ACO 2017 Season at a glance Impossible to pin-down or categorise, the Australian Chamber Orchestra has a reputation for rattling the cage of convention. With its chameleon-like ability to assume many guises, the ACO s 2017 season demonstrates this immense flexibility and celebrates a splendidly diverse program, all the while staying true to its roots in the standard repertoire. For his 28th season at the helm of the ACO, Richard Tognetti goes for broke and clocks up a series of Australian firsts. He collaborates on the creation of a full-length motion picture; he pairs two contemporary artists in a program that takes you from heaven to hell; he leads the ACO in an extensive laboratory-like international residency; he plays a holy trinity of works as homage to arguably the greatest composer of all time; he has the ACO s own musicians appear as soloists; and he assembles the ACO s biggest cast ever to perform one of the best known and most-loved works in the Western classical repertoire with an international line-up of soloists and singers. The Orchestra will also tour with a Grieg specialist, be the centrepiece of three Australian festivals, and of course, play chamber music. Finnish violinist Pekka Kuusisto and Vermont-born singer, fiddle/banjo/guitar player and storyteller, Sam Amidon, are set to knock everyone s socks off for the first concert of 2017. In much the same way the Tawadros Brothers and the ACO did in Vivaldi s The Four Seasons, this unique paring is sure to be the hit show of 2017 that will blow away audiences and critics alike. Amidon and Kuusisto bring to the stage a tale of sex, adultery, betrayal, murder, and ultimately, a story of redemption. Beethoven wrote the first incarnation of the Kreutzer Sonata. And from this was spawned Tolstoy s psychological drama, in which Beethoven s work is a driving force; and Janáček s quartet, a violent reaction against Tolstoy s tale. Beethoven s Kreutzer Sonata incites passion, intrigue, and sexual jealousy, so naturally Tolstoy put it at the centre of his psychological drama too passionate, it inflames adultery and leads to murder. Janáček, himself in an ambiguous extramarital relationship, answered Tolstoy with the creation of his own 20th century Kreutzer Sonata, siding with the "tormented woman" of Tolstoy's story, rather than the cuckolded husband. In Murder & Redemption (2 14 February) Kuusisto and Amidon interweave the Janáček with American folk murder ballads as well as songs of salvation in new arrangements by Nico Muhly. Amidon says When people think about folk music they may imagine banjos and happy campfires...but the lyrics of these old songs are extremely broad, and they reach the deepest and darkest aspects of human nature, as well as some of the most transcendental questions...it is these links between the old ballads and a darkly psychological piece such as the Kreutzer Sonata, or the spiritual expression of Shaker Loops, that we hope to explore on this tour. The ACO presents the world premiere of Mountain on 12 June at the Sydney Opera House (national tour from 3 20 August), an epic cinematic and musical collaboration between the ACO and BAFTAnominated Sherpa director Jennifer Peedom. In the tradition of other multimedia collaborations such as The Reef or The Crowd, Mountain reflects on the beauty, diversity and fragility of these timeless natural monuments: symbols of spirituality; havens from manmade devastation; essential to the planet s eco-system.
