What is the Society for American Music?

The Society was founded in 1975 and was first named in honor of Oscar G.T. Sonneck, early Chief of the Music Division in the Library of Congress and pioneer scholar of American music. The Society for American Music is a non-profit scholarly and educational organization incorporated in the District of Columbia as a 501 (c) (3) and is a constituent member of the American Council of Learned Societies.

Read about our history.

Honorary Members

Our Mission

To stimulate the appreciation, performance, creation and study of American music in all its diversity, and the full range of activities and institutions associated with that music. "America" is understood to embrace North America, including Central America and the Caribbean, and aspects of its cultures everywhere in the world.