The Australian Chamber Orchestra, as part of the Niseko Winter Music Festival, is coming to town this week with three performances taking place on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.
The Thursday January 12 performance will take place at the Hilton Niseko Village with two sets, one at 6pm and the other at 8pm. The program for this evening will include Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, Paganini’s Caprice on Caprices, Piazzolla’s Contrabajissimo, and Mendelssohn’s Octet.
The Friday January 13 performance at Hanazono 308 will have one set at 7pm. Vivaldi’s Guitar Concerto in D, Giuliani’s Gran Quintetto, Op. 65, Mendelssohn’s Octet, and Wieniawski’s Violin Concerto No. 2 will be performed that evening.
On Saturday January 14 the Mountain Centre in Grand Hirafu will host the last set of the festival at 7pm. The Australian Chamber Orchestra will play their interpretation of John Lennon and Paul McCartney’s Yesterday, Radiohead’s How to Disappear Completely, Nick Drake’s Way to Blue, and Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto in E minor.
Ticket prices for each concert are ¥2,500 for adults, and ¥1,000 for 6-15 year olds. Children under 6 years old are not allowed in the concert. Tickets are available for sale at the Hilton Niseko Village and at Fusion Shops located at HANAZONO 308, Hirafu-zaka St., and The Vale Niseko. The Grand Hirafu Mountain Centre, the Hotel Niseko Alpen & Niseko Kogen Hotel, NGS, the Plat Information Center, and the Niseko View Plaza also sell tickets for the performances.
Richard Tognetti, Artistic Director of the Australian Chamber Orchestra, first visited Niseko over five years ago and immediately fell in love with the powder. He also noticed a lack in major cultural events and entertainment that is prominent in ski resorts across Europe and North America. This was his motivation to take on the project of organizing the Niseko Winter Music Festival with the first one taking place in January 2010. This year will be the Australian Chamber Orchestra’s biggest concert in Niseko, because Richard is very keen to support Japan after the earthquake and tsunami.