Shot by the world leading high altitude cinematographers, with narration written by celebrated British writer, Robert Macfarlane, the film explores the nature of our modern fascination with mountains. Throughout the production, Richard Tognetti worked with Jennifer Peedom assembling a stunning soundscape to mirror the serenity, magnitude, harshness and terror of the landscapes filmed, with music by Chopin, Grieg, Vivaldi, Beethoven, and new works by Tognetti himself. Tognetti says Our big project, our evolutionary beast is Mountain; it s evolved out of the surf movies we ve made. It s a four-way collaboration with Jen as Director, Renan Ozturk, one of our greatest mountaineers and 2013 s National Geographic Adventurer of the Year, and Robert McFarlane whose book Mountains of the Mind inspired Jen to the point where she is using his words threaded throughout the film. I wanted to create a total work of art, the grand unifying theory is what I m after, and for people to have this out of body music experience that is aided by your other senses. I am convinced that you can enter a heightened state of sensory perception including the aural if you titillate the visual as well. Richard Tognetti, a three-time ARIA award-winner for his recordings of Bach s violin works, directs Bach Violin Concertos (2 12 April) for solo violin, violin and orchestra, two violins and orchestra, and three violins and orchestra. Rounding out the program are two symphonies from the Father of the Symphony, Franz Joseph Haydn who wrote more than one hundred of them. Principal Violin Helena Rathbone says that Each symphony you pull out of the Haydn hat is so imaginative, so extraordinary, and so different. We ve played a lot of them, but when it comes down to it, you pick your favourites, and in this concert, we present two crackers. It s often said that the ACO is an ensemble of soloists. ACO Soloists (5 19 May) puts some of these extraordinary talents centre-stage. Principal Violin Satu Vänskä takes on the devilishly dazzling Harmonic Labyrinth by Locatelli whose concerto bears the inscription facilis aditus, difficilis exitus easy to enter, difficult to exit. Joining her in Vivaldi s Concerto for Two Violins and Cello is one of the Orchestra s newest players, Glenn Christensen whose remarkable trajectory has seen him rise from an ACO Emerging Artist in 2012 to mainstage soloist in 2017. Christensen says Vivaldi's work contains stark contrasts dark and light, terror and beauty, tension and release. It's a brooding gem of a work, and it s a highlight in my ACO year to be able to play it with both Satu and Tipi two of my favourite Finns. Principal Cellist Timo-Veikko Tipi Valve plays his rare Guarneri filius Andreæ cello in a new arrangement of Debussy s mercurial and eloquent Sonata for Cello and Piano. The program, curated by Principal Violin Satu Vänskä opens with Ruth Crawford Seeger s Andante for Strings. Born in South Africa, raised on the Gold Coast, educated in the US, and now a resident of the UK, Kristian Bezuidenhout is one of the world s leading performers of Mozart. In Mozart & Schumann (24 June 9 July) Bezuidenhout performs Mozart s Piano Concerto No.13 with Richard Tognetti and an intimate ACO ensemble. Mozart himself wrote that this concerto could be performed with full orchestra or merely a quattro, which is how it will be presented here. Bezuidenhout says My love of the music of Mozart started with the movie Amadeus. I saw that film when I was quite young, and it just blew me away melodies so nuanced so memorable. I couldn t get them out of my mind. Norwegian violinist and Artistic Director of the Arctic Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra, Henning Kraggerud, has built a reputation as the world s leading interpreter of Grieg. Kraggerud was troubled by the dearth of Norwegian works for violin and orchestra, so he has arranged all three of Grieg s violin sonatas as concertos with orchestral accompaniment. For the Arctic to Antipodes concert (1 12 September) he will perform Concerto No.3 Nordic pastoralism at its very best. The Arts Desk said Norwegian violinist Henning Kraggerud is clearly a native when it comes to Grieg. Kraggerud brings an ideal fluency that allows him to integrate the folk
