ACA is a nonprofit organization that preserves and provides access to the music from its vast catalog, with scores from 1905 to the present day. Musicians around the world discover works on composers.com. ACA also provides education and support for licensing independent classical music, including for online video or theatrical filmed performances, mechanical and streaming rights for recordings, and staged dramatic uses on behalf of its affiliated composers.
- Composers join a collective publishing catalog, promoting their works to reach a wider audience, including a network of contemporary music distributors worldwide and the general public.
- While ACA acquires some exclusive rights in order to properly represent its catalog, affiliated ACA composers retain full ownership of their copyrights and intellectual property.
- On a limited basis, ACA offers advice, services, or referrals to its composer members on various administrative matters, such as clearing rights to texts and works by others you are using in your musical works.
- The ACA agreement is a revocable Grant of Rights that allows ACA to register as the publisher and be the exclusive administrator for sales, rentals, and other licensed uses of music. As the Grant of Rights is revocable, you are free to withdraw or transfer any or all of your works away from ACA with proper notice.
- Affiliated ACA composers share in the sales & licensing income through commissions paid to them by ACA, separate from performance royalties earned from BMI or ASCAP. Earn more income from more sources by joining a publishing collective such as ACA.
Applications for membership may be submitted for consideration on an ongoing basis, and are reviewed semiannually by ACA's Publishing Committee. Any U.S. citizen or permanent resident composer can apply for publishing services at ACA, however you must first be affiliated with BMI or ASCAP before applying.
There are no stylistic requirements for the music published with American Composers Edition. Composers writing contemporary concert music - chamber, orchestral, or choral, at a professional level are invited to apply.
To apply for membership, a composer should submit the following materials electronically to [email protected]:
- A minimum of two recent scores in PDF format,
- Two live or studio recordings (audio or video links, or via Dropbox or box.com),
- A current complete list of works with instrumentation, duration and detailed premiere info, and
- A resume/bio/or CV that contains recent performances listed for the past 3 years.
- Cover letter appreciated
*If a composer has been active for 20+ years, a custodial plan application may be required in addition to a regular ACA affiliation.
If you have further questions, please read the various information pages on this website or contact us:
Phone: (212) 837-8082
General Email: [email protected]
Snail Mail: PO Box 1108 New York, NY 10040
