In Tune With Austin Since 1977!

The Austin Civic Orchestra (ACO) is a non-profit civic organization devoted to bringing high quality music to the community and providing a musical outlet for professional and non-professional musicians alike. The Orchestra performs approximately eight concerts each season, all of which offer programming to suit a wide variety of musical tastes, from traditional classics to pops and most everything in between.

Among the oldest community orchestras in the country, the ACO was founded in 1977 by current Board member, Mac Payne, with sponsorship by the Austin Community Schools for the purpose of offering a recreational performing experience to musicians in the community. The organization started with a small group of string players which has since grown and evolved into the full symphonic orchestra it is today. The Orchestra's first public performance was on September 14, 1978 in the ballroom of the University of Texas Student Union.

The ACO performs and operates under the leadership of the Board of Directors, the Operations Manager, and the Music Director. The responsibilities attached to the position of Operations Manager include, but are not limited to, venue arrangements, equipment transportation, and personnel issues.

The function of the Board of Directors is to oversee budget management, publicity, venue selection, and fund-raising. The Orchestra's first community-based board was elected for the 1985-86 season in order to increase visibility, financial assets, and community support.

One recent key accomplishment (2000) of Mr. Payne was the acquisition of a $50,000 endowment from the Webber Family Foundation in support of the Pearl Amster Youth Concerto Competition. This endowment continues to provide for long-term support of the competition and enables the ACO to award college scholarships to the winners. Another important achievement for the Board was the reception of a grant from the Austin Community Foundation which helped fund the 2001-2002 community outreach concerts.

The Music Director serves as conductor of the Orchestra and works closely with the Board and Operations Manager to develop and structure each season of concerts. The ACO's first Music Director was James Johnson, a graduate student at the University of Texas. When Mr. Johnson graduated and left the Austin area, the baton was passed to Robert Jones, who led the Orchestra through its early years and encouraged its expansion. Over subsequent years, the ACO has been fortunate to have been led by many fine Music Directors:

• Jay Dean - Conductor of the University of Southern Mississippi Symphony. DMA from the University of Texas.
• William Girard - Assistant Conductor of the Stuttgart Opera Company (Germany). DMA from the University of Texas.
• Vincent Fritelli - Former concertmaster of the Austin Symphony. Violin Professor at the University of Texas.
• Daniel Long - Fulbright Scholar. Conducted the Toronto Symphony, San Antonio Symphony, and Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra.
• Lois Ferrari - The ACO's current Music Director. DMA from the Eastman School of Music. Music Professor at Southwestern University.

The ACO has also had the pleasure of hosting many illustrious guests:

• Peter Bay - Music Director of the Austin Symphony Orchestra. Former Associate Conductor of the Rochester Philharmonic.
• Jennifer Bourianoff - Prominent violinist and assistant concertmaster of the Austin Symphony. Former ACO concertmaster.
• Bob Cannon - Principal Trumpet of the Austin Symphony. Faculty member at Southwestern University.
• Walter Castle - Lead baritone with the Metropolitan Opera (New York) for twenty-six years.
• Lauren Lane - Actor and co-star of CBS' series The Nanny. Theatre professsor at Texas State University.
• Anton Nel - Internationally renowned pianist and Naumberg Prize winner. Piano Professor at the University of Texas. Former faculty member at the Eastman School of Music.
• Kiyoshi Tamagawa - International concert pianist and accompanist for Eugene Fodor. Piano Professor at Southwestern University.
• Jess Walters - Voice Professor at the University of Texas. Former principal baritone at Covent Gardens (London) for fourteen years.
• Hai Zheng - Acclaimed soloist and the first Chinese cellist invited to the Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow. Faculty member at Southwestern University.

Since its inception, the Orchestra has made steady and important contributions to the cultural life of the city of Austin.

Principally, the ACO offers a cultural dimension that makes the city attractive for newcomers, especially musicians who make their living in another field but wish to continue making music. These Orchestra members, who range in age from sixteen to seventy-five, donate their talents to perform public concerts in Austin and nearby communities.

The annual Pearl Amster Concerto Competition Festival spotlights exceptional young soloists (under eighteen) from central Texas and is named in honor of Pearl and Gustav Amster's long-time dedication to furthering the growth and development of performance opportunities for budding musicians. Begun in 1984, this juried competition awards college scholarships (funded by a grant from the Webber Foundation) to several winners and also gives them the opportunity to perform as soloists in concert with the ACO.

Notable past winners include:

• Angela Alonzo - Age 16 - Pianist. Prodigy featured on NPR's From the Top series. Carnegie Hall debut in January 2002.
• Mary Elizabeth Box - Age 18 - Pianist. Piano performance major at Eastman School of Music.
• Bob Cannon - Age 17 - Trumpeter. Trumpet with the Austin Symphony. Faculty member at Southwestern University.
• Katie Frank - Age 18 - Pianist. Finalist in the Pinault International Piano Competition (New York). Carnegie Hall recital in 2001.
• Warren Hood - Age 18 - Violinist - Performed with the Austin Symphony, currently performing freelance in Austin.
• Eri Lee Lam - Age 17 - Violinist - First Pearl Amster winner. Violin Professor and Chamber Music Director at Southwestern University.

Another youth-oriented event is the ACO's annual Children's Concert: Child's Play. This relatively new addition to the concert season features music geared toward children of all ages: Prokofiev'ss Peter and the Wolf, Britten's Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra, Dr. Seuss' Green Eggs and Ham, for example. In 2004, the Orchestra featured the world premiere of Mark Fish's orchestral version of Ferdinand, the Bull.

The newly developed Composition Contest yielded its first winner in 2005. Rob Deemer's Lacrymae was among twelve submissions by nine different Texas composers and was selected as the winning composition.

In recent years, the ACO has sponsored Holiday Concerts to benefit the Salvation Army. To date, the Orchestra has generated over 2,000 cans of food and thousands of charity dollars for this noble organization.

From 1996-1999, the ACO presented a full dramatic production of Amahl and the Night Visitors at the Scottish Rite Theatre, with full choir and costumed performers. In December 1997, the production toured three cities in Belize, the first such performances in that country.

For more than ten years, the ACO provided the music for the Austin Independent School District'ss annual Music Memory Contest, sponsored in part by KMFA radio. The Orchestra currently accompanies several hundred choral students at their annual AISD Choral Festival.

In order to make concerts more accessible to the community, the ACO has reduced its general ticket price from $12.00 to $10.00. In addition, the ACO presents two free pops concerts every June in Zilker Park.

The Austin Civic Orchestra welcomes new members and those who wish to help maintain the organization's thriving participation in Austin community life. Click here to get audition information and here to learn how to donate time, materials, and/or funds to the ACO.