ACO at 50: How did your ACO story begin?

The ACO’s newest recruit, Anna also hails from Richard Tognetti’s hometown of Wollongong. She took part in the ACO’s Emerging Artist Program, and next week will take to the stage as a soloist with the Orchestra for the first time.

When did you first hear the ACO play? 

Growing up in Wollongong, I often had to travel to Sydney in order to hear a wider range of musical performances. The ACO is one of very few orchestras who include Wollongong in some of their tours, so lucky little me heard them for the first time at Wollongong Town Hall. It was like going to see your favourite band! I remember being exhilarated by every performance.

It’s difficult not to mention as a favourite moment the night I passed my probation and became a fully-fledged member of the orchestra. We had just played a high-octane concert of Bach, Gubaidulina and Shostakovich in Stuttgart which I was naturally nervous about but still immensely enjoyed. While walking to the restaurant we’d agreed to meet at after the assessment, I realised I wasn’t emotionally prepared to fail, no matter how much I’d intellectualised the idea.

Despite having a very active and fulfilling musical life outside of the ACO to return to, by that point I had fallen in love with the Orchestra (almost against my will) and wanted to be a part of this unique and incredible family. So, it was all very intense, I teared up when my colleagues arrived at the restaurant and told me the news. I was especially emotional when hugging Hellie [ACO Principal Violin Helena Rathbone], since she inspired me so much in my Emerging Artist year and was the first person to urge me to go for the job. 

In one or two words, how would you describe the ACO?

Flowing and audacious.

Subscribers since our very first season in 1975, Robert and Margaret have also been donors for over 20 years and are currently part of our ACO GOLD circle supporting our 50th anniversary.

Can you share a favourite ACO memory from your many years attending concerts and events?

If we had to pick out one concert from the many which we have enjoyed over the years, I think we would have to give the prize to the performance of Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony in, I think, 2006. Until then, our benchmark for a performance of this symphony had been Furtwängler conducting – from a chair (he was old and frail) -- the London Philharmonic, in the Royal Festival Hall in 1965.

We had come to think of that symphony as massive and ‘monumental’ – relentless, inexorable in its movement towards its end, building slowly but surely to its inevitable and solemn conclusion. The ACO performance turned all that on its head and was utterly convincing in showing us a different way of looking at this great work. ACO tempos under Richard have always been (sometimes almost perilously) on the fast side, but the speed here seemed completely justified and was by no means consistently fast or unvarying.

There was joy, playfulness, humour and delight as well as ferocity: there is more than one way for a piece of music to move you and make you feel that life is worth living.

What keeps you coming back to ACO concerts after 50 years?

What always stands out when watching this great orchestra (now our favourite among many) is the sense of community among the players, a community into which visiting soloists are actively invited and which they, in return, clearly value and enjoy.

The rapport between players, the friendly competition between instruments which nevertheless collaborate as well as compete, make this orchestra unique in our experience. We always look forward to our ACO concerts and know that what we must expect is the unexpected.

We hope to go on doing so for many more years to come.

Current Emerging Artist on violin, being mentored by Liisa Pallandi.

What attracted you to apply for the ACO Emerging Artist Program?

I’ve always admired the ACO Emerging Artist program because every musician I’ve seen come out of it has gone on to achieve incredible things in their careers. For me, it’s more than just an opportunity to grow as a musician—it’s a chance to be part of an Australian music community that pushes you to reach your full potential. The idea of being mentored by such talented musicians and performing at that level excites me beyond words. I’ve always believed in learning by experience, and being on tour with the ACO members is exactly what I need before starting my professional career.

Can you share a favourite ACO memory?

During my time at the Australian National Academy of Music (ANAM), I was incredibly lucky to be part of the 2023 ACO Mozart tour. It was such an amazing experience that I wanted to be part of it again! Working with the entire orchestra and international guest artists was so inspiring, and I still find myself thinking about those performances and how much joy we brought to the audiences.

Prue has been an ACO subscriber and donor for over 20 years, and is currently part of our ACO GOLD circle supporting our 50th anniversary. Prue learned violin from a young age, and studied for four years under Robert Pikler who played a key role in the ACO’s founding years.

How did your ACO story begin?

I have been a community lawyer for decades. During my late teens my passion for the law equalled my passion for music. I had started playing the piano from an early age. I played the church organ from 12. From about 13 I started to learn the violin. By the time I was in Year 10, my violin teacher thought I should move across for lessons with a teacher at the Sydney Con. I was so very privileged to then spend four years learning from Robert Pikler. Both Mr Pikler (as I very reverently referred to him) and I decided I was going to be a better lawyer than violinist, so we just enjoyed my violin lessons. During and after my time with Mr Pikler I realised he was a key figure in the Sydney classical music world, being instrumental with other musicians at the Conservatorium, for many initiatives including the ACO.

My husband died after a long illness in 2012. My two children, worried that with the enormity of my loss I would retreat into my shell, gave me, two tickets for the ACO’s 2013 season for my birthday that year. With two tickets they wanted to ensure I would always take a friend with me to the concerts – which I did. I have been a subscriber since then.

What role does music play in your life?

What has enabled me to do my work as a community lawyer has been my passion for music, both listening and playing. The only way I have found I can take my brain down pathways not beset with trauma and sadness, is to either play the piano or violin or go to a concert.

More importantly what I have realised is that not everyone has had access to my rich and privileged musical education and experience. Over the years, it has become apparent that the majority of my clients impacted by trauma have struggled to find the pathway that leads to healing and recovery.

