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Learning & Engagement

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The Orchestra performing the double bass concerto commissioned for Maxime Bibeau and his instrument

New Commissions

Commissioning new works from today’s composers is vital to maintaining relevance and a contemporary outlook. The unveiling of a new work is an exhilarating experience for audiences, and it is only through commissions from orchestras and private patrons that composers can continue to pursue their creative passion. 
The ACO have commissioned over 120 pieces of music from Australian and International composers since our formation in 1975, and the creation of each commission comes with its own special story. Discover some of these stories below, or browse a full list of music commissioned by the Orchestra further down the page.
New York based composer Missy Mazzoli

Dark with Excessive Bright - Missy Mazzoli

A rare concerto for double-bass, Missy Mazzoli’s Dark with Excessive Bright was written to explore the history and personality of the 1585 Da Salò Bass under the care of ACO Principal Bass Maxime Bibeau. Learn more about the collaborative process in this video.
Composer Petris Vasks

Vox Amoris - Peteris Vasks

Commissioned in 2009 and written specifically to complement Richard Tognetti’s performance style, Vox Amoris has the kind of tragic power that immediately entrances audiences. The raw power of Vox Amoris has made it one of Vasks’ most recorded works, and it is a piece that frequently returns to ACO programming to this day.
Australian composer Peter Sculthorpe

Port Essington - Peter Sculthorpe

Originally commissioned for a documentary film score in 1977, Port Essington has been performed many times in the ACO’s history, and we've recorded the work twice. Telling the story of the attempted settlement at Port Essington in the Northern Territory, the work is a set of variations on the Aboriginal melody “Djilile”, which later became the most important and frequently used melody in Sculthorpe’s works.
A portrait of Radiohead guitarist and composer Jonny Greenwood

Water - Jonny Greenwood

Written during a period in residence with the ACO in 2013, Water is a now-acclaimed piece by Jonny Greenwood, best known as the guitarist of Radiohead. The piece premiered in our 2014 Season, has been performed around the world, and more recently been released as a vinyl with Mozart’s Eine Kleine Nachtmusik on the B-Side.