Carnegie Hall

American Composers Orchestra (ACO) is the only orchestra in the world dedicated to the creation, performance, preservation, and promulgation of music by American composers. ACO identifies today’s brightest emerging composers, champions prominent established composers as well as those lesser-known, and increases regional, national, and international awareness of the infinite variety of American orchestral music, reflecting geographic, stylistic, and temporal diversity. ACO activities include an annual concert series at Carnegie Hall, commissions, recordings, radio broadcasts, international exchanges, educational programs, and new music reading sessions. To date, ACO has performed music by nearly 500 American composers, including more than 100 world premieres and newly commissioned works. Visit americancomposers.org for more information.

Bold, passionate, and innovative, Mei-Ann Chen is renowned as one of the most versatile and dynamic artists on the podium today, praised for the energy and enthusiasm with which she infuses orchestras and performances. Music director of the MacArthur Award–winning Chicago Sinfonietta since 2011, her contract has been unanimously extended through the end of the 2028–2029 season. Named artistic advisor of the Springfield Symphony Orchestra in Massachusetts last March, Ms. Chen has been chief conductor of the Recreation–Grosses Orchester Graz at the Styriarte festival since fall 2021, making her the first woman Asian conductor to hold this position with an Austrian orchestra. She has served as the first-ever artistic partner of Houston’s ROCO since 2019, and since 2022 as an artistic partner with Northwest Sinfonietta. Highly regarded as a compelling communicator and a creative leader both on and off the podium, Ms. Chen has appeared with distinguished orchestras across the Americas, Europe, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, and Scandinavia. She continues to expand her relationships with orchestras worldwide (more than 150 to date).

Born in Taiwan, Ms. Chen immigrated to the United States in 1989 to pursue her musical studies. She is conductor laureate of the Memphis Symphony Orchestra, having previously served as music director (2010–2016). Past positions also include music director of the Portland Youth Philharmonic (2002–2007). She has recorded for the Cedille, Innova, and Naxos labels.

Combining rich tone and technical mastery with rare dedication and intelligence, Inbal Segev has appeared with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Bamberg Symphony, Berliner Philharmoniker, Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Dortmund Philharmonic, Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestre National de Lyon, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra, and St. Louis Symphony, collaborating with such prominent conductors as Marin Alsop, Stéphane Denève, Edward Gardner, Kirill Karabits, Lorin Maazel, Cristian Măcelaru, and Zubin Mehta. Committed to reinvigorating the cello repertoire, she has commissioned and premiered new cello concertos by Timo Andres, Anna Clyne, Avner Dorman, Fernando Otero, Victoria Polevá, and Dan Visconti. To encourage creative recovery during the early pandemic lockdowns, Ms. Segev launched 20 for 2020, a commissioning, recording, and video project for 20 cutting-edge composers. Her discography includes acclaimed recordings of Elgar’s Cello Concerto, Romantic cello works, and J. S. Bach’s solo cello suites, while her popular YouTube master class series, Musings with Inbal Segev, has inspired a generation of cellists.

A native of Israel, at age 16 Ms. Segev was invited by Isaac Stern to continue her cello studies in the US, where she earned degrees from Yale University and The Juilliard School before co-founding the Amerigo Trio with former New York Philharmonic concertmaster Glenn Dicterow and violist Karen Dreyfus. She started composing during the pandemic; her cello quartet, Behold, can be heard on the 20 for 2020 album. Ms. Segev’s cello was made by Francesco Ruggieri in 1673.

Described as a “gifted young guitarist” by The New York Times, two-time Grammy-nominated artist Mak Grgić is a rising star in the world of classical and contemporary music. His expansive repertoire—spanning the ethnic music of the Balkans to avant-garde and microtonal works—showcases his versatility as both a soloist and collaborator. He has premiered and commissioned numerous pieces, working with renowned composers such as Michael Gordon, Michael Abels, Julia Adolphe, and Nina Šenk. Upcoming projects include new works by Vito Žuraj, Austin Wintory, and Christopher Tin.

Mr. Grgić frequently collaborates with prestigious ensembles and artists, including the JACK Quartet, Curtis Stewart, Martin Chalifour, Chee-Yun, and Augustin Hadelich. He is also a founding member of the FretX Duo and the Flamenco-inspired Duo Deloro. His recordings—such as the Grammy-nominated Mak|Bach and Balkanisms—highlight his innovative approach to the guitar. Highlights of his 2024–2025 season include appearances with the Pacific, Charleston, and Sedona symphonies, and the Boise Philharmonic. He is an educator and entrepreneur, involved with several music festivals and leading initiatives like the Virtual Guitar Orchestra. He is also developing an educational game app called Notey to teach guitar to young people. He holds a professorship at the University of South Carolina.