ACMP History Timeline
ACMP - ASSOCIATED CHAMBER MUSIC PLAYERS & THE ACMP FOUNDATION
1946
Leonard Strauss writes a letter to friends suggesting the formation of “A Society for the Stimulation of Chamber Music”. One of these letters reaches Helen Rice as someone who might be interested. Rice becomes the founding force behind the organization.
1947
Helen Rice’s sends the first of many letters circulated to a list of friends and other players sounding out their interest.
1949
The first Directory to help chamber music players connect and play music together is distributed to 1200 people.
1953
The name is shortened to Amateur Chamber Music Players (ACMP). The first Directory that includes overseas listings is distributed.
1962
ACMP membership grows to 4000 members in North America and 1000 overseas.
1970
Amateur Chamber Music Players is incorporated as a non-profit organization.
1980
Helen Rice dies. In 1983, ACMP publishes biography of Helen Rice, The Great Lady of Chamber Music.
1984
The List of Recommended Chamber Music is compiled and sent to all ACMP members.
1985
The Helen Rice Memorial Chamber Music Collection is established at Hartford, CT public library.
1992
The Clinton B. Ford Bequest is received, forming the basis of an endowment fund and the beginning of the ACMP Foundation.
1993
The ACMP Foundation is incorporated as subsidy controlled by ACMP. ACMP moves to its own office space at 1123 Broadway, NYC. Daniel Nimetz is engaged as first Executive Director.
1994
ACMP Foundation Grant Programs begin. The Foundation awards $4 million in grants for programs around the world that promote participation in chamber music from 1994 to 2016. Grant programs include Workshop Grants, Home Coaching, and Community Music Grants.
2006
Amateur Chamber Music Players name is changed to Associated Chamber Music Players - The Chamber Music Network.
2013
2015
Daniel Nimetz retires as Executive Director. Rebecca Sayle is appointed as Executive Director.
2016
The first Susan McIntosh Lloyd Award is presented to the Sphinx Organization for achievements in classical music education and diversity.
The first Emeritus Award is presented to William Selden.
Helen Rice Award is presented to Franz Marcus (Brussels, Belgium) for his long-term contribution to chamber music in Europe.
Jennifer Clarke is engaged as Executive Director. New initiatives are started to create partnerships, expand grant-making programs, and build membership.
2017
A new website is launched with numerous new features.
The Community Music grants program returns after a lengthy hiatus.
The second Susan McIntosh Lloyd Award is presented to the Preucil School of Music, Iowa City, IA, in recognition of the leadership by Doris Preucil in promoting the love and knowledge of chamber music.
ACMP becomes a sponsor of the ACMP Young Ensemble Program at From the Top with Christopher O'Riley. Broadcasts of recordings by two ACMP Young Ensembles with ACMP on air credits each reached 575,000 listeners nationwide. More details here.
The ACMP Board of Directors and members of the two Outreach Councils gather for a weekend retreat at Stony Point Center, New York, to discuss strategies for ACMP's future and some great playing.
2018
A new micro-grant program is introduced. Just Play provides funds for ACMP members and their ensembles to present a performance in their communities.
The first livestream masterclass combines technology and music to bring a workshop with the PubliQuartet and two learning quartets at the National Opera Center, NYC, to almost 3,000 online viewers worldwide.
March 2018 saw the introduction of a new online coaches and teachers directory for adult amateur players.
The sixth annual Worldwide Play-in Weekend brings players together throughout the U.S. and Europe. See a report and photos here.
Henry Conley succeeds Janet White as Chair of ACMP, Inc.
2019
The second annual livestream masterclass features the Catalyst Quartet and student quartets from Face the Music program at the Kaufman Music Center, and Chamber Music Center of New York. 2,650 online viewers participate. 80 post comments and questions.
The seventh annual Worldwide Play-in Weekend is presented, bringing players together everywhere.
A series of six mini-coaching videos are launched for winds and strings.
The second year of a collaboration with New Horizons International Music Associations supports three affordable high quality workshops for players ages 50+.
The new Going Places program connects U.S.-based players to large local networks of players in five European locations and another in Japan.
The final ACMP Newsletter is published, making way for the more condensed Updates bulletin
ACMP is featured in Groves Dictionary of Music for the first time.
Members of the International Ambassadors Council (IAC) gather in the Netherlands.
Richard Weinert succeeds Henry Conley as Chair of ACMP, Inc.
2020
Views of ACMP's mini coaching string quartet videos exceed 10,000.
The eighth annual Worldwide Play-in Weekend partners with community music schools and organizations to spread the joy of chamber music playing during the first weekend in March
A new commissioned work by award-winning composer Paul Marovec is the first step in a new intiative to make music by living composers accessible to chamber music players
The third annual livestream masterclass features Jasper String Quartet, an ACMP adult amateur quartet and two student quartets from Temple University Preparatory Division, Philadelphia, and is scheduled for transmission on April 2020.