Harris Center Presents The 'Hip' Early Music Of Australian Chamber Orchestra

Performing as a flexible and versatile 'ensemble of soloists' on modern and period instruments, the repertoire of the Australian Chamber Orchestra spans six centuries. Their performances are marked with a vitality and virtuosity unmatched by other ensembles: in a nod to past traditions, only the cellists are seated, and the resulting sense of energy and individuality is one of the most commented-upon elements of an ACO concert experience.

The reviews say it all: "If there's a better chamber orchestra in the world today, I haven't heard it" (The Guardian); "The energy and vibe of a rock band with the ability of a crack classical chamber group" (Washington Post); "They don't play New York nearly often enough. But, on the rare occasion that they do come in from Down Under, they leave an indelible mark on the city's music scene" (TimeOut New York); "Early music doesn't get much hipper than this" (Los Angeles Times).

The program for the April concert is Bach, The Art of Fugue: Contrapunctus I-IV

Mozart Violin Concerto tbc, with violinist Richard Tognetti; Beethoven String Quartet Op. 130 (arranged for string orchestra); and Beethoven Grosse Fugue, Op. 133 (arranged for string orchestra)

The Australian Chamber Orchestra comes to the Harris Center Monday, April 1, 2019 at 7:30 pm. Tickets are $28-$58; Premium $62, Students with ID $18.

Tickets are available online at www.harriscenter.net or from Harris Center Ticket Office at 916-608-6888 from 12 noon to 6 pm, Monday through Saturday, and two hours before show time. Parking is included in the price of the ticket. Harris Center is located on the west side of Folsom Lake College campus in Folsom, CA, facing East Bidwell Street.

Internationally renowned for inspired programming and the rapturous response of audiences and critics, the Australian Chamber Orchestra is a product of their 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, vitality and virtuosity unmatched by other ensembles.

The ACO 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 has performed in 343 cities in 37 countries. 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 as Artistic Director and Lead Violin in 1989. Under his inspiring leadership, the ACO has performed as a small chamber group, a small symphony orchestra, and as an electro-acoustic collective.

Regular international tours to 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.

Several of the ACO's musicians perform with spectacularly fine instruments. Tognetti plays a 1743 Guarneri del Gesù violin, on loan from an anonymous Australian benefactor. Principal Cello Timo-Veikko Valve plays a 1729 Giuseppe Guarneri Filius Andreae cello, on loan from Mr Peter Weiss AM. Principal 2nd Violin Helena Rathbone plays a 1759 Guadagnini violin on loan from the Commonwealth Bank Group. Assistant Leader Satu Vänskä plays a 1728/29 Stradivarius violin owned by the ACO Instrument Fund, through which investors participate in the ownership of historic instruments.

The ACO has made acclaimed recordings for labels including ABC Classics, Sony, Channel Classics, Hyperion, EMI and Chandos and currently has a recording contract with BIS. 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 multi-award-winning film Musica Surfica.

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 centers.

The Harris Center for the Arts at Folsom Lake College brings the community together to share in cultural experiences featuring the work of artists from throughout the region and around the world. Built and operated by the Los Rios Community College District, the $50 million, state-of-the-art regional performing arts center boasts three intimate venues with outstanding acoustics, an art gallery, a recording studio, elegant teaching spaces, plenty of safe parking and all the other amenities of a world-class performing arts venue. Each year the Center hosts over 400 events attracting more than 150,000 annually.

To post a comment, you must register and login.