Support our End of Year Campaign!

ACM is offering a collection of beautiful gift sets for the music lover in your life. Choose from coffee, t-shirts, music books and more paired with a gift certificate for… Read More »ACM Music Lesson Gift Sets

For Your Consideration Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble, Best Classical Compendium, Best Engineered Album Best Instrumental Composition ACM’s Composer Alive album features music we commissioned over the last twelve years as… Read More »Composer Alive Album Submitted to the Grammy Awards

Chicago’s only classical music street festival returns to Ravenswood on August 5 and 6 but we need your help!  We’re looking for volunteers to help us at the entrances, in… Read More »We Need Volunteers for Thirsty Ears

Every year 5,000ish people come out to the Thirsty Ears Festival, Chicago’s only classical music street fest.  They come for the music, the beer, the food and for community vendors… Read More »Vendor Applications Open for Thirsty Ears

ACM is releasing a new album on June 23rd of music by Seth Boustead inspired by stories of Italo Calvino.  The album features the NYC-based ensemble Unheard-of//Ensemble.  We’ll celebrate with… Read More »Tickets Now on Sale for Relevant Tones Live: Cosmicomics

The first of a three-part series of live-taped episodes of ACM’s award-winning podcast Relevant Tones features conversation and music inspired by lives featured in the New York Times’ Overlooked series… Read More »Tickets on Sale for Relevant Tones Live: Overlooked No More in NYC

Songs About Buildings and Moods has been picked up by WTTW in Chicago!  We’ll air on Wednesday nights at 6:00 PM between March 22 and April 19. You can always… Read More »Songs About Buildings and Moods to Air on WTTW in Chicago

Songs About Buildings and Moods has been picked up by Milwaukee PBS!  We’ll air in fifteen different time slots in the coming weeks.  Check their schedule for more info. You… Read More »Songs About Buildings and Moods to Air on Milwaukee PBS

We are delighted to share our Annual Report for 2022! Thank you to all of our incredible collaborators who made this amazing year possible. All of our accomplishments in 2022… Read More »2022 Annual Report Now Available

ACM’s video series Songs About Buildings and Moods will be shown on the PBS station in Carbondale, IL, WSIU starting on Saturday at 11:30 PM.  The series explores the intersection… Read More »Songs About Buildings and Moods on WSIU

We’ve launched an ambitious end of year fundraising campaign to raise $15,000 by December 31st.  Every dollar we raise will be matched by the Donnolley Foundation as long as it… Read More »Campaign for Tomorrow is Now Live

ACM is teaming up with Chicago Fringe Opera to present a concert version of a new opera by Seth Boustead called La Jetée on November 8 and 10 at Constellation… Read More »Don’t Miss La Jetée with Chicago Fringe Opera on November 8 and 10

We’re doing the first public screening of our new video series Songs About Buildings and Moods on Thursday, October 27th at 7:00 at the historic Music Box Theater!  Tickets and… Read More »Songs About Buildings and Moods Screening is October 27th

We’ll be performing a piece by Seth Boustead at the Richard H. Driehaus Museum on Sunday, October 16th every fifteen minutes between 1:00 and 4:00 as part of our collaboration… Read More »Open House Chicago is October 16th

Our award-winning podcast Relevant Tones just released its 350th episode!  The episode features an interview with and music by composer Shawn E. Okpebholo hosted by Stephen Anthony Rawson.  Check it… Read More »The 350th Episode of Relevant Tones Features Shawn Okpebholo

Our annual collaboration with Doors Open Milwaukee will be Saturday, September 24th.  We have commissioned new pieces of music for the historic Pabst Brewery and the Central Library from Christian… Read More »Doors Open Milwaukee is September 24th

On September 13th Access Contemporary Music’s label Invisible City Records will release its latest album: Composer Alive, featuring music commissioned by ACM between 2007 and 2022. The album features a… Read More »‘Composer Alive’ Album Now Available on All Platforms

