“Hello. My name is Pekk… a,” said the curious musician in black who popped out to introduce the evening’s concert before going on to acknowledge the competing lure of a TV line up that apparently included a worm eating competition. “Thank you for choosing us,” he added, with a delicious poker-faced sincerity, before inviting us to hum along with the drone notes already playing as part of the programme’s opening item (courtesy of American composer Nico Muhly).

It looks like the Australian Chamber Orchestra has landed on its feet with Pekka Kuusisto. An exciting and sought after international soloist in his own right, the 39-year-old Finnish violinist has committed to direct the ACO Collective, the 17-piece ensemble that helms the ACO’s national touring offering. To judge from last night’s fascinating and inspiring concert, programming is very much Kuustisto’s bag.

The first half was very much a now thing: three 21st-century composers with a bit of a rock and roll background in common, wrapped around a moving central nugget by Michael Tippett. Keen to take us on an aural journey, Kuusisto made the seven pieces bleed seamlessly one into the other, and what an interesting 40-minute composite work came out of it!...