idioms into the music s otherwise classical discourse. His tone is robust and, when required, impressively muscular. Kraggerud is a recipient of Norway s Grieg Prize, and in 2007, was awarded the Sibelius Prize, arguably one of the most prestigious violin competitions. The world premiere of esteemed Australian composer Ross Edwards Entwinings, continues the arcadian feel of the program, while bringing distinctly antipodean warmth to a concert that draws musical inspiration from opposite ends of the earth. Twelve years after his Australian debut, and frequent guest appearances with the ACO abroad, Swiss-French flautist, Emmanuel Pahud, returns to perform with the ACO. Praised as one of today s most exciting and adventurous musicians (Classic FM), Pahud divides his time between his position as Principal Flute with the Berlin Philharmonic and touring the world as a soloist. This program (30 September 13 October) is like an historical adventure tracing the Franco-Germanic lineage from Bach senior, to his son Carl Philipp Emanuel, through to Franck, Debussy, Ravel and Boulez. Victorian audiences will get the rare opportunity to see a one-off exclusive concert, Souvenir de Florence (25 October). The concert features Tchaikovsky s exuberant postcard from an Italian summer holiday and Shostakovich's Octet for strings. In the ACO s biggest concert of the year, Richard Tognetti directs the ACO and the Choir of London in Bach s Christmas Oratorio (3 10 December). The Oratorio tells the Christmas story on a monumental scale, with some of Bach s most exuberant and joyful music. Each of the work s six cantatas celebrates an episode of the Nativity, from Jesus s birth to the arrival of the Magi. The work displays immense variety and colour, illuminating the story and characters surrounding Christ s birth through kaleidoscopic alternations in the forces of instrumentation, soloists and chorus. Tognetti says We ve invited a brilliant choir for this glorious music. Bach stands alone as the greatest composer. You cry tears of pain out of one eye and tears of joy out of the other. The Choir of London is an ensemble of world-class soloists and consort singers, hand-picked from Britain s leading choral baroque specialists, professional chamber choirs and opera companies. Its members include some of the UK s finest young ensemble performers and soloists. The Choir was established in 2004 to perform this very work with a Palestinian choir on the West Bank, and their work in the Middle-East continues to this day, as does their work with Israeli choirs and their performances of Jewish sacred music in the UK. ACO TAKES ON THE WORLD LONDON CALLING BARBICAN RESIDENCY Having notched up 565 concerts in 271 cities across 45 countries on 58 international tours, ACO players will add many more stamps to their passports as Richard Tognetti takes up a prestigious position as Artist-in-Residence at the Barbican Centre s Milton Court. The residency begins in November 2016 and will run for a few months until March 2017. Tognetti s residency starts with a refreshing take on the classical violin recital Beethoven, Sculthorpe and Brahms as he tackles the grand European classical tradition head on. For the second concert, ACO Principal Violinist Satu Vänskä joins Richard Tognetti along with electronic music students of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, for a night of electro-acoustic repertoire in an eclectic genre-bending gig where nothing is off limits. After huge critical acclaim in 2012, 2013 and 2016 at home and abroad, The Reef returns, and this time Richard Tognetti shares this thrilling celebration of music, film and the natural world with London audiences on 11 March 2017.
