A clarinet melody, rising like the sun from shimmering strings. Five of Australia’s most brilliant musicians. Works beloved and new from an age of discovery, emotion and light.

ARCO’s First Light takes in a sweep of classical chamber music, including Schubert’s joyful String Quartet No.7 in D major D.74, Mozart’s Largetto from Clarinet Quintet in A major K.581, and the brilliant new ocean-inspired Wavelength by Nicole Murphy. At the pinnacle is Haydn’s ‘Sunrise’ quartet in a sparkling 18th-century clarinet arrangement by Vincenzo Gambaro, an Italian clarinettist and entrepreneur who arranged pieces by his friends Beethoven, Haydn and Mozart to highlight the clarinet’s lush tones.

First Light brings five principals from the Australian Romantic & Classical Orchestra into the intimacy of chamber music, including co-artistic directors and long-time musical friends Rachael Beesley (violin) and Nicole van Bruggen (clarinet). They are joined by Alison Rayner (violin), Stephen King (viola) and Natasha Kraemer (cello) – all nationally and internationally acclaimed experts in historically informed performance.