About ACA

About ACA

First established in the 1930s, ACA has developed as a publishing administrator for American concert music, representing composers and estates through several generations of creative work. The curated catalog currently contains more than 14,000 compositions from 1905 to the present day.  ACA is working to preserve historical works, introduce new works, and develop innovative ways to increase awareness, performance opportunities and public engagement with its unique and growing catalog, available online, with options for print and other formats.

  • ACA serves as a publishing co-administrator and distribution agent for composers' scores. ACA does not require copyright transfer, but a specific grant of rights to represent a composer's works.
  • ACA coordinates effort in working with composers, performers, ensembles, record labels, distributors, estates, libraries, and the general public. 
  • Support and administration services are provided for chamber music, choral music, arrangements, opera, dramatic, theatrical, electronic, film, orchestral and band music. 
  • Affiliated publishing imprints are American Composers Edition (BMI), Composers Facsimile Edition (BMI) and American Concert Editions (ASCAP).
  • ACA sells and rents catalog products and licenses rights to musical works for recordings, web streaming, documentary films; dance and dramatic uses, chamber and orchestra performances; school classroom uses; audio and video recordings; textbook and article reprints, arrangements, and new editions of music from the past. All income at ACA is used to fund the continued activities of the Alliance.
  • ACA is funded by the generous contributions of Broadcast Music Inc. (BMI), the Aaron Copland Fund for Music, the National Endowment for the Arts, earned income from its catalog, and many organizations and individuals who support and contribute to preserve a vast collection of American music.

ACA Board and Staff


ACA is an equal opportunity employer and publishing affiliate and does not discriminate or tolerate discrimination against any applicant for employment or for professional affiliation with ACA, because of age, sex, gender, disability, national origin, race, or veteran status.