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Peter Lehmann Wines to partner the Australian Chamber Orchestra
21 October 2010
Peter Lehmann Wines is thrilled to annouce beginning 2011 - 2013, we will be the proud wine partners & sponsors of the renowned and wonderful Australian Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Richard Tognetti, AO, Artistic Director.
Internationally renowned for inspired programming and the rapturous response of audiences and critics, the Australian Chamber Orchestra is a product of our country’s vibrant, adventurous and enquiring spirit. In performances around Australia, around the world and on many recordings, the ACO moves hearts and stimulates minds with repertoire spanning six centuries and a vitality and virtuosity unmatched by other ensembles.
The Australian Chamber Orchestra was founded in 1975. Every year, this ensemble presents performances of the highest standard to audiences around the world, including 10,000 subscribers across Australia. The ACO’s unique artistic style encompasses not only the masterworks of the classical repertoire, but innovative cross-artform projects and a vigorous commissioning program.
The outstanding Australian musician Richard Tognetti was appointed Artistic Director and Lead Violin in 1989. Under his inspiring leadership, the ACO has performed as a flexible and versatile ‘ensemble of soloists’, on modern and period instruments, as a small chamber group, a small symphony orchestra, and as an electro-acoustic collective. In a nod to past traditions, only the cellists are seated – the resulting sense of energy and individuality is one of the most commented-upon elements of an ACO concert experience.
Several of the ACO’s principal musicians perform with spectacularly fine instruments. Tognetti performs on a priceless 1743 Guarneri del Gesù, on loan to him from an anonymous Australian benefactor. Principal Cello Timo-Veikko Valve plays on a 1729 Giuseppe Guarneri Filius Andreae cello, also on loan from an anonymous benefactor. Assistant Leader, Satu Vänskä, plays a 1759 J.B. Guadagnini violin on loan from the Commonwealth Bank Group.
Forty international tours across Asia, Europe and the USA have drawn outstanding reviews for the ACO’s performances at many of the world’s prestigious concert halls, including Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw, London’s Wigmore Hall, New York’s Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center, Vienna’s Musikverein, Birmingham’s Symphony Hall and Washington D.C.’s Kennedy Center.
The ACO’s dedication and musicianship has created warm relationships with such celebrated soloists as Emmanuel Pahud, Steven Isserlis, Dawn Upshaw, Imogen Cooper, Christian Lindberg, Joseph Tawadros, Melvyn Tan and Pieter Wispelwey. The ACO is renowned for collaborating with artists from diverse genres, including singers Tim Freedman, Neil Finn, Katie Noonan, Paul Capsis, Danny Spooner and Barry Humphries and visual artists Michael Leunig, Bill Henson, Shaun Tan and Jon Frank.
The ACO has made acclaimed recordings for labels including ABC Classics, Sony, Channel Classics, Hyperion, EMI, Chandos and Orfeo and currently has a recording contract with BIS. A full list of available recordings can be found at aco.com.au/shop. Highlights include the three-time ARIA Award winning Bach recordings, and Vivaldi Concertos with Emmanuel Pahud. The ACO appears in the television series Classical Destinations II and the award-winnning film Musica Surfica, both available on DVD and CD.
In 2005, the ACO inaugurated an ambitious national education program, which includes outreach activities and mentoring of outstanding young musicians, including the formation of ACO2, an elite training orchestra which tours regional centres.
To be kept up to date with ACO tours and recordings visit www.aco.com.au .
