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Age: 86
Subscriber for: 30 Years
Date of first ACO concert: 1993
Favourite ACO concert: Huntington Music Festival
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“My association with the ACO began when I met Richard Tognetti at the Huntington Music Festival, 30 years ago,” Ian Lansdown, a long-time Subscriber and supporter of the ACO says.
“It was unique in the world of music festivals, in terms of its location in the bottling room of the winery – which had fabulous acoustics, incidentally – and with its concerts and performers, meals, drinks and talks taking place all together on the same site for five days,” he reflects.
Meeting Artistic Director Richard Tognetti at the festival, Ian’s impression was of someone “always vigorous, inventive, thoughtful, and clever.” He calls Richard “a terrific entrepreneur”.
Richard’s appointment as Artistic Director cemented Ian’s commitment to the Orchestra, and marks the year he became a Subscriber. “I had previously been a subscriber to a couple of other orchestras and concert series,” Ian confesses, “but Richard brought new ideas and new vibrant flavours to my classical music world.”
Ian’s association with Richard and the Orchestra deepened when they toured to Japan. “When we lived in Japan, the ACO visited on tour and we hosted Richard to stay in our apartment with us in Tokyo,” Ian remembers. “Richard was complaining that Tokyo hotel rooms were not big enough to rehearse in!” he laughs.
Looking forward to “a fabulous chance to hear Richard up close”, Ian soon discovered the realities of instrumental practise. “We heard one particular chord practised a zillion times, and watched Richard compose soundlessly on his computer!”
“The ACO is so dynamic,” Ian says, reflecting on many years of performances by the Orchestra. His love of Richard’s work, and of the ACO’s energetic style, led to Ian supporting the Orchestra financially, and he became an ACO Medici Patron sponsoring the chairs of several players over the years, initially of violinist Lorna Cumming, then violist Nicole Divall, and, until recently, violinist Ike See.
In the time-honoured fashion of the great Medici family, the ACO’s Medici Patrons support individual players’ Chairs and assist the Orchestra in attracting and retaining musicians of the highest calibre.
“The ACO is so innovative. It’s not afraid to put unexpected things together, and they seem to step outside the set formula other orchestras rely on.”Ian Lansdown, ACO Subscriber & Supporter
Ian is also an ACO Instrument Fund investor. The fund enables our musicians to play stunning Golden Age instruments.
As well as the Orchestra’s dynamism, its programming is what keeps Ian coming back.
“It’s so innovative,” he enthuses. “They’re not afraid to put unexpected things together, and they seem to step outside the set formula other orchestras rely on.”
After 30 years, Ian’s still attending the ACO’s concerts in 2025, the Orchestra’s 50th anniversary year, and he hasn’t missed a tour yet.