Wrapping up the residency, Tognetti directs two special Australian Chamber Orchestra concerts. The first is a vibrant program that sweeps from the Baltic to the Great Barrier Reef. And for the second, the ACO will join creative forces with musicians from Guildhall School of Music and Drama to celebrate the Romantic heavyweights of Beethoven and Brahms. FESTIVALS In 2017, the ACO returns to three of our favourite destinations for our popular and intimate weekend-long festivals: the TarraWarra Museum of Art in the Yarra Valley for just 200 guests (25 26 February), the Vasse Felix Festival in Western Australia s picturesque Margaret River region (8 10 December) and due to popular demand the ACO Uluru Festival in Central Australia (Ayers Rock) with 400 guests (2 4 June) returns for its second year. ACO COLLECTIVE CELEBRATES ITS 10TH ANNIVERSARY - PRINCIPAL PARTNER WESFARMERS ARTS ACO Collective is the Orchestra s critically acclaimed 17-piece string ensemble which delivers our regional touring and education programs Australia-wide. 2017 marks the 10th anniversary of the program since the orchestra began touring, as A C O 2, in 2007. ACO Collective combines musicians of the ACO with Australia s most talented young professional musicians at the outset of their careers, creating an ensemble with a fresh, energetic performance style. Now in his second year as Artistic Director of ACO Collective, Pekka Kuusisto, the brilliant and daring violinist/composer, keeps up with his adventurous programming taking the ensemble to regional Victoria, Queensland and New South Wales, to perform in some of regional Australia s finest venues. He has invited the versatile Swedish violinist, violist, chamber musician and concertmaster of the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Malin Broman as Guest Director to lead Victoria's regional tour in a program inspired by Schubert's Death and the Maiden. On their tours, ACO Collective will also offer string workshops and schools concerts for students who might not otherwise have access to these opportunities. This year, ACO Collective is also taking on Night Music (6 December), with Mozart s and Dvořák s most famous serenades, both written explicitly for evening performance. Far from putting you to sleep, this concert s hypnotic and uplifting sounds will soothe away the stresses of the day. For more information on ACO Collective, visit aco.com.au/collective ACO VIRTUAL Imagine standing on stage during a live performance by the Australian Chamber Orchestra. Cuttingedge audio visual installation ACO Virtual takes you there. Built using state-of-the-art technology, ACO Virtual features projections of 13 musicians surrounding you on all sides, with the sound of each player coming from the direction of their projection. It s like standing in the middle of the Orchestra during a concert. Immerse yourself in performances of music by Bach, Grieg, Smalley and Piazzolla or take charge of the band via a controller inside the installation. You can choose to spotlight one musician or many; listen to just the violins; or just the bass the possibilities are endless. ACO Virtual will be installed in a range of spaces throughout the year. PREMIERES
ARIA award-winning Australian composer James Ledger, has been commissioned by the ACO to compose a new work for string orchestra and it will have its world premiere in May as part of the ACO Soloists concert. The ACO has commissioned one of Australia s best-known and most performed composers, Ross Edwards and the result, Entwinings, will be giving its world premiere as part of the Arctic to the Antipodes concert. In this program, the ACO will also perform the Australian premiere of a new work by Henning Kraggerud, along with his arrangement of Grieg s Violin Concerto No.3, reimagined as a concerto with orchestral accompaniment. ACO Artistic Director Richard Tognetti also shows his talents as a composer with new works for ACO s collaboration of Mountain, an epic cinematic and musical collaboration between the ACO and BAFTA-nominated Sherpa director Jennifer Peedom. ACO EDUCATION Now entering its second decade of operation, the ACO s National Education Program is one of the strongest and most innovative programs of its kind in the country. We deliver engaging education events to young people all