By JO HARRISON
A 20-YEAR drought is set to be broken with the return of one of Australia’s premier performing Chamber Orchestra’s ACO2 playing at the Armidale Town Hall next Wednesday 18 September.
The New England Conservatorium of Music (NECOM) will present the acclaimed Chamber Orchestra from 7pm.
NECOM Director Susanne James is encouraging lovers of fine music to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity.
“This is a chamber orchestra like no other in the world and you will experience the incredible magic these brilliant musicians create in this concert – you will never forget it,” she said.
ACO2 was formed in 2007 to fulfill audience demand to hear the unique sound of the ACO throughout the country, particularly in regional Australia.
Comprised of 17 musicians who are the stars of the Australian Chamber Orchestra and the ACO’s Emerging Artists, the chamber orchestra is renowned for its youthful passion, technical virtuosity and artistic style inspired by ACO director Richard Tognetti and ACO2 director Helena Rathbone.
The concert celebrates the 100th anniversary of the great British composer Benjamin Britten by presenting Britten’s own Variations on a Theme by Frank Bridge, Avo Part’s Cantus in Memoriam of Benjamin Britten and Birthday Tango by Australian composer Roger Smalley.
The centrepiece of the program will be Mozart’s loved Violin Concerto No 2 works featuring ACO2 Director Helena Rathbone (ACO Principal Violin) who will perform on a 1759 J.B. Guadagnini violin valued at $1.2 million, generously loaned to the ACO by the Commonwealth Bank of Australia.
“Director Helena Rathbone is an extraordinary musician and her reputation as a performer and her place in the Australian Chamber Orchestra is peerless,” Ms James said.
“Working alongside Richard Tognetti, Helena has forged the Australian Chamber orchestra’s reputation internationally.”
ACO2 will also run a three-hour string workshop for 25 of Armidale’s most enthusiastic and talented young school musicians on 18 September at NECOM.
This will allow ACO2 to identify, connect and mentor our young string players. Students become part of the ACO for a day, learning the rehearsal and performance techniques used by Australia’s top string players.
Reserve your seat now at
NECOM 6773 6419
Dymocks 6771 4558 (booking fee applies)
$35 adults/$30 concession/ $15 full time students