ACM’s latest album drops this Thursday!  The album features several of our favorite pieces commissioned as part of an innovative program called Composer Alive in which a composer works  in… Read More »The ‘Composer Alive’ Album Release Party is This Thursday

We’ve got an exciting event coming up featuring an album release party and the launch party for the Ravenswood Art Walk.  ACM is releasing a new album of pieces we’ve… Read More »‘Launch and Release’ is September 8th

Chicago Fringe Opera, Lux Cantorum Chicago and Access Contemporary Music are teaming up to produce an operatic adaptation of Chris Marker’s classic film La Jetée which has inspired countless artists,… Read More »Exclusive Sneak Peek at the Opera La Jetée

Our maiden release on ACM’s own Invisible Cities label is a wide release of 2014’s 1001 Afternoons in Chicago! Featuring the seminal work of Ben Hecht, with music by ACM… Read More »Now Available On All Platforms!

Host Austin Williams explores the cross roads of experimental music and Jazz. Many artists featured on today’s show come from the Twin Cities area which has a large free and… Read More »Relevant Tones: Cross Roads

Chicago’s only classical music street festival returns to Ravenswood on August 13 and 14 but we need your help!  We’re looking for volunteers to help us at the entrances, in… Read More »We Need Volunteers for Thirsty Ears

  ACM’s process-based series continues with Concept Lab: Volume XIII.  Concept Lab is New York’s only concert series featuring works in progress, experimental works, improvisational works and pieces in all… Read More »Concept Lab: Volume XIII is this Sunday in Manhattan

It’s almost time for Chicago’s only classical music street festival and the lineup for this year is a doozy!  We’re thrilled to bring back some favorite groups from the past,… Read More »Thirsty Ears Festival 2022 Lineup Announced

Classical:NEXT is the global networking and exchange hub dedicated exclusively to classical and art music, for all professionals – artists, managers, presenters, orchestras, labels, educators, press, media, publishers and more.… Read More »Relevant Tones: Classical Next 2022 Part I

Annika Socolofsky is a composer and avant folk vocalist who explores corners and colors of the voice frequently deemed to be “untrained” and not “classical.” Described as “unbearably moving” (Gramophone)… Read More »Relevant Tones: Annika Socolofsky

Composer Alive is an innovative commissioning project in which we work with a composer to write a new piece in installments and rehearse and record each installment in front of… Read More »Composer Alive: Third Installment Performance

Barry Paul Clark is an active composer, bassist and improvising musician and he’s a frequent collaborator with artists of all disciplines nationally and internationally. Host Austin Williams talks with him… Read More »Relevant Tones: Barry Paul Clark

ACM’s Thirsty Ears Festival will be held on August 13 and 14 this year.  The event is Chicago’s only classical music street festival and combines performances by our resident Palomar… Read More »Apply to Perform on the Thirsty Ears Festival

Throughout the centuries composers have challenged performers to new heights of manual dexterity by writing études, pieces of music expressly designed to push the boundaries of what is technically possible.… Read More »Relevant Tones: Étude 21

Composers Kelly Sheehan and Chi Wang are finding great creativity in everyday technological objects like Wii remotes. Host Austin Williams gives us a glimpse into this fascinating musical world.

D-Composed is a Chicago-based chamber music experience that honors Black creativity and culture through the music of Black composers. Since 2017, they have created intimate, out-of-the-box experiences that celebrate a… Read More »Relevant Tones: D-Composed

New York Times columnist Charles M. Blow’s widely acclaimed memoir is the source for this extremely moving story of his traumatic youth in Louisiana. Composer Terence Blanchard, one of the… Read More »Relevant Tones: Fire Shut Up in My Bones

The 17th annual Sound of Silent Film Festival is April 16th at the beloved Music Box Theater. We are so excited to present an all-new program of modern silent films… Read More »Tickets Now on Sale for the Sound of Silent Film Festival

Composer Alive is an innovative commissioning project in which we work with a composer to write a new piece in installments and rehearse and record each installment in front of… Read More »Composer Alive Second Installment Open Rehearsal