What the ACO has done and continues to do in St Marys North Public School and now in the school in Melbourne is life-changing for those children and indeed for their families. By fostering a love for making and listening to music you are enabling children to develop the skills to live with and manage the skills required to live a full life. This is quite apart from the simple joy of music!

Why do you support the ACO and keep coming back to concerts?

What I love about the ACO is that it feels like a family that I am part of.

I love the challenge of listening to new work together with the comfort of listening to favourites. To hear the violin concertos especially the Max Bruch or Bach violin concertos takes me straight back to my Tuesday evenings at the Con, listening to Mr Pikler as he played while I unpacked my violin. So keeping the balance of new and comfort is important – keep challenging us!

Now in high school, Lachlan was part of the original “Gumnut” cohort in Western Sydney where we piloted our pioneering music education program, ACO Foundations. Lachlan loves playing his violin so much that he has continued his studies beyond the program, and is now receiving tuition through Penrith Conservatorium, thanks to philanthropic support from ACO donors.

How did it feel to perform with Richard Tognetti and the Orchestra at ACO On The Pier? 

I felt amazing, it was so much fun playing with the ACO and all my friends. It was also so cool that I was able to learn and play with Richard Tognetti. I love that I was able to be in the presence with someone so skilled and with so much talent. I remember telling Richard that he was nearly as good as us! 

What do you love about playing the violin?

I love that feeling when you get so into the song/music and playing that you feel like you are in a different world. I love that after putting all the work into learning the whole song it comes together like a puzzle. 

What does the ACO mean to you? 

The ACO for me means so much as they introduced me to music and the violin. They taught me how to play and read music, and the right movements for the violin. Mostly I love how they believed in me from the very start and they push me to become better and better. I love seeing all the people in the ACO playing with me, it’s exhilarating. 

Former Emerging Artist and regular performer with the ACO, Beth has been an integral part of the ACO Foundations program at St Marys North Public School in Western Sydney since its inception.

What do you enjoy most about being an ACO Foundations tutor?

I love working closely with the students and watching them grow—not just as musicians, but as people too. It’s incredibly rewarding to observe their confidence and enthusiasm grow and their personalities shine through their music making.

Can you share a favourite memory from your many years working with the kids at St Marys North?

One that really stands out is the first time we took them to ACO at Pier 2/3. They were absolutely buzzing with excitement. For many of them, it was their first time on a bus into the city (and honestly, the bus ride alone was a highlight!), and they’d never seen the Opera House or Harbour Bridge before. Being there with them for that moment was unforgettable.

Another special memory is our very first concert at the school with Years 1, 2, 3, and the Superstrings group all taking part. Watching the students perform in front of their parents and friends for the first time was incredibly moving, it meant so much to the parents and school community. You could really feel how proud everyone was.

What’s something you’ve learned from being involved in the program?

I’ve learned that for a program like ACO Foundations to really thrive, it needs the full support of the whole school community. While I feel so supported by my ACOF colleagues, it’s also been amazing to work with someone like Lisa Parrello—her leadership and willingness to embrace something new has been key to the success of the program. Creating fun and engaging video content with my colleague Anton Baba has also been a totally new (and hilarious) challenge. The program has helped me grow in so many ways, both professionally and personally. I am very grateful to be a part of it.

Head of Major Gifts & Bequests, Lillian is the longest-serving member of the ACO’s administration team. More than this, Lillian has been an ACO subscriber and donor for over 20 years, and is currently part of ACO GOLD donor circle for our 50th Anniversary.

How did your ACO story begin?

I started working at the ACO in October 2007, having left the law in 2000 when my fourth child was born.  I was an ACO subscriber (still am – my 20th year this year as a subscriber) so I was familiar with and was a fan and patron of the Orchestra.  I had a music background, having attended the Conservatorium High School (and taught the piano while studying at university).  I saw the ad for the role of Patrons Manager by accident and as I was contemplating a return to work of some sort at that time (I had ruled out a return to the law for family reasons), I thought that would be rather nice. I left for a brief time in 2014 and 2015 (again for family reasons) and returned in 2016 to work on the Capital Campaign. And, the rest is history…

Can you share a favourite ACO memory from your time working here?

There are many wonderful memories.  Apart from the excitement of moving into Pier 2/3 after many years working underground and working on the campaign for our new home, some of my favourite experiences were speaking to all of the subscribers and patrons who donated their tickets back to us or who made donations during the Covid lockdowns and hearing how much music, and the ACO in particular, meant to them and their lives. It was truly heartwarming.

Tell us about a standout ACO performance.

This is a hard one – there have been so many wonderful and memorable performances!!!

I think that one standout for me was the first time I heard the ACO perform a Beethoven symphony – it was Beethoven’s 5th.  It was so exciting and so dynamic. I can honestly say that no one plays Beethoven like the ACO! Being a small orchestra, you can hear every part so clearly and the way the ACO performs Beethoven is breathtaking!  It’s wonderful.

Why do you support the ACO?

I think it’s important to support the arts – it’s important for society to have a vibrant cultural life and the arts enrich our lives and the fabric of society beyond measure.  I support the ACO because of its excellence, and also because of its belief in the importance of a music education for all and its contribution to and advocacy for the benefits of a music education.

In one or two words, how would you describe the ACO?

Only one or two??

Excellence and dynamism.