Saxophone Great Branford Marsalis To Make ACO Debut

American saxophonist Branford Marsalis has long been regarded as one of the world's greatest living musicians. Born in New Orleans and hailing from a rich jazz heritage, Marsalis is renowned for his boundless musicality that sees him move effortlessly between the jazz, Latin and classical genres. This exceptional versatility, paired with a thrilling virtuosity, makes him the ideal collaborator with the Australian Chamber Orchestra (ACO), an ensemble that is renowned around the world for its intrepid and adventurous approach to programming and performance.

Marsalis will make his much-anticipated debut with the ACO this May, where he will perform a Latin American inspired program with the Orchestra featuring the music of Villa-Lobos, Piazzolla, and Ginastera, directed by ACO Principal Violin Satu Vänskä.

Marsalis hails from what has been termed the 'First Family of Jazz'; his father is pianist and educator Ellis Marsalis, and his three brothers, trumpeter Wynton, trombonist Delfeayo and drummer Jason, are also internationally renowned jazz musicians. While still a student at the prestigious Berklee College of Music, Marsalis was recruited into Art Blakey's legendary Jazz Messengers, alongside his brother Wynton Marsalis, and went on to tour internationally with the band before the two brothers formed the Wynton Marsalis Quartet, which quickly earnt international acclaim for its virtuosic and uncompromising acoustic jazz style.

Famously diverse in his musical approach, Marsalis went on to collaborate with the likes of Sting, The Grateful Dead, Harry Connick Jnr, and the New York Philharmonic, starred as Music Director on 'The Tonight Show with Jay Leno', and hosted National Public Radio's widely syndicated Jazz Set. He is the recipient of three Grammy Awards and has nearly thirty albums to his name.

These concerts with the ACO will see Marsalis perform Brazilian composer Heitor Villa- Lobos's Fantasia for Saxophone and Orchestra, alongside contemporary UK composer Sally Beamish's serene Under the Wing of the Rock, in an arrangement dedicated to him by Beamish, in a bluesy translation for saxophone.

Marsalis' performances alternate with Vänskä taking centre stage with her 1726 'Belgiorno' Stradivarius violin to perform Astor Piazzolla's Four Seasons of Buenos Aires, a heady mixture of tango rhythms and ingenious references to Vivaldi's famous concertos. Vänskä regularly performs as soloist with the ACO, with her 2017 performance of Locatelli's notoriously fiendish Harmonic Labyrinth concerto hailed as 'a masterclass in technique' (The Australian) and her 2018 performance of Beethoven's Romance No.2 praised for being 'shot through with both light colour and depth' (SMH).

The ACO's Branford Marsalis tour is presented by Principal Partner and National Tour Partner, Virgin Australia, who are proud to support the Orchestra's vibrant and innovative tours. Through their extensive flight network, they are helping to share their music around Australia.

PROGRAM

STRAVINSKY No.3 from Three Pieces for Solo Clarinet
VILLA-LOBOS Fantasia for Saxophone and Orchestra
PIAZZOLLA The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires
VILLA-LOBOS Ária (Cantilena) from Bachianas Brasileiras No.5
SALLY BEAMISH Under the Wing of the Rock: Saxophone Concerto No.2
GINASTERA Concerto for Strings

ARTISTS
Branford Marsalis Saxophone
Satu Vänskä Director & Violin
Australian Chamber Orchestra

PERFORMANCE DATES

WOLLONGONG
Wollongong Town Hall
Thu 9 May, 7.30pm

CANBERRA
Llewellyn Hall
Sat 11 May, 8pm

MELBOURNE
Hamer Hall, Arts Centre Melbourne
Sun 12 May, 2.30pm
Mon 20 May, 7.30pm

BRISBANE
QPAC Concert Hall
Mon 13 May, 7pm

PERTH
Perth Concert Hall
Wed 15 May, 7.30pm

SYDNEY
City Recital Hall
Sat 18 May, 7pm
Tue 21 May, 8pm
Wed 22 May, 7pm

Sydney Opera House
Sun 19 May, 2pm

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