“Australia is home to one of the greatest orchestras in the world,” writes Barney Zwartz in Wednesday’s (10/11) Sydney Morning Herald (Australia). “Unfortunately for local music lovers, it gathers only for a week every year, and plays just three concerts in Sydney and Melbourne. It is the Australian World Orchestra, comprising Australians from all the state orchestras and some 40 overseas orchestras who return home for the event. The AWO on Wednesday announced its 2018 program under the leadership of … Italian maestro [and Chicago Symphony Orchestra Music Director] Riccardo Muti. He will lead the orchestra in Brahms’ second symphony and Tchaikovsky’s fourth … in May. The orchestra is the inspiration and achievement of its chief conductor and music director, Alexander Briger, the nephew of the late Charles Mackerras…. First gathering in 2011, it has played under [Zubin] Mehta … Simone Young; and [Simon] Rattle…. The orchestra will comprise 90 players from 45 orchestras around the world…. The musicians take part by invitation…. ‘One reason this orchestra works is that we all grew up together,’ [says Briger]. ‘I think 96 per cent of them played in the Australian Youth Orchestra.’ ”
Posted October 13, 2017
