The New York Composers Orchestra

The New York Composers Orchestra was formed in 1986 by Wayne Horvitz and Robin Holcomb. The Orchestra was a regular performing ensemble for composers who wish to write jazz instrumentations without limitations of traditional big band style, etc. All members were required to be excellent readers, ensemble players and improvisers. The Orchestra released two studio recordings and currently is defunct.

The NYCO performed music by Lenny Pickett, Marty Ehrlich, Anthony Braxton, Bobby Previte, Elliott Sharp, Doug Wieselman, Philip Johnston, Butch Morris, Bob Nell. Featured instrumentalists in the NYCO included Ron Miles, Ray Anderson, Julian Priester, George Lewis, Ben Goldberg, Jack Walrath, Steven Bernstein, James Zollar and Art Baron. Initial performances in New York took place at Roulette, The Greenwich House Music School, BAM, The Kitchen and The Knitting Factory. In 1988 the Orchestra was featured at the Moers Festival in Germany.

After Horvitz and Holcomb relocated to Seattle in 1989, the NYCO repertoire has been performed not only by the original ensemble, but also new NYCO West (group of Pacific Northwest musicians) and other bands like Jazz Composers Alliance Orchestra with Marty Ehrlich and Wayne Horvitz as guest artists or Perth University Jazz Ensemble (Australia) with Horvitz directing. In 1995, five members of the original NYCO with eight British musicians (incl. trumpeter Kenny Wheeler) did a 2-week British Arts Council tour of England. The Orchestra also performed at the Verona Jazz festival in 1996.