Paul Grabowsky
Phillip Slater
Scott Tinkler
Eugene Ball
James Greening
Adrian Sherriff
Lachlan Davidson
Paul Cutlan
Sandy Evans
Elliott Dalgleish
Tony Hicks
John Rodgers
Erkki Veltheim
Carl Dewhurst
Stephen Magnusson
Alister Spence
Philip Rex
Niko Schäuble
Simon Barker
Vanessa Tomlinson
Alex Pertout
The Australian Art Orchestra was formed in 1994 by Paul Grabowsky. The AAO is Australia’s premiere contemporary music ensemble mining the rich ground between jazz and classical traditions and between western and non-western music. It is a national ensemble of improvising musicians drawing on a diversity of approaches to music making, with individual expression within a group context, as well as a high level of ensemble playing being central to the band’s effectiveness.
Along with commissioning in excess of 40 new Australian works the AAO is a respected trans-cultural collaborator. It has performed, recorded and toured Europe and India with South Indian percussion virtuoso Guru Kaaraikkudi Mani (INTO THE FIRE) and its acclaimed music theatre work, THEFT OF SITA, involving AAO and Balinese gamelan musicians has toured to Europe and New York. Currently the AAO is involved in a long term collaboration with traditional song keepers from Arnhem Land called CROSSING ROPER BAR.
"... an artistic enterprise of tremendous scope whose ambitious aims are executed with passion and commitment... I was unprepared for the sheer beauty, power and originality of the group.” Peter Jordan, Sydney Morning Herald
