Every year is a year of anniversaries, not least 2020 with the 250th anniversary of Captain Cook’s voyage along the east coast of Australia and the 250th anniversary of the birth of Ludwig van Beethoven. Both were explorers and visionaries. The Beethoven anniversary will be celebrated by the Australian Chamber Orchestra, which will also mark the 30th year of Richard Tognetti’s artistic leadership of the orchestra. It is astounding that Richard has been Artistic Director for 30 of the 45 years of the ACO’s existence yet he retains a boyish air! When we launched the orchestra in 1975 we could not have wished for greater success here and abroad. The ACO is Australia’s most-travelled orchestra; next year touring Japan, France and the UK, as well as presenting seasons in Canberra, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Wollongong, Newcastle, Adelaide and Perth, while the ACO Collective will travel to Karratha, Mandurah, Bunbury, Albany and Margaret River. The ACO certainly earns the ‘Australian’ in its name.

Richard’s programming for 2020 is as adventurous as ever; possibly even Captain Cook would have been impressed. There are four world premieres, all commissioned by the ACO. The Beethoven year opens on 8 February with a homage to the great man in performances of his symphonies 1, 2 & 3.  Anyone who has heard the ACO’s thrilling performance of the Fifth Symphony (see on YouTube) will be expecting a really special celebration.