Professor Janise White, Founder & Director
MAESTRO VINCENT WOMACK, OSCAR AWARD WINNING CONDUCTOR
Professor Janise White, Founder & Artistic Director
"Bringing fresh interpretations of symphonies and masterworks from the
African diaspora since 1990 on KUSC, BBC 3 & 4!"
"The orchestra played with utmost polish, together and with joy!" Los Angeles Times
"The orchestra played a fascinating program of obscurities." Los Angeles Times
"The orchestra's musicians flawlessly played the complex melodies of the classical symphonies." Los Angeles Sentinel
VISION STATEMENT from Maestro Vince Womack:
"As the conductor of the African American Chamber Music Society Orchestra, I am deeply moved by the transformative impact our ensemble continues to have on the Los Angeles community. Through our performances, we bring to life the rich, often overlooked works of classical composers of color—sharing their stories, struggles, and triumphs through music that resonates across generations.
The vision of our project is to engage, educate, and inspire the community by celebrating the music of Black composers—past and present—whose voices have historically been marginalized in the classical tradition. We strive to create inclusive concert experiences that not only uplift these important musical narratives but also foster a deeper appreciation for the cultural and historical contexts from which they arise.
Our mission is not just about performance, but about connection: building bridges between audiences and artists, between heritage and innovation, and between the classical canon and the living traditions of the African diaspora. Through our work, we hope to spark meaningful dialogue, nurture young musicians of color, and ensure that these vital musical legacies continue to thrive. "
MISSION: The mission of the Afro-American Chamber Music Society Orchestra (AACMSO) is: 1) to perpetuate the legacy of Black symphonic composers through the Black Symphonist Concert Series; 2) to publish historic symphonic masterpieces by producing new modern engraved historic works from the 18th Century onward; 3) to commission and premiere works by living composers; 4) to promote stellar Black musicians; 5) to educate young aspiring students about Black Composers by conducting music masterclasses for Los Angeles Area schools; and 6) to produce historic recordings of unheralded Black composers.
AACMSO Core Programs and Services include: 1) Black Symphonist Concert Series including: The Black Legend Composers (February); The Saint-Georges Festival (April) and the Juneteenth Festival Concert (June); 2) Music Masterclasses for Los Angeles Area Schools.
HISTORY:
The AACMS Chamber Orchestra is an aggregate of 45 consummate musicians dedicated to the preservation of classical music by Black Composers of the diaspora founded by Janise White in 1988. The Afro-American Chamber Music Society has presented Black Symphony Concerts debuting on KFAC and later on KUSC in 1989 to the present, reviving a plethora of works by historic composers notably Le Chevalier de St Georges, Francis Johnson, William Postlewaite, James Hemmenway, Florence Price, John E. Price, Fela Sowande, Jose Mauricio Nuñes Garcia, Carlos Gomes, Lucien Lambert, Ignatius Sancho, Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, Julia Amanda Perry, Philippa Duke Schuyler and William Grant Still. They also commissioned and premiered works by living composers Ed Bland, Gertrude Rivers-Robinson, Barbara Sherrill, Zenobia Powell Perry, William Henderson, Joyce Solomon Moorman, Jeraldine Saunders Herbison, Howlett Smith, Stephen James Taylor, Frederick Tillis, Christian Horton, Charles Ingram and James Lee. Additionally, they have performed works by living legend composers: Shirley Thompson, Derrick Skye, Jessie Montgomery, Julius Williams, Cheryl Keyes, Michael Abels, Kris Bowers, Daniel Roumain, among others.
Since its inception, AACMSO has appeared with a variety of noted individuals, including Roots author, Alex Haley, Marla Gibbs, William Thomas, Jr., and Clifton Davis; Natalie Cole; Garrett Morris; Richard Smallwood; the cellist, Nathaniel Ayers; Howlett Smith; the music group Earth, Wind and Fire; trombonist, Reggie Young; as well as guest conductors Denis DeCoteau, Kermit Moore and Michael Morgan. The orchestra has performed at the Blackburn Art Gallery of Howard University for the King Monument Celebration Concerts; San Francisco Museum of the African Diaspora; California African American Museum Concert Series; William Grant Still Anniversary Concerts at the William Grant Still Center with Judith Still; 100 Los Angeles School and College Concerts with Judith Still; John Patton from the Color Purple; Museum of Latin American Art Black History and Women’s Festivals; Los Angeles Music Center Concerts for the BEEM (Black Experience Expressed Through Music) Foundation; Los Angeles Convention Center for the National Baptist Convention; Medici Awards; DaCamera Society Concerts; Leimert Park Art Walk Concerts; National Association of Musicians Convention in Virginia, Los Angeles, and Atlanta; USC Hancock Hall with Dr. William Henderson; USC Bovard Auditorium with Dance Theatre of Harlem; AMNA (Africa Meets North America) Festivals at UCLA Schoenberg Hall, New York City, and the University of the Virgin Islands, St. Thomas.
