THE ORGANISATION
OUR STORY
The Beginning
NOV 2022
Conceived by two university students, a2. orchestra took its roots during their first year of university in 2022. Josh Spirek and Aiden Labuschagne identified a void in performance opportunities featuring orchestral accompaniment for early tertiary students, and they also harboured a keen interest in delving deeper into the realm of orchestral playing. In a casual conversation one day, Josh and Aiden joked about organising their own concert.
After a few days, their jest turned into determination, leading them to orchestrate and host their first concert, “Cadenza”.
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The FIRST CONCERT
DEC 2022
While a2. orchestras first concert, "Cadenza," was a huge success, a2. orchestra didn't actually exist yet with the concert advertisied as being "by students."
The concert was imagined, planned, & performed in only 32 days.
After this concert, propelled by the concert's resonance among musicians and the audience's keen interest, Josh and Aiden decided to sustain the momentum, ultimately giving rise to the idea of starting an orchestra.
DEC 2022
THE NAME a2.
The duos next task was naming their newley created ensemble. After two days of thinking, they came up with "a2. orchestra."
In classical music, "a2." (pronounced "a-due") is an instruction that directs all performers playing the same instrument to play together as a group. The term "a2" is derived from the French phrase "à deux," which translates to "for two," and it originally referred to music written for two players.
Today however, the term has a more general meaning and can be used to indicate that a section of music should be played by the full ensemble, regardless of the number of players involved.
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July 2023
Where next?
After 6 months of planning, a2. orchestra presented it's first concert of 2023, "Canvas" a concert featuring what can only be described as ambitious repertoire.
However, under the baton of Josh Spirek, the orchestra delivered an evening of highly polished and inspired music.
After this, Josh & Aiden decided to keep the momentum of a2. orchestra going by planning and delivering on many concerts to come.
THE FIRST YEARS
2023 - 2025
In only 2 years after its founding, a2. orchestra has successfully engaged over 100 musicians spanning over 8 highly successful concerts with the majority of those concerts selling out!
2026
A NEW BEGINNING
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2026 marks a turning point for the ensemble. a2. orchestras focus shifted from purely being a student opportunity orchestra to something more creative. Throughout the orchestra's history, innovative programming has always been something that the team cared about. So, the orchestras primary focus shifted to differentiating themselves from other orchestras through their experimental but highly effective concert programming.
Our Values
Opportunity
Providing opportunities not just for musicians to display virtuosity or for composers to present their ideas, but allowing performers and audiences the opportunity to connect with history, culture, and emotion through the timeless and profound beauty of music.
Honesty & transparency
Honesty and Transparency is vital for an orchestra as it helps to foster open communication, build trust among its performers and its audience, and create a strong sense of unity and shared purpose.
Passion
Passion is essential for an orchestra as it infuses each performance with energy, intensity, and emotion that captivates the audience and elevates the music to new heights.
Innovation
Innovation allows an orchestra to remain relevant and engaging to audiences by pushing boundaries, adapting to changing times and exploring new creative directions, helping to push the boundaries of classical music.