The Australian Chamber Orchestra (ACO) will take to the stage at Carnegie Hall in NYC for the world premiere of Horizon, a landmark new work by Pulitzer Prize and Grammy Award–winning composer John Luther Adams.
The special performance on April 22, led by Artistic Director Richard Tognetti, marks a significant and evolving partnership between one of Australia’s most distinctive cultural institutions and one of the world’s most revered contemporary composers, now an Australian resident.
Commissioned by the ACO, Horizon is a large-scale, two movement work for strings, inspired by Australia’s vast and varied landscapes. Through subtle shifts in harmony and texture, the piece invites listeners into an expanded sense of space and time, echoing the slow movement of land, sea and sky.
This collaboration sits at the heart of the ACO’s 50 year legacy, bringing together bold artistic vision and a commitment to new work that continues to push the boundaries of orchestral performance.
As Tognetti reflects: “John Luther Adams is one of the world’s great musical thinkers, and the experience of collaborating with him on his epic new work, Horizon, has been nothing short of extraordinary. These collaborations keep us moving forward.”
For Adams, the partnership is equally meaningful: “The musicians of the Australian Chamber Orchestra make music at the highest level, and they’re wonderfully open to the search for things that we haven’t heard before. The possibilities for our continuing musical partnership appear to me as expansive as the unbroken horizons of the southern Pacific and the great red Outback of Australia.”
At its core, Horizon reflects a shared artistic philosophy, one grounded in exploration, connection and a deep sense of place: “The horizon, the line at which earth and sky appear to meet, defines the circle that encompasses all of us… what lies beyond that edge of the known.”
As the ACO celebrates 50 years of international performance, this premiere at Carnegie Hall is more than a milestone. It reflects what can be achieved through enduring creative partnerships, bringing together ideas, perspectives and ambition to produce something truly world class.
Alongside Horizon, the Orchestra will present Richard Tognetti’s string orchestra arrangement of Schubert’s iconic Death and the Maiden.
📍 Carnegie Hall, New York
📅 Wednesday, April 22
🎟 Tickets from $80
https://lnkd.in/gNbbvpkX
Global Australians: Use code ACO53912 for 10% off tickets: