The active participation of American composers in the life of symphony orchestras has also been a long-standing goal of the American Symphony Orchestra League.

Since 1974, the League has administered the ASCAP Awards for Adventurous Programming. Through these awards, the League recognizes and celebrates orchestras exemplifying a commitment to programming new American music. Over $500,000 has been awarded since the League began administering the program. From 1986 to 1989, the League spearheaded a nationwide program of orchestral readings by emerging American composers. Fifteen orchestras participated in the program and 64 works were read.

In 1991, the League launched its American Repertoire Project. Through this program, American conductors, working under the supervision of senior conductors and composers, read and performed new works by emerging composers. Twenty conductors participated in the Program, reading twenty-five new American works with five orchestras.

In 1999, the League launched its Music for a New Millennium initiative. This initiative features newmusicnow.org, a website devoted to selected new orchestral works, National Conference performances that showcase important new American works, and seminars and workshops focused on programming, performing and promoting new American music and living composers.

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