In 2015, AACMSO's two commissioned works and recordings of "Cape Coast Castle Symphony" and "Jazz Flute Concertino" by Dr. Joyce Solomon Moorman were archived in the Research Foundation Library of the City University of New York. In October 2015, AACMSO's Sancho Minuets Recording was displayed at the West African Exhibit at the British Library from October 2015 to February 2016 and subsequently archived in the British Library Repository in 2016. Some documentaries which have featured excerpts of the recording on BBC Radio 4 include: "Britain's Black Past” (ten-part documentary, 2016) and “Black Classical Music: The Forgotten History” 2023. The London Symphony commissioned and premiered composer, Janise White’s, Sancho Minuet arrangements at the Barbican Theatre in 2022. In 2023, a KCRW interview with composer Dr. Joyce Solomon Moorman showcased her commemorative work, “Cape Coast Castle Symphony” on three consecutive Juneteenth Specials: 1) Using music to tell the origin story of African Americans; 2) Marking Juneteenth with reparations, music, (red) food; and 3) Society must come to terms with slavery, next generation.
AACMSO is listed in various encyclopedias and textbooks for perpetuating the music of Black Symphonists through live performances: The Bibliography of Black Composers by Dominique Rene de Lerma; International Dictionary of Black Composers by Samuel Floyd, Jr.; Brass Music of Black Composers by Aaron Horne; Music by Black Women Composers by Helen Walker Hill; African-American Women Women Composers by Helen Walker Hill; Black American Music: Past & Present by Hildred Roach, Ignatius Sancho Bibliography by Brycchan Carey, University of London and International Encyclopedia of Women Composers by Aaron Cohen.
Janise White, Founder & Director January 1988- Noted scholar and pianist, Professor White serves as Music Professor at West Los Angeles College in Culver City. A child prodigy, she began piano lessons at Mills College at age 4 under Mr. James Beail. She holds degrees from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music (Bachelor of Music, Adolph Baller), University of Southern California (Master of Music, Daniel Pollack); California State University, Hayward (Choral Credential and Bachelor of Music Education) with Artist Diploma Studies at Oberlin Conservatory with Frances Walker and Master Classes with Karl Ulrich Schnabel. White studied conducting with the late Denis de Coteau, San Francisco Ballet Conductor. White's festive holiday organ music "Christmas Joy" has been published by MorningStar. Additionally, White has written program notes for Frederick Tillis' "Three Symphonic Spirituals" published by American Composers Alliance, Inc. White's CD, and music for "Minuets and Optional Dances" by Ignatius Sancho is housed in the British Library, The Library of Trinity College Dublin, University of Dublin; University of Oxford, and Library at St. Pancras, London. White is mentioned in American Black Women in the Arts and Social Sciences: A Bibliographic Survey by Dr. Ora Williams; Black Music Research Journal by Samuel Floyd, The Magic of Music by Leroy Hurte, Bibliography of Black Music, the Greenwood Encyclopedia by Dr. Dominique Rene de-Lerma and Ignatius Sancho Bibliography by Brycchan Carey, University of London.
Maestro VINCE WOMACK, AACMSO CONDUCTOR June 2019-
Mr. Womack serves as Adjunct Professor of Music Education at The University of Southern California Thornton School of Music. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Music Education from the University of Michigan and a Master's degree in Music Education from the University of Southern California. He has taught Instrumental Methods and Music Education courses at USC and also served as Assistant Director of the USC Trojan Marching Band. Mr. Womack is Music Director at James A. Foshay Learning School. He has conducted ensembles in the finest concert halls from the Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Dolby Theater, to the Hollywood Bowl and the Cathedral of Our Lady. An award winning conductor, Mr. Womack received the Oscar award for conducting the Academy Award-winning short film, The Last Repair Shop.
