21 – 27 March
After the roaring success of The Four Seasons concert series in February, the ACO is back with an inspiring program that speaks deeply to the Australian identity: Reflections on Gallipoli.

Reflections on Gallipoli is a dramatic exploration of the Anzac tale by Australia’s greatest storytellers.

Neil Armfield, Richard Tognetti, deviser Nigel Jamieson, soprano Taryn Fiebig, actors Yalin Ozucelik and Nathaniel Dean and the Orchestra bring to life through music, spoken word and imagery, the unexpected moment of camaraderie when Australian and Turkish combatants called a day’s truce, leaving their trenches to bury their dead.

Featuring Vaughan Williams’ The Lark Ascending, Elgar’s Sospiri, Bartók’s String Quartet No.2: Allegro molto capriccioso, a world premiere by Carl Vine and a selection of Turkish works, Reflections on Gallipoli will be a heartfelt and evocative meditation on the effects of war.

Don’t miss out on this highly anticipated performance!

For Release – Wednesday, 25 February, 2015: The Global Orchestra has today launched the inaugural Concert for the Planet, a mass participation, multi location, first of its kind performance of Holst’s The Planets. Musicians and communities around the globe will come together via innovative technology to mark our commitment to listen to each other and our planet’s needs during Earth Hour 2015.

The unique performance will take place at 8:30pm on 28th March 2015, in the count down to this year’s Earth Hour. Global Orchestra’s Conductor-Cam will capture and stream live the Sydney Symphony Orchestra’s (SSO) highly acclaimed Chief Conductor and Artistic Director David Robertson as he leads the SSO through Holst’s The Planets.

With the support of SSO, Global Orchestra has also created musical arrangements, instructional videos, lesson plans and information packs for participants to play their part on the big night. The Conductor-Cam, featuring David Robertson conducting the SSO live in performance, will also guide players through the bar numbers and count players in to ensure everyone follows the score and knows when to play their part.

Chair of the Global Orchestra Foundation, Angela Catterns AM explained, “The inaugural Concert for the Planet will be a fitting embellishment to Earth Hour. We hope it’ll spread across the world and become an annual event and a musical movement for environmental awareness and change.”

David Robertson said the inaugural Concert for the Planet would demonstrate the Orchestra’s continued commitment to digital education and accessibility.

“At the SSO we’re always looking for innovative ways to allow audiences across Australia and overseas to experience our performances ,” Mr Robertson said. “We’re thrilled to be joining the Global Orchestra Foundation in this multimedia project which will allow audiences and musicians across the world to connect with the SSO and the music in a new and exciting way.”

In another world first, Google + will live stream a broadcast quality, multi camera production of the SSO’s performance, via Hangout on Air.

While the main event will take place at the Sydney Opera House, events are being hosted across the globe as community groups come together to perform in unison with the SSO via the live stream.

Earth Hour is supporting the initiative and encouraging schools to link with the Global Orchestra to further spread the word of this unique opportunity. More than 200 community and schools groups have already registered, with thousands of participants rehearsing in the lead up to the Concert for the Planet.

Global Orchestra Founder and Artistic Director, Charlie Chan, said: “Our goal is to have 100,000 participants across 500 locations in Australia and abroad playing in sync to as the soundtrack during Earth Hour. Coming together to play music requires collaboration, listening, creativity and playing your part. This is what we all need to do if we are to find sustainable ways to live on this planet.”

Friday 17 April, 8pm

Hear the master symphonic work of Greek composer, Mikis Theodorakis (legendary composer of Zorba’s Dance)and the Nobel Prize-winning poetry of Odysseas Elytis at the Australian premiere of Axion Esti.

This unique collaboration of choral and orchestral music and poetry will be brought to life by Greek and Australian stars of the stage and screen to celebrate the 33rd annual Greek Festival,

Conductor George Ellis leads a symphony orchestra and the stunning Millennium Choir, as Greek star vocalist, Vasilis Lekkas and Australian-Greek actor, Tony Nikolakopoulos (Underbelly), bring the evocative poetry of Elytis to life.

Don’t miss this Australian first, celebrating the enduring presence of Greek culture in Australia.

HANDEL: HEAVEN & HARMONY

Various dates and times

This February and March at City Recital Hall, experience the glorious, the sensual and the romantic in the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra’s all-Handel program, Handel: Heaven and Harmony.

You will hear the sweeping and glorious “Arrival of the Queen of Sheba”, the dramatic and exciting “Look down harmonious Saint”, the ravishing and sensual “Ode for Saint Cecilia’s Day”, before the romantic love duet “Tra amplessi innocenti” sweeps you away.

