West Australian Review

With his bow dipped in the stuff of high inspiration, Finnish violinist Pekka Kuusisto, a diminutive figure with a colossal talent, took the Australian Chamber Orchestra to impressive heights in a re-working for string orchestra of his famed compatriot Sibelius' String Quartet in D minor.

Here was an opportunity to savour the excellence of the ACO's playing. With admirable, uniform tonal sheen and, at climaxes, gloriously rich, organ-like sonorities, the players responded to the score as if drawing on a shared reservoir of musical inspiration.

In Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No. 3, the first movement frequently sounded earthbound and bass heavy with an at-times overly grainy corporate tone. The finale, though, was pleasingly buoyant and fluent. Here, we also heard the faintly wheezing tone of the harmonium played throughout the evening with unassuming artistry by Milla Viljamaa.

Kuusisto was soloist in Bach's Violin Concerto in E in which much of the opening allegro was informed by an agreeably joyous quality. The finale was no less appealing. But in the extended
adagio which, movie fans may recall, was used to profoundly moving effect in Pasolini's The Gospel according to St Matthew, the playing lacked that element of poignancy which lies at the heart of the music.

As curtain-raiser, we heard Andrew Ford's Bright Shiners which is being premiered across the country on the ACO's current tour. With its imaginative writing Bright Shiners might well have a future in the repertoire of string orchestras. It initially has an eerie, faint and fragile quality with, later, charming suggestions of twittering birdsong in response to what sounded like the mournful cry of some disconsolate fowl. Also new to Perth audiences was Finnish composer Timo Alakotila's Sketches from Folkscenes, completed earlier this year and written in the tradition of Finnish folk fiddling. But despite the energy with which it was dispatched, its intriguing, syncopated rhythms and pleasing use of pizzicato sounded overlong for its material. Kuusisto played on a fine Guadagnini violin dating from 1752.

Neville Cohn | West Australian

Herald Sun Review

ACO leader Richard Tognetti is off duty for the orchestra's current tour and the guest leader is young Finnish violinist Pekka Kuusisto. Finnish music has a special place in this strings-only program: besides Kuusisto, the orchestra has two permanent members and a visiting harmonium player from Finland. Kuusisto's fine arrangement of the String Quartet in D minor by Sibelius brought a new richness to the work.

Also from Finland was Sketches from Folkscenes (world premiere) by Timo Alakotila. It weaves folk music and original material together and uses the harmonium, a key instrument in Finnish fiddle bands whose timbre enhances the open sound of folk string playing. The chunky, pop and jazz-influenced second movement looked a pleasure to play.

In the Bach E major Violin Concerto, Kuusisto took a free, joyous approach to the first movement. A few improvised details in the third added a spontaneous feel.

Bright Shiners by Andrew Ford, a new commission, was an enjoyable piece with vivid textures and effective, flattering string writing. Its duration suited its musical concept perfectly.

Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No.3 took a fresh, modern approach with a lively bowing style, choppy but never rough. There was an exciting primal energy to the final movement. Rather than the more usual harpsichord continuo, ACO again used the harmonium - a logistical choice perhaps, but it worked. Kuusisto's playing explores many musical styles and his artistic imagination seems boundless. Best of all, hi inspiration spread to the other players and audience alike.

It says excellent things about Tognetti and his intentions for the orchestra that he engages guest leaders of Kuusisto's calibre in his absence.
Anna McAlister, Herald Sun

Anniversary celebration came packed with surprises

BACK for another tour as guest director, Finnish violinist Pekka Kuusisto directed the Australian Chamber Orchestra on Monday night in a surprise-packed program of music by Sibelius and Bach, preceded by a bagatelle from Andrew Ford, to celebrate Richard Tognetti's 20-year stand as the ensemble's presiding genius. As things turned out, Ford's Bright Shiners contributed the evening's most novel sounds, its textural interplay making a successful bookend to a night that concluded in another world premiere, Timo Alakotila's unadventurous Sketches from Folkscenes.

Read the full article in The Age.

ANAM Swansong?

From the recent ANAM year-end celebration concert, watch the ANAM Orchestra perform the world premiere of Andrew Ford's Symphony, here. Symphony was composed with ANAM's line-up of musicians in mind and for ANAM Artistic Director Brett Dean to conduct. Read the program note here.

And Richard Tognetti introduces and conducts the ANAM Orchestra in Beethoven's Fifth, here.