The Sydney Mandolin Orchestra - In the Southern Highlands

For its debut performance in Bowral, Sydney Mandolin Orchestra (SMO) will present an afternoon of classical, romantic and contemporary mandolin and guitar music at its finest! SMO’s precision plucking, shimmering tremolo, and strident strumming is sure to captivate you through an eclectic program of music from Europe, Asia and Australia, including two world premieres by Sydney-based composers:

Raf Marcellino - Orana Journey
Brent Keogh - Four Swordsmen

The concert will also feature the wonderful talents of renowned Saxophonist Julian Gough in Gunsenheimer’s Blues Sonata and a never before performed version of the delightfully playful Ragg for Razz by renowned Southern Highlands-based composer Ann Carr-Boyd.

Established in 1932, SMO, is Australia’s longest running mandolin orchestra and is dedicated to growing and sharing the tradition of mandolin music in Sydney.  The 25-piece plucked string orchestra consists of mandolins, mandolas, mandocello, classical guitars, double bass and percussion, and is often joined by guest soloists on wind instruments.  While similar in function to a bowed string orchestra, the plucked string technique of SMO never fails to surprise and delight audiences with its distinctively delicate, percussive and richly expressive ensemble sound.  With a large and growing repertoire that spans also included Neapolitan, folk, modern, popular and much more, the orchestra regularly entertains audiences at public concerts and private events in Sydney and surrounding regions.