Composer Alive is an innovative commissioning project in which we work with a composer to write a new piece in installments and rehearse and record each installment in front of… Read More »Composer Alive: Samsaminia First Installment Posted

Versatile saxophonist, composer and improviser Nick Zoulek specializes in an innovative technique that allows him to play multiple notes at the same time or use multiple techniques at the same… Read More »Relevant Tones: Nick Zoulek

Dal Niente’s new release features works performed during their 2020-2021 season, in the midst of a global pandemic.  The pieces on this album reflect their mantra that art must always… Read More »Relevant Tones: New Release by Ensemble Dal Niente

She’s the youngest person to win the Pulitzer Prize for music, she toured with Kanye, and the Met Museum’s Limor Tomer called her the “future of music.” Caroline Shaw is… Read More »Relevant Tones: Caroline Shaw

Access Contemporary Music has been bringing ground-breaking, innovative programming to audiences for over a decade. With a focus on introducing new audiences to bold modern music in uniquely approachable settings,… Read More »Early Bird Vendor Registration for 2022 Thirsty Ears Festival

Sarah Cahill’s The Future is Female is a three volume series, which celebrates and highlights women composers from the 17th century to the present day. These recordings feature more than… Read More »Relevant Tones: Sarah Cahill’s The Future is Female

Relevant Tones is ACM’s podcast about the most fascinating time in classical history: right now. We celebrate Twosday (2/22/22) with antiphonal pieces selected by host Austin Williams.

In 2015 we corresponded with several composers from Ukraine, at that time openly at war, about the challenges they faced. With Ukraine in the news again and the future again… Read More »Relevant Tones: Sounds From Ukraine

Composer Alive is an innovative commissioning project in which we work with a composer to write a new piece in installments and rehearse and record each installment in front of… Read More »Reserve a Spot for the Composer Alive Open Readings Session One

Eschewing the collection of traditional titles that describe single elements of her body of work, The Honourable Elizabeth A. Baker refers to herself as a “New Renaissance Artist” that embraces… Read More »Relevant Tones: Elizabeth A. Baker

The program is set for this year’s Sound of Silent Film Festival and it’s a doozy!  Our esteemed film review panel has chosen ten films this year out of the… Read More »Sound of Silent Film Festival 2022 Program Announced

Award-winning composer Jimmy López Bellido has been performed by leading orchestras and his music has been heard in some of the world’s most prestigious venues. His opera based on the… Read More »Relevant Tones: Jimmy López Bellido

Angel Island – Oratorio for Voices and Strings by Huang Ruo is inspired by the poems carved into the walls at the detention center at Angel Island Immigration Station during the… Read More »Relevant Tones: Angel Island Oratorio

Composer Alive is an innovative commissioning project in which we work with a composer to write a new piece in installments Each installment is sent to us as the composer… Read More »Arshia Samsaminia is Our Next ‘Composer Alive’

Based on the rap song of the same title by Nas, Undying Love is a tragic love story set in 1960’s Queens, New York. Stephen Anthony Rawson talks with composer/librettist… Read More »Relevant Tones: Undying Love

SEPTEMBER SONGWRITING SHOW: PROPOSALS DUE BY APRIL 30TH DEADLINE EXTENDED TO SUNDAY, MAY 8TH Concept Lab Vol. XIV on September 25th features a songwriting workshop for composers interested in writing… Read More »Submit Your Score and Proposal for Concept Lab

2021 is a wrap! Matt, Austin, Seth and Stephen choose some of our favorite album releases of the year including music by Pamela Z, Danielle Eva Schwob, Third Coast Percussion,… Read More »Relevant Tones: Best Albums of 2021

Composer Douglas J. Cuomo’s Seven Limbs, written for and featuring Nels Cline and the Aizuri Quartet on Sunnyside Records is a ritual in seven movements, based on the Seven Limbs – a… Read More »Relevant Tones: Douglas Cuomo’s ‘Seven Limbs’

The Driehaus Museum hosts a special evening for friends with “a feast for the senses”  through an exclusive sneak peek at a new docuseries created by ACM that explores the… Read More »ACM “Unveils” the Driehaus Museum on December 10th

