BREAKING: American Composers Orchestra welcomes LaRob K. Rafael as new Director of Composer Advancement. LaRob K. Rafael is a Chicago-based curator, speaker, and Founder of Hearing in Color, a nonprofit amplifying historically excluded voices in classical music. He collaborates with leading institutions like the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Lyric Opera of Chicago, and is Artistic Director of the 2025 Ear Taxi Festival. A Sphinx LEAD alum and 2025 MPower Artist Grant recipient, LaRob shaped inclusive programming at WFMT (Chicago’s primary classical station, 98.7 FM) through projects like Sounds Classical and Soundtrack. His work reimagines classical music’s past and future through storytelling, equity, and community-centered performance. Learn more about LaRob’s robust career and his new appointment as Director of Composer Advancement here: https://www.americancomposers.org/post/american-composers-orchestra-welcomes-larob-k-rafael-as-new-director-of-composer-advancement (fb)

We are thrilled to share the first single and music video for An American Solider; "I'm Sorry Ama," featuring Brian Vu as Pvt. Danny Che and Nina Yoshida Nelsen as Mother Chen. Full Album Out Digitally on Friday, May 23, 2025 via Platoon! Recorded during the New York premiere of An American Soldier in May 2024 was co-produced by Perelman Performing Arts Center | PAC NYC, Boston Lyric Opera, and American Composers Orchestra, and co-commissioned by PAC NYC and Boston Lyric Opera. The NYC cast and creative team included: Composer: Huang Ruo (composer & conductor) Libretto: David Henry Hwang Conductor: Carolyn Kuan Director: Chay Yew CAST Private Danny Chen: Brian Vu Mother Chen: Nina Yoshida Nelsen Josephine Young: Hannah Cho Sgt. Aaron Marcum: Alex DeSocio Private Stanton: Cierra Byrd Private Sonia Gonzalez: Shelén Hughes Defense Lawyer Major Baker / Pvt. Roderic Carter / Spc. Cameron Rodriguez: Joshua Sanders Sgt. Lucas Brown / Pvt. Roman Parker / Sgt. Jackson Blakemore/ Pvt. Bryan Johnston: James C. Harris Military Judge / Pvt. Washington, / Pvt. Manny Davis: Christian Simmons Trial Counsel Major Rose / Spc. Austin Haldemann / Spc. Julian Swanson / Pvt. Randall Pinkton: Ben Brady Understudy for Pvt. Danny Chen: WooYoung Yoon Understudy for Mother Chen: Misoon Ghim Understudy for Josephine Young: Angela Yam Understudy for Sgt. Aaron Marcum: Luke Harnish CREATIVES Choreographer: Ann Yee Fight Director: David Anzuelo, Sean Griffin Assistant Director: Madeleine Snow Rehearsal Pianist: Nathaniel LaNasa Production Stage Manager: Zach Jenkins Assistant Stage Manager: Taeuk Kang Assistant Stage Manager: Jo Fernandez Production Assistant: Joñi Chao Honeywell Artist Consultant: Diane Zola Military Consultant: Gordon Penn DESIGNERS Scenic Designer: Daniel Ostling Costume Designer: Linda Cho Lighting Designer: Jeanette Yew Sound Designer: David Bullard Projection Designer: Nicholas Hussong Wigs / Head Gear Designer: Tom Watson Props Supervisor: Patrice Escandon Associate Lighting Designer: Christopher Wong Associate Projection Designer: Joey Moro Associate Costume Designer: Elivia Bovenzi-Blitz Link: (fb)