LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton Inc. & American Composers Orchestra Announce Partnership

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Partnership to Commission & Premiere New Music by Emerging American Composers

Composer Erin Gee Selected as First Composer Commissioned. Gee’s New Work to Premiere at Carnegie Hall’s Zankel Hall on November 30, 2009

New York, NY – August 12, 2009 – American Composers Orchestra (ACO) and LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton Inc. today announced a new, two-year partnership to promote the creation of new orchestral works by emerging American composers. In 2009, LVMH will support the commission of a new work by composer Erin Gee and its premiere by ACO at the orchestra’s season-opening concert at 7:30pm on Monday, November 30 at Carnegie Hall’s Zankel Hall (57th St. and 7th Ave.). The second composer will be selected through a national search, with the commissioning guidelines and theme to be announced at a press conference on November 16th, 2009.

Erin Gee's music defies a simple description. Often, an impression of ephemeral, fragile poetry is formed from the gossamer-quality of the work, which continually aspires to plumb the possibilities of the human voice, while also serving as the inspirational source for contemplating new instrumental sounds. - Kultur Steiermark

Renaud Dutreil, Chairman of LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton in North America said: “LVMH and American Composers Orchestra share a commitment to supporting emerging American artists. For LVMH, this stems directly from our work to foster creative passion and exalt artistic endeavor. We consider it a great privilege to help artists begin their careers, and offer them the opportunity to express and develop the full scope of their talent.” Dutreil added: “LVMH is extremely proud to embark on this partnership with the American Composers Orchestra, an organization that has distinguished itself in its decades of pioneering work to create new opportunities for young composers.”

ACO’s strategic focus is the creation of new opportunities for emerging American composers. Its programs have consistently pushed the boundaries of the conventional orchestra. Throughout ACO’s three decades, the orchestra has been renowned for its commitment to innovation and for fostering of the most adventurous new American music, including numerous premieres by early-career composers who have gone on to major world acclaim.

LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton and its Chairman & Chief Executive Officer Bernard Arnault are deeply committed to supporting the arts. Consistent with a culture centered on innovation and creativity, LVMH has sponsored projects worldwide that celebrate the arts through restoration of historical monuments, patronage of major national exhibitions, enrichment of major museums' collections and the encouragement of contemporary creation, including by young creators (please see www.LVMH.com for more information about the Group’s Stradivarius loans, “Young Virtuosos” concerts and the LVMH Young Artists’ Award). Dutreil said: “The partnership with ACO is another opportunity for LVMH to expand its commitment in supporting artistic endeavor and creative ingenuity; it also is the first time the leading luxury group has supported the creation of an original musical composition in America.”

At a time when corporate support for the arts and other non-profits is on the decline, this new partnership between LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton Inc. and American Composers Orchestra is an important and positive development that strengthens the ties between business and the arts, furthering the bond of creativity and beauty between fashion, visual arts, and music.

About ACO
Now entering its 33rd year, American Composers Orchestra is the only orchestra in the world dedicated to the creation, performance, preservation, and promulgation of music by American composers. ACO makes the creation of new opportunities for American composers and new American orchestral music its central purpose. ACO also serves as an incubator of ideas, research, and talent, as a catalyst for growth and change among orchestras, and as an advocate for American composers and their music. To date, ACO has performed music by more than 600 American composers, including 200 world premieres and newly commissioned works. Through its concerts at Carnegie Hall and other venues, recordings, radio broadcasts, educational programs, New Music Readings, and commissions, ACO identifies today’s brightest emerging composers, champions established composers as well as those lesser-known, and increases awareness of the infinite variety of American orchestral music. Among the honors ACO has received are special awards from the American Academy of Arts and Letters and from BMI recognizing the orchestra’s outstanding contribution to American music. ASCAP has awarded its annual prize for adventurous programming to ACO 32 times, singling out ACO as “the orchestra that has done the most for new American music in the United States,” including the 2008 ASCAP Morton Gould Award for Innovative Programming. ACO received the inaugural METLife Award for Excellence in Community Engagement, and a proclamation from the New York City Council. ACO recordings are available on ARGO, CRI, ECM, Point, Phoenix USA, MusicMasters, Nonesuch, Tzadik, and New World Records, and online at InstantEncore.com.

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