FIRST LIGHT
Regional NSW Tour

A clarinet melody, rising like the sun from shimmering strings. Five of Australia’s most brilliant musicians. Works beloved and new, illuminated by the sunrise in a tour presented by Musica Viva.

‘First Light’ sweeps across the heartbreak of Mozart and playful Schubert to brilliant ocean colours by Brisbane composer Nicole Murphy and Haydn’s sparkling Sunrise quartet, arranged by clarinettist Vincenzo Gambaro. 

5-8 March
Armidale | Port Macquarie | Tamworth | Dungog

Love, loss, madness & death
Sydney

Bel canto tales of love and madness from 19th-century Italy, told by some of Australia’s most brilliant singers, using all the chiaroscuro and passion of the human voice against a lush backdrop of historical strings, winds and brass.

Based on groundbreaking new research by Neal Peres Da Costa, including an Australian premiere, and featuring sopranos Anna Fraser and Claire Burrell-McDonald, tenor Jordan Sarkis and bass David Greco.

July dates and Sydney venue tba

Farrenc & Beethoven

An Australian premiere releasing 19 February

Our fifth album features Beethoven's beautiful Septet and the incredible Nonet of Louise Farrenc, both on period instruments with the dynamism of historically informed performance (HIP). It’s the first Australian recording ever of the Nonet, which wowed 1849 Paris and won Farrenc equal pay to her male colleagues at the Paris Conservatoire.

Featuring an all-star cast of international ARCO soloists.

Releasing 19 February on CD, digital and streaming.

Mozart’s clarinet

Mozart’s brilliance paired with Australian creativity

Fresh from tours in QLD, NSW and Victoria, we’ll be recording our acclaimed Mozart’s Clarinet program that pairs the only two quintets ever written for historical basset clarinet and strings: Mozart’s iconic Clarinet Quintet, and the shimmering, ocean-inspired Wavelength by Australian composer Nicole Murphy, commissioned by ARCO in 2024.

Recording in 2026 and releasing in 2027.

Stay tuned for sneak peeks.

young mannheim symphonists
Sydney | Brisbane | Melbourne

HIP Workshops
Regional | CITY

The Young Mannheim Symphonists is Australia’s only national Historically Informed Performance (HIP) youth orchestra. This unique and inspiring program gives secondary and tertiary students and emerging musicians, the chance to experience the transformative power of HIP, with final inspiring public concerts in three major cities.

YMS 2026 National Academy 6–11 July | Sydney
YMS 2026 QLD State Academy 22–26 Sept | Brisbane
YMS 2026 VIC State Academy 29 Sept–3 Oct | Melbourne

Australian Romantic & Classical Orchestra is passionately committed to education. In 2026 we’ll be offering unique HIP Workshops for school- and tertiary-level students and community orchestras, plus development opportunities for professional musicians and music teachers.

Historically Informed Performance workshops, bringing music to dynamic life around Australia in regions and cities.

Watch this page for locations.