Taped live as part of the third night of the 2021 Relevant Tones Festival, this is the album release party for Carla Kihlstedt and Rafael Oses’ stunning collaborative project Necessary… Read More »Relevant Tones: Carla Kihlstedt’s ‘Necessary Monsters’ Live

Music is a living, breathing art form. Without constant tending and nurturing, it wilts and loses vitality. It needs encouragement and tending to continue to grow and evolve. ACM needs… Read More »Help ACM Foster the Music With Our End-of-Year Campaign

Concept Lab is a series featuring exclusively works in progress, sound experiments and musical trial and error of all kinds.  We work with some of the most talented musicians in… Read More »Concept Lab: Volume XI is December 4

Hailed as the “future of chamber music,” string quartet Brooklyn Rider is a powerful force for musical creativity. Matt Dosland talks with cellist Michael Nicolas about several recent projects  

ACM’s popular Sound of Silent Film Festival celebrates seventeen years of newly commissioned scores performed live to modern silent films this year.  The films are sourced through an international call… Read More »Composer Submissions Now Open for the Sound of Silent Film Festival

ACM’s popular Sound of Silent Film Festival is a unique event featuring new short silent films in every conceivable genre screened with newly-composed musical scores performed live.

ACM’s popular Sound of Silent Film Festival is a unique event featuring new short silent films in every conceivable genre screened with newly-composed musical scores performed live.

The exciting launch of a new series exploring the intersection of music and architecture, Songs About Buildings and Moods is an artistic interpretation of historically and culturally relevant spaces. We’ll… Read More »Relevant Tones Tenth Anniversary Festival Continues with Songs About Buildings and Moods’ Live

Cartoonist Rube Goldberg’s intricately complex contraptions have inspired everyone from the classic Mousetrap game to Pee-wee Herman, and the Rube Goldberg machine has become a household name. This concert features music inspired… Read More »Relevant Tones Tenth Anniversary Festival Opens Tonight With ‘Useless Machines’

ACM’s popular Sound of Silent Film Festival is a unique event featuring new short silent films in every conceivable genre screened with newly-composed musical scores performed live.

Tune in tomorrow to Seth Boustead’s presentation on arts entrepreneurship in general (and ACM’s story specifically), Forging a New Path.  Tune in any time on Ear Taxi’s Youtube page. In… Read More »ACM Founder Seth Boustead at the ‘Ear Taxi Festival’

We’re not just on the app anymore! All of the original music inspired by the cultural and historical spaces of Wicker Park will be brought to you live by Palomar, ACM’s resident… Read More »Sonic Walkabout: Live in Wicker Park this Sunday, 9/12!

ACM’s popular Sound of Silent Film Festival, now in its 17th year, is a unique event featuring new short silent films in every conceivable genre screened with newly-composed musical scores… Read More »Now Accepting Film Submissions for the 2022 Sound of Silent Film Festival

ACM’s popular Sound of Silent Film Festival is a unique event featuring new short silent films in every conceivable genre screened with newly-composed musical scores performed live.

ACM’s popular Sound of Silent Film Festival is a unique event featuring new short silent films in every conceivable genre screened with newly-composed musical scores performed live.

ACM’s popular Sound of Silent Film Festival is a unique event featuring new short silent films in every conceivable genre screened with newly-composed musical scores performed live.

The Thirsty Ears Festival is Chicago’s only classical music street fest.  But we need your help! The festival will include two days of stellar performances by classical music ensembles and soloists… Read More »We Need Your Help! – Volunteer for the Thirsty Ears Festival

ACM’s popular Sound of Silent Film Festival is a unique event featuring new short silent films in every conceivable genre screened with newly-composed musical scores performed live. We source the… Read More »Tickets Now on Sale for the 2021 Sound of Silent Film Festival

ACM’s popular Sound of Silent Film Festival is a unique event featuring new short silent films in every conceivable genre screened with newly-composed musical scores performed live.