"As the conductor of the African American Chamber Music Society Orchestra, I am deeply moved by the transformative impact our ensemble continues to have on the Los Angeles community. Through our performances, we bring to life the rich, often overlooked works of classical composers of color—sharing their stories, struggles, and triumphs through music that resonates across generations.
The vision of our project is to engage, educate, and inspire the community by celebrating the music of Black composers—past and present—whose voices have historically been marginalized in the classical tradition. We strive to create inclusive concert experiences that not only uplift these important musical narratives but also foster a deeper appreciation for the cultural and historical contexts from which they arise.
Our mission is not just about performance, but about connection: building bridges between audiences and artists, between heritage and innovation, and between the classical canon and the living traditions of the African diaspora. Through our work, we hope to spark meaningful dialogue, nurture young musicians of color, and ensure that these vital musical legacies continue to thrive. "
MISSION: The mission of the Afro-American Chamber Music Society Orchestra (AACMSO) is: 1) to perpetuate the legacy of Black symphonic composers through the Black Symphonist Concert Series; 2) to publish historic symphonic masterpieces by producing new modern engraved historic works from the 18th Century onward; 3) to commission and premiere works by living composers; 4) to promote stellar Black musicians; 5) to educate young aspiring students about Black Composers by conducting music masterclasses for Los Angeles Area schools; and 6) to produce historic recordings of unheralded Black composers.
AACMSO Core Programs and Services include: 1) Black Symphonist Concert Series including: The Black Legend Composers (February); The Saint-Georges Festival (April) and the Juneteenth Festival Concert (June); 2) Music Masterclasses for Los Angeles Area Schools.
HISTORY:
The AACMS Chamber Orchestra is an aggregate of 45 consummate musicians dedicated to the preservation of classical music by Black Composers of the diaspora founded by Janise White in 1988. The Afro-American Chamber Music Society has presented Black Symphony Concerts debuting on KFAC and later on KUSC in 1989 to the present, reviving a plethora of works by historic composers notably Le Chevalier de St Georges, Francis Johnson, William Postlewaite, James Hemmenway, Florence Price, John E. Price, Fela Sowande, Jose Mauricio Nuñes Garcia, Carlos Gomes, Lucien Lambert, Ignatius Sancho, Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, Julia Amanda Perry, Philippa Duke Schuyler and William Grant Still. They also commissioned and premiered works by living composers Ed Bland, Gertrude Rivers-Robinson, Barbara Sherrill, Zenobia Powell Perry, William Henderson, Joyce Solomon Moorman, Jeraldine Saunders Herbison, Howlett Smith, Stephen James Taylor, Frederick Tillis, Christian Horton, Charles Ingram and James Lee. Additionally, they have performed works by living legend composers: Shirley Thompson, Derrick Skye, Jessie Montgomery, Julius Williams, Cheryl Keyes, Michael Abels, Kris Bowers, Daniel Roumain, among others.
Since its inception, AACMSO has appeared with a variety of noted individuals, including Roots author, Alex Haley, Marla Gibbs, William Thomas, Jr., and Clifton Davis; Natalie Cole; Garrett Morris; Richard Smallwood; the cellist, Nathaniel Ayers; Howlett Smith; the music group Earth, Wind and Fire; trombonist, Reggie Young; as well as guest conductors Denis DeCoteau, Kermit Moore and Michael Morgan. The orchestra has performed at the Blackburn Art Gallery of Howard University for the King Monument Celebration Concerts; San Francisco Museum of the African Diaspora; California African American Museum Concert Series; William Grant Still Anniversary Concerts at the William Grant Still Center with Judith Still; 100 Los Angeles School and College Concerts with Judith Still; John Patton from the Color Purple; Museum of Latin American Art Black History and Women’s Festivals; Los Angeles Music Center Concerts for the BEEM (Black Experience Expressed Through Music) Foundation; Los Angeles Convention Center for the National Baptist Convention; Medici Awards; DaCamera Society Concerts; Leimert Park Art Walk Concerts; National Association of Musicians Convention in Virginia, Los Angeles, and Atlanta; USC Hancock Hall with Dr. William Henderson; USC Bovard Auditorium with Dance Theatre of Harlem; AMNA (Africa Meets North America) Festivals at UCLA Schoenberg Hall, New York City, and the University of the Virgin Islands, St. Thomas.