This concert series brings to the Brandenburg stage two of the most exciting young singers working in the world today: Portuguese tenor Fernando Guimarães and Argentine soprano Mariana Flores. Sharing the stage with these international stars, the Brandenburg Choir and the Brandenburg Orchestra will enthral you.

23 February, 7pm

1 March, 2pm

Musica Viva presents Tafelmusik: House of Dreams, a stunning multi-media exploration of music, art and drama.

Canada’s exceptional Baroque Orchestra transports you to the world of Bach, Vivaldi, Vermeer and Canaletto with House of Dreams. In this special concert event, Tafelmusik leads you on an imaginative musical journey to five historic European houses. Explore the stories of these houses, where works by Vermeer, Canaletto and Watteau adorned the walls and the great rooms rang to the sounds of the finest composers of the day. Exquisitely detailed projected images of salons and paintings and beautiful music from a leading international period-instrument orchestra combine for an unforgettable event.

With a narrator as your tour guide, House of Dreams brings the Baroque era to life.

“…much more than a concert … an experience that transcends its many components to create a special, all-encompassing experience that makes one forget time and place for two bliss-filled hours.” The Toronto Star

Don’t miss this highly anticipated performance, book now to reserve the best seats!

MOZART AT THE OPERA

SYDNEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Thursday 5 February, 7pm
The Sydney Symphony Orchestra has invited one of Australia’s best-loved mezzo-sopranos, Fiona Campbell, to join them for a program highlighting the richness and beauty of Mozart’s operas – from intriguing rarities such as Lucio Silla to much-loved classics like The Marriage of Figaro . Enjoy a program of overtures and arias that rides the waves of emotion, from the bittersweet joy of love in anticipation, to the despair of rejection and the tenderness of loyalty and devotion.

Sir Neville Marriner in conversation with Sir Vernon Ellis An evening of music and discussion

Wednesday 26th November, from 6:30pm
49 Queen’s Gate Terrace, London SW7 5PN

Sir Neville Marriner, ASMF Life President, and Sir Vernon Ellis, Chairman of the British Council, invite you to an informal evening of conversation and music with players of the Academy of St Martin in the Fields at the home of Sir Vernon and Lady Ellis.

Drinks 6.30pm
Q&A 7.00pm
Recital 7.30pm
Supper 8.00pm

RSVP by 17th November 2014 by visiting The Academy of St Martin in the Fields’ website and downloading the booking form here

TERMS AND CONDITIONS:
Please note: booking is essential; there is limited capacity for this event, we regret that we cannot guarantee your attendance without prior booking.
Walking in the Air – An Evening of Music Composed by Howard Blake Conducted by Sir Neville Marriner

Tuesday 25th November, 7:30pm
St Martin in the Fields, Trafalgar Square, London WC2N 4JJ

Blake The Snowman Fantasia arranged for string orchestra
Blake Flute Concerto Op.493a
Blake Clarinet Concerto Op.329
Blake Serenade for Wind Octet Op.419

This glorious concert sees a much anticipated reuniting of the Academy and the music of Howard Blake. This follows the release of ‘The Barber of Neville’ on Pentatone Classics last year. The album features the melodic and expressive Flute and Clarinet Concertos performed this evening by the Academy’s own Principal Flautist Michael Cox and Principal Clarinettist James Burke. No tribute to Howard Blake, especially one at winter time, would be complete without a performance of the beloved score to The Snowman. This concert sees the very first performance of the score in a new arrangement for String Orchestra, commissioned from Howard Blake by Sir Neville Marriner who conducts this evening’s concert.

Book now from St Martin in the Fields’ Box Office on 0207 766 1100 or online from their website.

Get set for an exhilarating January with Sydney Festival 2015. From huge concerts in The Domain to remarkable dance and theatre and a colossal dose of music from some of the world’s most vital and important artists, it’s all covered this summer. Explore the whole program here.

There will be nine incredible events at City Recital Hall during the Festival including one of the boldest and most boundary-defying chamber choirs in the world, the Grammy Award-winning Latvian Radio Choir. This is not to be missed!

Alela Diane makes her Australian debut with captivating songs of heartbreak and redemption; Czech violinists Iva Bittová and Hana Kotková go bow-to-bow to realise a rendering of Béla Bartók’s magnificent folk duos and Debashish Bhattacharya, considered by many to be the world’s greatest slide guitar player, brings his borderless take on traditional Indian music to his Sydney Festival debut. Discover all the shows at City Recital Hall this summer.