Australian Chamber Orchestra
The Australian Chamber Orchestra (ACO) is an Australian orchestra focused on chamber music based in Sydney.
| Australian Chamber Orchestra | |
|---|---|
| Short name | ACO |
| Founded | 1975 |
| Location | Walsh Bay Wharves Precinct, Sydney |
| Concert hall | City Recital Hall |
| Music director | Richard Tognetti |
| Website | aco.com.au |
The Australian Chamber Orchestra (ACO) is an Australian orchestra focused on chamber music based in Sydney.
History
[edit]The Australian Chamber Orchestra was founded by cellist John Painter in 1975.[1] Richard Tognetti was appointed lead violin in 1989 and subsequently appointed artistic director.[1]
As well as frequent Australian tours, the Sydney-based Australian Chamber Orchestra often tours Asia, Europe and the US, including regular performances at London's Wigmore Hall, New York City's Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center, Vienna's Musikverein and Washington's Kennedy Center.[2] The ACO is the only frequently touring Australian musical ensemble internationally.[3]
In 2014 an album of the orchestra, featuring the American soprano Dawn Upshaw as soloist, won three Grammy Awards.[4] The orchestra appears in the films Musical Renegades[5] and Musica Surfica[6] and the television series Classical Destinations, series two.[7]
In 2005, ACO Collective, a second ensemble combining emerging artists and Australian Chamber Orchestra musicians was formed as a training and regional touring orchestra.[8]
The ACO musicians perform on a collection of several Golden Age string instruments,[9] including three Stradivarius violins.[10] Richard Tognetti performs on a 1743 Guarneri del Gesù violin,[11] on loan from an anonymous benefactor. Principal violin Satu Vänskä performs on the 1726 Belgiorno Stradivarius on loan from Guido and Michelle Belgiorno-Nettis,[12] and principal violin Helena Rathbone plays a 1732 Stradivarius violin on loan from an anonymous benefactor.[13] Principal viola Stefanie Farrands plays a 1610 viola by Giovanni Paolo Maggini.[14] Principal cello Timo-Veikko Valve performs on a 1616 Amati cello on loan from the ACO Instrument Fund,[15] and double bassist Maxime Bibeau plays a 1585 instrument by Gasparo da Salò, Maggini's teacher.[14]
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the risk of live events being cancelled led the orchestra to produce a series of concert films, StudioCasts, for digital distribution, releasing eight 50-minute films in 2021.[16]
Awards and nominations
[edit]AIR Awards
[edit]The Australian Independent Record Awards (commonly known informally as AIR Awards) is an annual awards night to recognise, promote and celebrate the success of Australia's Independent Music sector.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Brahms: Symphonies 3 & 4 Ensemble Offspring – Songbirds (with Richard Tognetti) | Best Independent Classical Album or EP | Nominated | [17][18] |
| 2022 | River (with Richard Tognetti) | Best Independent Classical Album or EP | Nominated | [19][20] |
| 2024 | Beethoven (with Richard Tognetti) | Best Independent Classical Album or EP | Won | [21] |
| 2025 | Memoir of a Snail | Best Independent Classical Album or EP | Nominated | [22] |
ARIA Music Awards
[edit]The ARIA Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony that recognises excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of Australian music. They commenced in 1987.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Mozart in Delphi | Best Classical Album | Nominated | [23] |
| 1993 | Janáček: Kreutzer Sonata for Strings, Barber: Adagio for Strings, Walton: Sonata for Strings (with Richard Tognetti) | Won | ||
| 1994 | Mendelssohn: Octet in E-flat for Strings, Op. 20; Sinfonia No. 9 in C. Swiss (with Richard Tognetti) | Nominated | ||
| Symphony Serenades and Suites (with Richard Tognetti) | Nominated | |||
| 1996 | Peter Sculthorpe: Music for Strings | Won | ||
| Spirit | Nominated | |||
| 1997 | Il Tramonto – The Sunset | Nominated | ||
| 2000 | Beethoven Violin Concerto & Mozart Symphony No. 40 (with Richard Tognetti) | Nominated | ||
| 2004 | Musical Renegades | Best Original Soundtrack, Cast or Show Album | Nominated | [24] |
| 2007 | Bach Violin Concertos (with Richard Tognetti) | Best Classical Album | Won | [23] |
| 2009 | Classical Destinations II | Nominated | ||
| 2010 | Mozart Violin Concertos (with Richard Tognetti & Christopher Moore) | Nominated | ||
| 2011 | Mozart Violin Concertos Vol 2 (with Richard Tognetti) | Nominated | ||
| 2016 | Mozart's Last Symphonies (with Richard Tognetti) | Nominated | ||
| 2017 | Mountain (with Richard Tognetti) | Best Original Soundtrack, Cast or Show Album | Nominated | [24] |
| 2019 | Heroines (with Richard Tognetti) | Best Classical Album | Nominated | [23] |
| 2022 | River (with Richard Tognetti) | Best Original Soundtrack or Musical Theatre Cast Album | Won | [25][26] |
| 2023 | Indies & Idols (with Richard Tognetti) | Best Classical Album | Won | [27] |
| 2024 | Beethoven Symphonies 1, 2 & 3 'Eroica' (with Richard Tognetti) | Best Classical Album | Nominated | [28] |
| 2025 | Tchaikovsky: Serenade for Strings and Adante Cantabile / Shostakovich: Chamber Symphony in C Minor' (with Richard Tognetti) | Best Classical Album | Nominated | [29] |
| Memoir of a Snail (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) | Best Original Soundtrack or Musical Theatre Cast Album | Nominated |
References
[edit]- ^ a b Verghis, Sharon, "Bach with more bite pays off" Archived 2 April 2016 at the Wayback Machine The Sydney Morning Herald, 2 September 2005.