In 2015, AACMSO's two commissioned works and recordings of "Cape Coast Castle Symphony" and "Jazz Flute Concertino" by Dr. Joyce Solomon Moorman were archived in the Research Foundation Library of the City University of New York. In October 2015, AACMSO's Sancho Minuets Recording was displayed at the West African Exhibit at the British Library from October 2015 to February 2016 and subsequently archived in the British Library Repository in 2016. Some documentaries which have featured excerpts of the recording on BBC Radio 4 include: "Britain's Black Past” (ten-part documentary, 2016) and “Black Classical Music: The Forgotten History” 2023. The London Symphony commissioned and premiered composer, Janise White’s, Sancho Minuet arrangements at the Barbican Theatre in 2022. In 2023, a KCRW interview with composer Dr. Joyce Solomon Moorman showcased her commemorative work, “Cape Coast Castle Symphony” on three consecutive Juneteenth Specials: 1) Using music to tell the origin story of African Americans; 2) Marking Juneteenth with reparations, music, (red) food; and 3) Society must come to terms with slavery, next generation.
AACMSO is listed in various encyclopedias and textbooks for perpetuating the music of Black Symphonists through live performances: The Bibliography of Black Composers by Dominique Rene de Lerma; International Dictionary of Black Composers by Samuel Floyd, Jr.; Brass Music of Black Composers by Aaron Horne; Music by Black Women Composers by Helen Walker Hill; African-American Women Women Composers by Helen Walker Hill; Black American Music: Past & Present by Hildred Roach, Ignatius Sancho Bibliography by Brycchan Carey, University of London and International Encyclopedia of Women Composers by Aaron Cohen.
Janise White, Founder & Director January 1988- Noted scholar and pianist, Professor White serves as Music Professor at West Los Angeles College in Culver City. A child prodigy, she began piano lessons at Mills College at age 4 under Mr. James Beail. She holds degrees from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music (Bachelor of Music, Adolph Baller), University of Southern California (Master of Music, Daniel Pollack); California State University, Hayward (Choral Credential and Bachelor of Music Education) with Artist Diploma Studies at Oberlin Conservatory with Frances Walker and Master Classes with Karl Ulrich Schnabel. White studied conducting with the late Denis de Coteau, San Francisco Ballet Conductor. White's festive holiday organ music "Christmas Joy" has been published by MorningStar. Additionally, White has written program notes for Frederick Tillis' "Three Symphonic Spirituals" published by American Composers Alliance, Inc. White's CD, and music for "Minuets and Optional Dances" by Ignatius Sancho is housed in the British Library, The Library of Trinity College Dublin, University of Dublin; University of Oxford, and Library at St. Pancras, London. White is mentioned in American Black Women in the Arts and Social Sciences: A Bibliographic Survey by Dr. Ora Williams; Black Music Research Journal by Samuel Floyd, The Magic of Music by Leroy Hurte, Bibliography of Black Music, the Greenwood Encyclopedia by Dr. Dominique Rene de-Lerma and Ignatius Sancho Bibliography by Brycchan Carey, University of London.
Maestro VINCE WOMACK, AACMSO CONDUCTOR June 2019-
Mr. Womack serves as Adjunct Professor of Music Education at The University of Southern California Thornton School of Music. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Music Education from the University of Michigan and a Master's degree in Music Education from the University of Southern California. He has taught Instrumental Methods and Music Education courses at USC and also served as Assistant Director of the USC Trojan Marching Band. Mr. Womack is Music Director at James A. Foshay Learning School. He has conducted ensembles in the finest concert halls from the Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Dolby Theater, to the Hollywood Bowl and the Cathedral of Our Lady. An award winning conductor, Mr. Womack received the Oscar award for conducting the Academy Award-winning short film, The Last Repair Shop.
Sponsors
Los Angeles Arts & Culture
Department of Cultural Affairs, Los Angeles
Supervisor Holly Mitchell
UCLA, AFRICAN STUDIES CENTER
Friends of AACMSO
