Australian Youth Orchestra
AYO Touring History
2013 marks many celebrations for AYO – the organisation’s 65th Anniversary; 25th anniversary of it’s first tour with luminary conductor, Christoph Eschenbach; and its 21st international tour. Since 1970 AYO has been a cultural ambassador for Australia, touring the globe with some of the world’s leading conductors and artists, including Sir Charles Mackerras, Sir Mark Elder, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Pinchas Zukerman and Yakov Kreizberg.
1970
Inaugural tour to Osaka, Japan for EXPO 70
1975
AYO embarks on an Asian tour to the Philippines, Japan, South Korea and Hong Kong
1976
AYO travels to the USA performing as part of the US Bicentennial
1979
AYO becomes the first Australian orchestra to visit China. A special highlight being the joint appearance with the Shanghai Symphony
1984
AYO’s first European tour sees concerts in Yugoslavia, France (being the first Australian orchestra to perform in Paris), The Netherlands and UK
1988
Funded by the Australian Bicentennial Foundation, AYO tours Europe under the baton of Christoph Eschenbach
1991
Engagements fulfilled in North and South America, the highlight being an appearance at Carnegie Hall as part of its centenary season
1992
Sees the AYO tour the Sydney Choral Festival to Indonesia
1993
Inaugural tour to New Zealand followed by a tour later that year to Japan
1994
Another successful European tour directed by the dynamic maestro Yakov Kreizberg
1995
The orchestra tours France
1996
World tour with concerts in Sydney, Amsterdam, Germany and North America
featuring a performance with the Atlanta Youth Symphony at the Cultural Olympiad in Atlanta
1997
The Camerata Australia tour to the UK
1998
A return tour to China
1999
A South Pacific tour including New Zealand, Vanuatu and New Caledonia
2001
AYO tours North America and Europe under the batons of conductors Mikko Franck and current Sydney Symphony Principal Conductor and Artistic Advisor Vladimir Ashkenazy
2004
A return to Europe including eight appearances at summer festivals
2007
A tour to Europe marks the orchestra’s 50th anniversary
2010
The most ambitious tour yet, sees the orchestra cross Australia, China and Europe
2013
AYO tours to Europe with artists Christoph Eschenbach, Joshua Bell and William Barton