- ^ Australian Chamber Orchestra, official website, International Touring Countries Archived 11 October 2016 at the Wayback Machine.
- ^ Jane Albert (7–8 December 2024). "Arts companies are in trouble. What can they learn from Richard Tognetti? (in print: Outside the Box)". Weekend Australian Magazine. pp. 22–27. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
- ^ Limelight Magazine, "Classical Grammy Awards 2014" Archived 18 August 2016 at the Wayback Machine, 27 January 2014.
- ^ Music Australia, "Musical renegades (videorecording) : Australian Chamber Orchestra"[permanent dead link], National Library of Australia, 12 September 2005.
- ^ Great Southern Communications, "Musica Surfica" Archived 3 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine.
- ^ "Classical Destinations" Archived 26 February 2012 at the Wayback Machine, SBS, July 2009.
- ^ Duffy, Martin, "Beethoven & the 21st Century review: ACO collective kicks off new season" The Sydney Morning Herald, 8 February 2016.
- ^ "Our Instruments", Australian Chamber Orchestra, aco.com.au
- ^ Litson, Jo, "ACO acquires third Golden Age Stradivarius violin", Limelight, 17 June 2022 (subscription required)
- ^ Iaccarino, Clara, "Joy at $10m violin gift in land of beer and cricket" Archived 4 November 2012 at the Wayback Machine The Sydney Morning Herald, 31 January 2007.
- ^ Westwood, Matthew, "ACO’s Satu Vanska takes charge of 1726 Stradivarius", The Australian, 14 February 2018
- ^ Westwood, Matthew (15 June 2022). "Australian Chamber Orchestra loaned rare Stradivari violin". The Australian. Archived from the original on 7 March 2023.
- ^ a b Blake, Jason (25 February 2026). "Australian Chamber Orchestra expands its Golden Age instrument collection". Limelight. Retrieved 25 February 2026.
- ^ "Take a bow: Australian Chamber Orchestra's 400-year-old cello to make its debut" by Misa Han, 5 May 2017, Australian Financial Review
- ^ Scott Renton (7 May 2021). "The Australian Chamber Orchestra is Extremely Online". Broadsheet.
- ^ "Details confirmed for 2021 AIR Awards as nominees announced". The Music. 2 June 2021. Archived from the original on 2 June 2021. Retrieved 5 June 2021.
- ^ "2021 AIR Awards Winners". Scenstr.com.au. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
- ^ "Nominees Announced For AIR Independent Music Awards 2022". musicfeeds. 1 June 2022. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
- ^ Tyler Jenke (5 August 2022). "Genesis Owusu Wins Big At The 2022 AIR Awards". MusicFeeds. Retrieved 6 August 2022.
- ^ "2024 AIR Awards Nominees: Genesis Owusu, Cub Sport, RVG, Teen Jesus & More". The Music. 14 May 2024. Retrieved 16 May 2024.
- ^ "The Nominees for the 2025 AIR Awards Are Here". The Note. 13 May 2025. Retrieved 17 May 2025.
- ^ a b c ARIA Award previous winners. "ARIA Awards – Winners by Award". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Retrieved 12 November 2018.
- ^ a b ARIA Award previous winners. "History Best Original Soundtrack, Cast or Show Album". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Retrieved 12 July 2022.
- ^ Lars Brandle (12 October 2022). "Rüfüs Du Sol Leads 2022 ARIA Awards Nominees (Full List)". The Music Network. Retrieved 12 October 2022.
- ^ Newstead, Al (24 November 2022). "ARIA Awards 2022 Winners Wrap: Baker Boy Leads First Nations Sweep". Triple J (Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC)). Retrieved 25 November 2022.
- ^ "Nominees Announced for 2023 ARIA Awards". Music Feeds. 21 September 2023. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
- ^ "ARIA Awards 2024 nominations — everything you need to know". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 26 September 2024. Retrieved 29 September 2024.
- ^ "ARIA Award nominations 2025: Ninajirachi, Dom Dolla, Amyl & The Sniffers lead the pack". Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). Retrieved 26 September 2025.
External links
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| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Academics | |
| Artists | |
| Other | |
