The Australian World Orchestra (AWO) is one of the most exciting orchestral initiatives in Australia’s cultural history. The vision is simple: to bring together Australia’s successful classical musicians from around the world, to form one of the country’s most electrifying orchestras.

The AWO features Australians returning home from playing in leading world orchestras such as the Berlin and Vienna Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the London Symphony Orchestra, to name but a few. Australia’s international players come together with their colleagues from our own wonderful state orchestras, and the result is over 100 musicians, representing over 50 orchestras, all at the top of their profession under one roof, forming one of the country’s most exciting orchestras. The inaugural AWO concert series was held in Sydney in August 2011.

As part of the AWO mission, returning musicians are keen to offer their skills in a series of masterclasses across NSW and Victoria. In May 2013, Australian World Orchestra violinist Monica Naselow visited Ascham School in Sydney. Monica is a former violinist with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in Amsterdam and currently plays with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra. This is how she got on with three of the school’s most promising young players.