We're thrilled to be back in the Northern Hemisphere, performing in beautiful venues throughout Europe this March, with concerts at Muziekgebouw in Amsterdam, the National Forum of Music in Wrocław, the Liederhalle Stuttgart, and the Barbican Centre in London.
We're taking three idiosyncratically 'ACO' programs: one that pairs the music of Shostakovich and Bach; another that of European modernists Lutosławski and Haas with Bryce Dessner and JS Bach; and finally a performance of our acclaimed documentary, Mountain, live in concert in Poland.
We're most excited to be joined in our concerts by guest musicians, including renowned pianist Alexander Melnikov, who will perform Shostkovich's Piano Concerto in C minor, and musicians from the NFM Wrocław Philharmonic and NFM Leopoldinum orchestras.
We're proud of our commitment to regular international touring: we're the only Australian orchestra that tours internationally on an annual basis, and we're the most active touring orchestra in Australia, performing over 150 concerts, including in at least one international tour, seven Australian tours and multiple regional tours, every year.
You can experience the ACO live on stage, as well as on Spotify, Apple Music and other streaming platforms, and on the Orchestra’s ACO On Demand platform.
In the meantime, enjoy some highlights from our European tour.
Amsterdam. Netherlands
The Orchestra landed in Amsterdam across the weekend, in time for rehearsals at the beautiful waterfront Muziekgebouw concert hall on Monday 10 March. After a full schedule of rehearsals on Monday and Tuesday, the Orchestra performed a concert of Shostakovich and Bach works, joined by the brilliant pianist Alexander Melnikov, oboist Ivan Podyomov and trumpet player Jeroen Berwaerts.
Either side of a busy schedule, our musicians enjoyed exploring the city – including logging runs in their Strava, and spotting Australian films broadcast in Dutch cinemas! ACO Principal Viola Stef Farrands spotted Memoir of a Snail, a film the ACO recorded the soundtrack for, at a cinema on her travels.
Next stop: Wrocław in Poland.
Wrocław, Poland
The Australian Chamber Orchestra landed in Poland on Wednesday 12 March, and headed straight from the airport to rehearsals at Wrocław's National Music Forum. In between rehearsals, the musicians explored the city, and enjoyed eating delicious pierogi – Polish dumplings! The Orchestra performed 'Mountain', and works by Lutosławski, Dessner, Bach & Haas, with the NFM Wrocław Philharmonic and the NFM Leopoldinum Orchestra respectively over the weekend of 15 & 16 March. And, after a couple of travel and rest says, they were off to Stuttgart in Germany.
Stuttgart, Germany
In Stuttgart, the Orchestra perform a program of music by Shostakovich – including Shostakovich's Piano Concerto No.1 in C minor with soloist Alexander Melnikov – and Bach (with appearances from soloists Jeroen Berwaerts (trumpet) and Ivan Podyomov (oboe)), as well as the late great Sofia Gubaidulina.
London, UK
Richard Tognetti directs the Orchestra, and the same soloists who we have loved having with us on this tour, in the same program as they return to our second home in London, the iconic Barbican Centre.
Click here to discover the full details, including concert programs and tickets, of the ACO's 2025 Europe Tour.
