Australian World Orchestra Celebrates Fifth Anniversary at Sydney Opera House

The Australian World Orchestra (AWO) has announced its five-year anniversary celebrations in 2016, performing two stellar concerts co-presented by the Sydney Opera House on Wednesday 28 and Thursday 29 September. The concerts will be led by two of Australia's pre-eminent conductors - AWO Chief Conductor and Artistic Director, Alexander Briger AO, and conductor of the Berlin Symphony Orchestra and violinist of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Stanley Dodds - and feature the premiere of the AWO's first commissioned concerto, by Australian composer Elena Kats-Chernin.

Since its inaugural concert series in 2011, the AWO has established itself as one of the world's leading orchestras, dazzling audiences in Australia and overseas and performing to over 31,000 music lovers. The AWO's purpose is simple: to bring together in concert Australia's finest orchestral musicians from around the world, while encouraging and developing young talent. United, the cream of Australia's national and international musicians present performances of soul-stirring musicianship. The 2016 ensemble includes 94 Australian musicians from the world's leading orchestras, including the Berlin, Vienna, Munich & Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestras, Vienna Chamber and London Symphony Orchestras, as well as musicians from our own great Australian state orchestras and ensembles.

AWO Chief Conductor and Artistic Director Alexander Briger led the AWO for their inaugural performance in 2011 and he returns in 2016 for the five-year celebrations. Briger will conduct a triumphant programme on September 28, including Maurice Ravel's orchestral tour de force Boléro, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's powerful and romantic Symphony No.5, and the international premiere of leading Australian composer Elena Kats-Chernin's The Witching Hour, a work commissioned by the AWO, and the first concerto for eight double basses in orchestral history. Kats-Chernin has composed The Witching Hour especially to showcase the extraordinary AWO double bass section comprising Max McBride (formerly ACO, Vienna State Opera, Senior Lecturer ANU School of Music), Kirsty McCahon (formerly Australian Brandenburg Orchestra, Orchestra of The Age of Enlightenment), Matthew McDonald (Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra), Ciro Vigilante (Vienna Chamber Orchestra), Robert Nairn (Professor of Double Bass Juilliard School and Penn State University), Kees Boersma (Principal, Sydney Symphony Orchestra), Tim Dunin (Professor of Double Bass, University of Music, Graz; formerly Vienna Philharmonic) and Alex Henery (Principal, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, formerly Philharmonia London).

Composer Elena Kats-Chernin said, "When I was asked to write this Concerto for the eight Double Basses I recalled how exciting and other-worldly it had seemed to me when I first heard the orchestra playing Mahler's First Symphony. The title The Witching Hour refers to that moment when time seems to stand still and very special things happen. I wanted to write something that would express the captivation and enchantment that I experienced from these very unique people and to showcase the bassists not only as representing the ground of the harmony in the orchestra, but as dazzling soloists as well!"

Over the past 25 years, Alexander Briger has conducted many of the world's leading orchestras, including the London Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre de Paris, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Konzerthaus Orchester, Berlin, Rotterdam Philharmonic, Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, BBC Symphony Orchestra and all of the Australian state orchestras. He regularly performs in Europe and engagements in 2015/2016 included conducting The London Symphony Orchestra's Discovery Concerts, the Teatro Dell'Opera di Roma, Toulon Opera, touring with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, and with the Sydney Youth Orchestra as their Conductor and Artistic Director. Briger was awarded the Order of Australia in 2016.

Making his AWO conducting debut, Stanley Dodds will direct two major works on September 29: Ludwig van Beethoven's electric Symphony No.7 and Antonin Dvo?ák's symphonic masterpiece, his Symphony No.9 From the New World. Dodds is a violinist with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra and is the Principal Conductor of the Berlin Symphony Orchestra, chief conductor of the Berlin Sibelius Orchestra since 2002 and the Schoeneberg Symphony Orchestra from 2006-2014. Dodds has worked with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, Canberra Symphony Orchestra and numerous European Orchestras.

Under the dedicated direction of Alexander Briger, the Australian World Orchestra has notched up some extraordinary achievements over the last five years; guest conductors have included Sir Simon Rattle, Simone Young AM, and Maestro Zubin Mehta, who following the outstanding success of his 2013 season conducting AWO invited the Orchestra to his homeland of India for its inaugural international concert series which was ecstatically received. Guest performers have included soprano Greta Bradman and mezzo-soprano Magdalena Kožená. Embracing its educational charter the AWO has conducted workshops in Sydney, Melbourne, Chennai, Mumbai and New Delhi.

Critics have described recent performances as "magnificent" (The Australian), "profoundly moving" (ABR), and "sublime" (Limelight). This year the Australian World Orchestra was awarded the 2016 Helpmann for Best Australian Orchestral Performance for its 2015 concert series under the baton of Sir Simon Rattle.

Following the Australian performances the Australian World Orchestra will embark on its second international tour, and first visit, to Singapore performing one spectacular concert on Saturday 1 October at The Esplanade Concert Hall, as part of AWO's five-year anniversary celebrations in 2016.

"The word 'hero' is dispensed with abandon. But what better expression of nationalism is there than an all-Australian orchestra whose players are a global A-team of orchestral musicians? They deserve to be celebrated with equal pride and affection." Michael Shmith, Australian Book Review

Five-Year Anniversary Concert Series:

2 concerts over 2 nights at the Sydney Opera House

Wed 28 September 2016 Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House

Conducted by Alexander Briger

Boléro, Ravel

The Witching Hour - Concerto for 8 Double Basses, Elena Kats-Chernin; Symphony No. 5, Tchaikovsky

Thursday 29 September 2016 Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House

Conducted by Stanley Dodds Symphony No.7,Beethoven Symphony No. 9, Dvo?ák

Bookings: www.australianworldorchestra.com.au

Photo: Kirsty McCahon by Edward Mulvihill