Bach to the Beach Boys and Beyond

The Australian Chamber Orchestra is celebrating fifty years in 2025 and is one of the most acclaimed chamber orchestras in the world, renowned for their inspired programming, unrivalled virtuosity, energy and individuality. Under the direction of Artistic Director Richard Tognetti, they take audiences on the adventure to create truly transformative experiences. 

Explore new musical frontiers as you take a deep dive into the thrilling soundworld of the theremin, the world’s first electronic instrument. 

The theremin is utterly unique. It’s a sound you’ve definitely heard, even if you’ve never heard of it. Following the success of our sold-out tour of A Clockwork Orange & Beyond comes this series showcasing the range and power of the world’s first electronic instrument.

Richard Tognetti directs an eclectic program starring Carolina Eyck, the internationally renowned superstar of the theremin. When Eyck plays, she stands poised, hands aloft, making intricate moves but touching nothing. Out pours a melody that speaks of other worlds. It looks, and sounds, like magic.

The theremin can create a thousand different colours and moods. Come with us as we experience them all: serenity and beauty, longing and danger, mystery and wonder. From the swinging sounds of The Beach Boys and the unmistakable Star Trek theme, to a new commission from Australian composer Holly Harrison, and closing with the riotous thrumming of the Flight of the Bumblebee, this is a concert full of fun that will take you to other worlds.

• Program

  Johann Sebastian Bach 

  Orchestral Suite No.3 in D major, BWV1068: II. Air

  Holly Harrison

  New work (World Premiere)*

  Jacques Offenbach

  Orpheus in the Underworld: Can-can

  Camille Saint-Saëns

  The Carnival of the Animals: Selections; Danse macabre, Op.40

  Brett Dean

  Short Stories: IV. Komarov’s Last Words*

  Mikhail Glinka

  A Farewell to St Petersburg: X. The Lark

  Erwin Schulhoff 

  Five Pieces for String Quartet

  Jörg Widmann

  180 beats per minute**

  Carolina Eyck 

  Fantasias: Oakunar Lynntuja (Strange Birds)**

  Brian Wilson

  Good Vibrations

  Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov

  Flight of the Bumblebee

  And selections from the soundtracks to:
  Miklós Rózsa’s Spellbound, Jonny Greenwood’s There Will Be Blood, Alexander Courage’s Star Trek, Ennio Morricone’s The Good, The Bad and The Ugly and Jim Parker’s Midsomer Murders.

  *Commissioned by the Australian Chamber Orchestra
  **Australian Premiere

• Artists

  Richard Tognetti

  Director & Violn

  Caroline Eyck

  Theremin

  Tamara-Anna Cislowska

  Piano

  Australian Chamber Orchestra