World's Greatest Flautist EMMANUEL PAHUD Returns to Australia

Fourteen years after his debut with the Australian Chamber Orchestra (ACO) the man regarded as the world's greatest living flute player, Emmanuel Pahud, will return to Australia for a national concert tour with the ACO from 30 September to 13 October.

Pahud's 'trademark golden tone' (The Guardian, UK), kaleidoscopic range of expression, and virtually limitless technical ability have not only earnt him a reputation as one of classical music's greatest musicians; he has also become one of the industry's busiest. Since his appointment as Principal Flute with the Berlin Philharmonic at only 22 years of age, Pahud has maintained a schedule that sees him perform 75 concerts a year with the Berlin Philharmonic and approximately 90 concerts as a soloist or chamber musician.

This is roughly double the number of concerts most professional musicians would consider to be a heavy workload, however Pahud relishes spending so much of his time on concert hall stages around the world.

"I've been performing solo concerts since I was 15 years old and in orchestras since I was 19, so this kind of schedule is something I've been used to for a very long time," Pahud said. "Thanks to wonderful agents, good health, and a bit of luck along the way, I've been able to maintain a career where I'm on stage around 160 times a year, dividing my time between the Berlin Philharmonic and as a soloist. I'm very lucky - life on stage is wonderful for a musician!"

Pahud has enjoyed a long collaborative relationship with the ACO and Artistic Director Richard Tognetti, having first performed with the Orchestra in 2003.

"I first met Richard about 15 years ago when he asked me to premiere Carl Vine's Flute Concerto with the ACO. We got on immediately, both on and off stage," Pahud said. "He is an extremely spirited musician and brings a lot of freedom of thought and expression to every rehearsal and performance, combined with a rigorous discipline. It's an approach that I also try to apply to my playing, which makes our collaborations together very climactic, I feel."

Pahud and the ACO will together perform a diverse program that weaves 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.

Pahud records exclusively with Warner Classics (formally EMI Classics) and has released more than 25 critically acclaimed albums with the label. In 2009 the French government bestowed him the honour of Chevalier dans l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres for his contribution to music, and in 2011 he was made an Honorary Member of the Royal Academy of Music. He also is an Ambassador for UNICEF.

Pahud currently plays a 14-karat golden flute which he bought from Brannen Brothers in Boston, Massachusetts in 1989.

CONCERT DETAILS

EMMANUEL PAHUD

30 September - 13 October 2017

JS BACH Ricercar a 6 from Musical Offering

CPE BACH Sonata for Flute in A minor

RAVEL (arr. Richard Tognetti) String Quartet in F major

BOULEZ Memorial

DEBUSSY Syrinx

FRANCK (arr. Richard Tognetti) Sonata for Flute & Strings

Richard Tognetti Director & Violin

Emmanuel Pahud Flute

PERFORMANCE DATES

CANBERRA

Llewellyn Hall - Saturday 30 September, 8pm

MELBOURNE

Arts Centre Melbourne, Hamer Hall - Sunday 1 October, 2.30pm

Arts Centre Melbourne, Hamer Hall - Tuesday 3 October 7.30pm

PERTH

Perth Concert Hall - Wednesday 4 October, 7.30pm

SYDNEY

City Recital Hall - Saturday 7 October, 7pm

Sydney Opera House - Sunday 8 October, 2pm

City Recital Hall - Tuesday 10 October, 8pm

City Recital Hall - Wednesday 11 October, 7pm

City Recital Hall - Friday 13 October, 1.30pm

BRISBANE

QPAC Concert Hall - Monday 9 October 7pm

Tickets are available at aco.com.au or 1800 444 444.

A media release and photo are attached, and for interview & photo requests, media tickets queries, or further information please contact:

Caitlin Benetatos
Communications Manager

T +61 2 8274 3825 | M +61 422 934693

Australian Chamber Orchestra

Opera Quays, 2 East Circular Quay, Sydney NSW 2000

PO Box R21, Royal Exchange NSW 1225

aco.com.au