over Australia at every stage of their development, with the same commitment and energy we bring to the concert platform. Programs in primary and secondary schools such as the ACO Music & Art Program, partnership with the Australian Children s Music Foundation, $25 Schools Tickets and Schools Concerts offer accessible and inventive ways for students to learn about music, particularly those who may not otherwise have the opportunity to do so. Our Penrith Youth Orchestra Program, String Workshops, ACO Academy and Emerging Artists Program offer string students the opportunity to learn the best chamber music techniques from ACO musicians. The ACO engages with young people with disabilities through our ACO Move Program and also engages with students at the Royal Children s Hospital Education Institute, Melbourne and Worawa Aboriginal College, Healesville. In addition to these programs, the ACO Inspire Quartet tours regional Australia giving concerts and workshops. For further information about the ACO s National Education Program, visit aco.com.au/education To arrange interviews, please contact: Acting ACO Publicist, Charlotte Greig +61 2 8274 3812, or mobile 0404 111 919. Email: charlotte.greig@aco.com.au Mary Stielow will be returning to Australia on August 23, 2016. Contact details: +61 2 8274 3812 or mary.stielow@aco.com.au
2017 REPERTOIRE Murder & Redemption 2 14 February Presented by Johnson Winter & Slattery NATIONAL TOUR PARTNER Pekka Kuusisto Sam Amidon TRAD. JANÁČEK TRAD. JOHN ADAMS BRACKETT JOHN ADAMS Voice & Banjo (arr. Nico Muhly) Selection of American folk songs (arr. strings) String Quartet No.1 Kreutzer Sonata (arr. Nico Muhly) More American folk songs Shaker Loops: I. Shaking and trembling (arr. Pekka Kuusisto) Simple Gifts (Shaker hymn) Shaker Loops: II. Hymning slews, III. Loops and verses, IV. A final shaking Bach Violin Concertos 2 12 April Presented by Commonwealth Bank NATIONAL TOUR PARTNER Richard Tognetti Helena Rathbone Satu Vänskä Timo-Veikko Valve BACH BACH BACH HAYDN BACH BACH HAYDN Violin Violin Cello (arr. Richard Tognetti) Preludio from Violin Partita No.3 in E major Violin Concerto No.2 in E major Sarabande from Cello Suite No.4 in E-flat major Symphony No.22 in E-flat major The Philosopher Concerto for Two Violins in D minor Concerto for Three Violins in D major Symphony No.27 in G major
ACO Soloists 5 19 May Satu Vänskä Glenn Christensen Timo-Veikko Valve Violin Cello RUTH CRAWFORD SEEGER VIVALDI JAMES LEDGER LOCATELLI DEBUSSY MENDELSSOHN Andante for Strings Concerto for Two Violins and Cello in G minor, RV578 New work (World Premiere)* Violin Concerto in D major The Harmonic Labyrinth (arr. Jack Symonds) Sonata for Cello and Piano (arr. strings) String Quartet No.2 in A minor *Commissioned by David & Sandy Libling in celebration of the life of Simon Libling Mozart & Schumann 24 June 9 July Richard Tognetti Kristian Bezuidenhout Piano SCHUMANN MOZART SCHUMANN String Quartet No.3 in A major Piano Concerto No.13 in C major Piano Quintet in E-flat major Mountain A Cinematic & Musical Odyssey 3 20 August 12 June world premiere screening at the Sydney Opera House Presented by Virgin Australia Richard Tognetti Jennifer Peedom Jo-Anne McGowan Renan Ozturk Robert Macfarlane Director Producer Cinematographer Writer Includes music by Chopin, Vivaldi, Beethoven, Richard Tognetti and more.
Arctic to Antipodes 1 12 September Henning Kraggerud GRIEG ROSS EDWARDS GRIEG In Folk Style from Two Nordic Melodies Entwinings (World Premiere)* (arr. Henning Kraggerud) Violin Concerto (Sonata) No.3 in C minor (Australian Premiere) HENNING KRAGGERUD New Work (Australian Premiere) GRIEG (arr. Richard Tognetti) String Quartet No.1 in G minor *Commissioned by Rob & Nancy Pallin to celebrate Nancy s 70th birthday Emmanuel Pahud 30 September 13 October Presented by Maserati NATIONAL TOUR PARTNER Richard Tognetti Emmanuel Pahud JS BACH CPE BACH RAVEL BOULEZ DEBUSSY FRANCK Flute Ricercar a 6 from Musical Offering Sonata for Flute in A minor (arr. Richard Tognetti) String Quartet in F major Memorial Syrinx (arr. Richard Tognetti) Sonata for Flute & Strings Souvenir de Florence 25 October Richard Tognetti OLLI MUSTONEN BEETHOVEN SHOSTAKOVICH TCHAIKOVSKY Nonet No.2 Grosse Fuge Two Pieces for String Octet Souvenir de Florence