We’re accepting short films between 2 and 20 minutes for our 2021 Sound of Silent Film Festival.  There are two categories: silent films and films without dialogue. All films will… Read More »Film Submissions Open for the 2021 Sound of Silent Film Festival

Join us for the first ever ACM Teacher Performance Livestream! This performance will include live performances from ACM teachers, remote-recordings/video collaborations between teachers and prerecorded socially distanced performances. Enjoy a… Read More »Livestreamed Performance: ACM Teachers

ACM presents the 2020 Sound of Silent Film Festival featuring newly composed scores performed live to modern silent films. Program two airs June 27 at 7:00 Central, 8:00 Eastern! This… Read More »Streaming Link For Saturday’s Sound of Silent Film Festival

ACM presents the 2020 Sound of Silent Film Festival featuring newly composed scores performed live to modern silent films. Program one airs June 26 at 7:00 Central, 8:00 Eastern. PROGRAM… Read More »Streaming Link For Friday’s Sound of Silent Film Festival

ACM announces a four-part virtual lecture series on classical music given by our Executive Director Seth Boustead. We’re working very hard to pay our musicians for canceled events and to… Read More »Classical Excursions Virtual Lecture Series

ACM’s popular Sound of Silent Film Festival turns 15 this year!  We’re celebrating the anniversary with two ambitious virtual programs featuring fourteen short modern silent films with newly commissioned musical… Read More »Register Now to Watch the Sound of Silent Film Festival

The Molto Tutti Film Fest has been rescheduled for June 13th and will be live-streamed for the first time ever! Enjoy the magic of the student film fest from the… Read More »‘Molto Tutti’ Student Film Festival is This Saturday

We’re pleased to offer a new online Music Theory class that will combine elements of aural training, composition and music theory to enhance a student’s musical understanding and proficiency. The… Read More »Take an Online Music Theory Class

ACM is now offering online music lessons and classes! Private lessons are tailored to the individual needs and goals of the student and can take place via Skype, Zoom or… Read More »Now Offering Online Music Lessons

IMPORTANT COVID-19 ANNOUNCEMENT FROM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SETH BOUSTEAD First of all I hope that you are all safe and healthy and doing what you can to help in the efforts… Read More »Sound of Silent Film Festival Rescheduled

As concern grows over the coronavirus (COVID-19), we at ACM are monitoring the situation and following recommendations from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and NYC Department of Health. As of now the ACM School… Read More »Covid-19 Response

ACM’s popular Sound of Silent Film Festival celebrates its 15th anniversary this year with two all-new programs of modern silent films in every conceivable genre screened with newly commissioned scores… Read More »Tickets Now on Sale for the 15th Annual Sound of Silent Film Festival

From deep in the earth to the furthest reaches of outer space, Specific Gravity features music inspired by our physical universe. The event will pair informal conversation with Ashley Hamer,… Read More »Tickets on Sale for ‘Specific Gravity’

We gave a preview of three of the commissioned works for our upcoming Inner Worlds concert on December 16 in a fun house concert last week. Check out the video… Read More »Watch This Preview Video for ‘Inner Worlds’

This year’s collaboration with Open House Chicago was especially meaningful for us as we worked with the historic Forum building in Bronzeville. Built in 1897, The Forum is home to… Read More »Open House Chicago Video Posted ‘The Forum’

ACM collaborated with Doors Open Milwaukee to commission composers to write music for three landmark spaces.  We then placed musicians in each building to perform the pieces every fifteen minutes… Read More »Videos of Doors Open Milwaukee Performances Now Posted

We have a busy weekend coming up!  We’re collaborating with Open House projects in New York and Chicago to present fascinating music performed live in fascinating spaces. In Chicago we’ll… Read More »Open House Events in Chicago and New York This Weekend

Featuring a wide array of new pieces meant to be played entirely inside of the piano, Inner Worlds takes you on a fascinating sonic journey.  Encompassing a range of special… Read More »Tickets Now on Sale for ‘Inner Worlds’ Concert