For this concert in the George Weston Recital Hall, the Australian Chamber Orchestra are joined by guest soloist and virtuoso didgeridoo player William Barton performing two of his own works. Led by artistic director Richard Tognetti, the program features a new work by Samuel Adams, alongside pieces by pioneer American modernist composer Ruth Crawford Seeger, Polish film music composer Wojciech Kilar, and Bryce Dessner of The National and Dream House Quartet. The evening concludes with the beloved Serenade for Strings by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.

Though it comes in many forms, music for strings is at the heart of any ACO concert. The group’s ability to scale up or down, coupled with the remarkable versatility and virtuosity of the 17 core musicians, allows the ACO to adapt effortlessly to the myriad of possible combinations, from simple chamber formats up to symphonic configurations and mixed-media productions.

In addition to exploring the rich diversity of music written or arranged for strings, the Orchestra are active in expanding their repertoire through a consistent focus on commissioning new works and arrangements from contemporary Australian and international composers. The Orchestra are also actively engaged in cross-artform collaborations, which take the Orchestra into new artistic territory while connecting with new audiences who may not have experienced an ACO concert otherwise.