Christmas Oratorio 3 10 December Richard Tognetti Choir of London Nicholas Mulroy BACH Evangelist Christmas Oratorio Night Music 6 December Presented by Wesfarmers Arts PRINCIPAL PARTNER: ACO COLLECTIVE Pekka Kuusisto ACO Collective MOZART DVOŘÁK DVOŘÁK PĒTERIS VASKS Eine Kleine Nachtmusik Serenade for Strings in E major Nocturne for Strings in B major Concerto for Violin and Strings Distant Light
2017 DATES BY CITY Adelaide Tuesday 7 February 7.30pm Murder & Redemption Tuesday 4 April 7.30pm Bach Violin Concertos Tuesday 9 May 7.30pm ACO Soloists Tuesday 27 June 7.30pm Mozart & Schumann Tuesday 8 August 7.30pm Mountain Tuesday 12 September 7.30pm Arctic to Antipodes Brisbane Monday 13 February 7.00pm Murder & Redemption Monday 10 April 7.00pm Bach Violin Concertos Monday 15 May 7.00pm ACO Soloists Monday 14 August 7.00pm Mountain Monday 9 October 7.00pm Emmanuel Pahud Monday 6 December 6.30pm Christmas Oratorio Canberra Saturday 4 February 8.00pm Murder & Redemption Saturday 1 July 8.00pm Mozart & Schumann Saturday 5 August 8.00pm Mountain Saturday 9 September 8.00pm Arctic to Antipodes Saturday 30 September 8.00pm Emmanuel Pahud Friday 8 December 6.30pm Christmas Oratorio
Melbourne Arts Centre Melbourne Sunday 5 February 2.30pm Murder & Redemption Monday 6 February 7.30pm Murder & Redemption Sunday 2 April 2.30pm Bach Violin Concertos Monday 3 April 7.30pm Bach Violin Concertos Sunday 7 May 2.30pm ACO Soloists Monday 8 May 7.30pm ACO Soloists Sunday 6 August 2.30pm Mountain Monday 7 August 7.30pm Mountain Sunday 10 September 2.30pm Arctic to Antipodes Monday 11 September 7.30pm Arctic to Antipodes Sunday 1 October 2.30pm Emmanuel Pahud Tuesday 3 October 7.30pm Emmanuel Pahud Sunday 3 December 6.30pm Christmas Oratorio Monday 4 December 6.30pm Christmas Oratorio Melbourne Recital Centre Monday 26 June 7.30pm Mozart & Schumann Wednesday 25 October 7.30pm Souvenir de Florence Wednesday 6 December 7.30pm Night Music Newcastle Thursday 2 February 7.30pm Murder & Redemption Saturday 24 June 7.30pm Mozart & Schumann Thursday 3 August 7.30pm Mountain Perth Wednesday 5 April 7.30pm Bach Violin Concertos Wednesday 10 May 7.30pm ACO Soloists Wednesday 28 June 7.30pm Mozart & Schumann Wednesday 9 August 7.30pm Mountain Wednesday 4 October 7.30pm Emmanuel Pahud PERTH SERIES PARTNER
Sydney City Recital Hall Wednesday 8 February 7.00pm Murder & Redemption Friday 10 February 1.30pm Murder & Redemption Saturday 11 February 7.00pm Murder & Redemption Tuesday 14 February 8.00pm Murder & Redemption Saturday 8 April 7.00pm Bach Violin Concertos Tuesday 11 April 8.00pm Bach Violin Concertos Wednesday 12 April 7.00pm Bach Violin Concertos Saturday 13 May 7.00pm ACO Soloists Tuesday 16 May 8.00pm ACO Soloists Wednesday 17 May 7.00pm ACO Soloists Friday 19 May 1.30pm ACO Soloists Tuesday 4 July 8.00pm Mozart & Schumann Wednesday 5 July 7.00pm Mozart & Schumann Friday 7 July 1.30pm Mozart & Schumann Saturday 8 July 7.00pm Mozart & Schumann Saturday 12 August 7.00pm Mountain Tuesday 15 August 8.00pm Mountain Wednesday 16 August 7.00pm Mountain Friday 1 September 1.30pm Arctic to Antipodes Saturday 2 September 7.00pm Arctic to Antipodes Tuesday 5 September 8.00pm Arctic to Antipodes Wednesday 6 September 7.00pm Arctic to Antipodes Saturday 7 October 7.00pm Emmanuel Pahud Tuesday 10 October 8.00pm Emmanuel Pahud Wednesday 11 October 7.00pm Emmanuel Pahud Friday 13 October 1.30pm Emmanuel Pahud Sydney Opera House Sunday 12 February 2.00pm Murder & Redemption Sunday 9 April 2.00pm Bach Violin Concertos Sunday 14 May 2.00pm ACO Soloists Monday 12 June 3.00pm Mountain (Premiere Non-subscription concert) Sunday 9 July 2.00pm Mozart & Schumann Sunday 20 August 2.00pm Mountain Sunday 8 October 2.00pm Emmanuel Pahud Sunday 10 December 2.00pm Christmas Oratorio Wollongong Friday 5 May 7.30pm ACO Soloists Monday 3 July 7.30pm Mozart & Schumann Monday 4 September 7.30pm Arctic to Antipodes