2026 - 2027 Season - A True Magical Journey
One of my favorite parts of being a Music Director is choosing the music we share with our audiences. For ACCO, that process is especially meaningful. Our mission is centered on contemporary classical music that is accessible, engaging, and meaningful—music that feels unmistakably of our time while still embracing beauty, melody, and the traditions of the classical repertoire.
October's program is a wonderful example of that mission in action.
Catalyst by Lauren Taylor
Lauren Taylor is an important voice in contemporary educational and concert music, and Catalyst immediately captured my attention. It is an exciting work filled with captivating rhythms, driving energy, and a infectious feeling of movement. It is contemporary music that grabs you from the opening measures and never lets go.
Dream of Light and Dark by David Ibbett
Dream of Light and Dark serves as something of a sneak preview of what is to come at ACCO. David Ibbett, Composer-in-Residence at the Harvard & Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, has built a fascinating body of work at the intersection of music and science. Next season, ACCO will present an entire concert devoted to his revolutionary, science-inspired compositions exploring the mysteries of outer space.
For now, we are delighted to offer Dream of Light and Dark as an appetizer, and even more delighted that Dr. Ibbett himself will join us as narrator.
What I find so compelling about David’s music is that the scientific inspiration never comes at the expense of the musical experience. His compositions are tonal, cinematic, dramatic, and genuinely exciting to hear. Scored for a small string ensemble and narrator, Dream of Light and Dark is both innovative and gorgeous.
Lyric Preludes by David Winkler
We are thrilled to welcome David Winkler as ACCO’s Composer-in-Residence this season, with works by David appearing on both of our major concerts.
One of the qualities I love most about his music is its extraordinary sense of perpetual motion. He juxtaposes classical compositional techniques with modern sensibilities, creating a sonic landscape that is uniquely his own. His remarkable versatility, writing for chamber ensembles, full orchestras, opera, and ballet, is reflected in music that feels deeply rooted in the classical tradition while speaking with a distinctly contemporary voice.
It is an honor to have him as part of the ACCO family this season, and Lyric Preludes offers our audience a wonderful introduction to his musical world.
Dreamweaver by Ola Gjeilo
Dreamweaver may be my favorite work for orchestra and choir written in the last few decades.
Ola Gjeilo masterfully adapts a famous Norwegian folk tale, taking the audience on a remarkable musical journey alongside its protagonist. The music can be dark and ominous one moment, then luminous and joyous the next. Gjeilo ingeniously weaves the soprano soloist into the fabric of the work—we are thrilled that the incomparable Kelly Curtin will join us for this performance—and treats the orchestra not simply as harmonic support for the choir, but as an equal partner in telling the story.
The result is a true musical journey: challenging, exciting, modern, classical, cinematic, and, quite simply, incredibly fun to conduct, sing, and hear.
Taken together, these four works represent exactly what excites me about ACCO. Contemporary classical music does not have to be inaccessible or intimidating. It can be beautiful. It can tell stories. It can explore science and the universe. It can build upon centuries of musical tradition while still sounding completely new.
Most importantly, it can move us.
That is the music I want ACCO to champion, and I cannot wait to share it with you this season.
