To mark its fifth birthday, the Australian World Orchestra will perform in Singapore following its 2016 Sydney season.

It has attracted world-renowned maestros like Sir Simon Rattle and Zubin Mehta, brought world class Australian musicians working around the globe back Down Under and was the first Australian orchestra ever to tour to India. Given the number of achievements the Australian World Orchestra can boast, it almost defies belief that this remarkable ensemble is only five years old.

To mark its landmark fifth birthday, the AWO has announced its second international tour, to Singapore in October. Under the baton of artistic director Alexander Briger AO, the orchestra will deliver a one-off performance at the Esplanade Concert Hall where it will give the international premiere of the AWO’s first commissioned concerto.

Elena Kats-Chernin

The Witching Hour, by popular Australian composer Elena Kats-Chernin, claims to be the first concerto in the history of western classical music composed for eight double basses. Inspired by the AWO bass section’s performance in Mahler’s first symphony in 2013, Kats-Chernin has tried to capture the “exciting and other-worldly” quality of this orchestra’s eight talented bassists with the...