Australasian Orchestra Inc.AO – Pure Musical Passion
Australasian Orchestra Inc.The Orchestra and Its History
Comprised of musicians from a large variety of musical and cultural backgrounds and experiences, the Australasian Orchestra (AO) is a real passion project for all involved. Having given at least twice yearly full orchestral concerts since its launch in 2014 (with the exception of its Covid pandemic hiatus period of mid-2020 to 2023), the orchestra has been highly regarded for its unique programming and powerfully dynamic concert performances of both older and more contemporary symphonic works alike.
The orchestra performs large scale orchestral works of quite a variety, from having performed beloved Classics (such as Rimsky-Korsakov‘s Scheherazade, Tchaikovsky‘s Symphonies No. 4-6, Elgar‘s Enigma variations, Brahms‘ Symphony No. 3), to master works (such as Shostakovich‘s Symphonies No. 11 & 5, Bartók‘s Concerto for Orchestra, Rachmaninov‘s Symphony No. 2, various Prokofiev works), to many Australian works (by composers such Davidson, Grainger, Dreyfus, Pertout, Crosthwaite, Bates, Keeffe), to Eastern works (such as Gang & He Zhanhao‘s Butterfly Lovers violin concerto, Zhang Nan‘s Red River Tone Poem, various works by Julian Yu), to various relatively unheralded works (such as Reznicek‘s Donna Diana Overture, Shostakovich‘s The Gadfly Suite, Glazunov‘s Chopiniana Suite, Benjamin Bate‘s Symphony No. 3 and the world premiere of Hugh Crosthaite‘s symphony length The Island of of Dr Moreau suite).
The orchestra has performed alongside a host of both notable and exceedingly talented soloists. In order of performance appearance: soprano Shu-Cheen Yu, violinist Ji Won Kim, pianist Rosa Hwang, pianist Tony Gould, erhu-ist Ying Liu, violinist Terence Lu, pianist Natasha Lin, flautist Adam Richardson, violinist Christian Li, percussionist Brent Miller, violinist Louise Turnbull, clarinetist Aaron Klein and violist Rebecca Parfitt, cellist Minh-Quan Nguyen, flautist Sophie Weston, and soprano Piera Dennerstein. In AO Inc.’s presented chamber concerts, the following soloists have performed: violinist Mark Sadka, violinist Hannah Church, soprano Jennifer Devanny.
The Australasian Orchestra (AO) is a symphony orchestra of Australasian Orchestra Inc., a not for profit organization whose prime purpose is to further the love of orchestral music.
AO Inc.’s Incorporation No. is: A0060858Z
Known as much for his compelling conducting as for his highly dynamic repertoire programming and advocacy for Australian works, Robert’s concert performances include a broad range of symphonic orchestral and vocal repertoire, regularly including performances with acclaimed national and international composers and soloists. He has received acclaim from top industry professionals for conducting performances of orchestral masterworks, and is also a commissioned symphonic composer, music tutor and music competition adjudicator. Robert has co-founded 5 Melbourne orchestras and the Youth Ensembles program for the Australian New Goldberg Orchestra, and currently chief conducts the Australasian Orchestra, the Monash Medical Orchestra, and the Surrey Hills Orchestra.
In 2026 he is conducting the Australian New Goldberg Orchestra, and in August conducted the Prize Winners Concert for the East West Arts Association’s 9th Melbourne Pacific Piano Open Competition.
Robert has regularly guest conducted various ensembles throughout Victoria, having given workshops to choirs and orchestras of community and established education organisations in both Victoria and New South Wales. He is a former conducting lecturer of Monash University and conducting tutor of the University of Melbourne. For extended periods, Robert has previously been the chief or primary conductor of the Monash University Choral Society, the Monash Chorale, the Dandenong Ranges Orchestra, and the Preston Symphony Orchestra. www.robertdora.com