AMERICAN COMPOSERS ORCHESTRA
MUSIC ALIVE composer in residence 2006-9

From 2006 through 2009, Bermel served as the Music Alive Composer in Residence with the American Composers Orchestra. As part of the residency, Bermel played a central role in ACO's programming, serving as curator and artistic advisor to the orchestra's Orchestra Underground series. Designed for the state-of-the-art Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall, Orchestra Underground challenges conventional notions about symphonic music, embracing multidisciplinary and collaborative work, diverse influences, novel instrumental and spatial orientations of musicians, new technologies and multimedia. The series develops new repertoire, and provides fertile working ground for artists who have not traditionally had access to the orchestral ensemble. Since its launch, Orchestra Underground has reached new audiences and played to sold-out houses.

Bermel also programmed the orchestra's Composers Out Front series, which puts composers on stage, making connections between their musical roots as performers and their works for the concert hall. Launched in 1999, the series has featured composers whose experiences include concert music as well as jazz, rock, funk, hip-hop, improvisation and music from a variety world cultures. Performances are held at informal and alternate music venues, expanding and diversifying ACO's audiences, and providing connections with the performances ACO gives at Carnegie Hall.