Presented by Melbourne Recital Centre & Australian Chamber Orchestra
ACO x Manchester Collective: Constellations
Two of the world’s most fearless ensembles bring their shared philosophy to a program of ritual, rhythm and radical connection.
Manchester Collective and the Australian Chamber Orchestra share more than a stage. They hold a shared philosophy of music without borders, programming across centuries, genres and traditions as a matter of instinct, not novelty. For years, these two ensembles have been circling each other from opposite sides of the world. In 2027, they finally meet.
Rakhi Singh has been at the heart of Manchester Collective since co-founding the ensemble 10 years ago. For her Australian Chamber Orchestra debut, she directs a program with the restless magic of a great mixtape. Purcell dances into Abrahamsen. English folksong meets the pulse of West Africa.
At the centre of the program is Sidiki Dembélé, returning to Australia after his unforgettable performances with Abel Selaocoe and the Australian Chamber Orchestra. Born of his family’s Ivorian griot tradition, Sidiki’s music is a living archive – storytelling passed down generations, hand to hand, drum to drum, voice to voice. He brings folksong and ceremony from Côte d’Ivoire, Mali and Senegal into direct conversation with the strings.
Adding a further dimension is an Australian premiere from British composer and multidisciplinary artist Nwando Ebizie, whose Afrofuturist vision draws on ancestral heritage and rites to reimagine what comes next. Her music calls on the spirits of the past to greet the future.
'We create radical human experiences, inspired by the music that we love.' – Manchester Collective
Duration: 2 hours (incl. interval) Please note, running times are approximate and subject to change.
Information for Families: This concert is recommended for children ages eight and above, or for younger children who can happily sit through a two-hour concert.
Single tickets on general sale 11am Friday 9 October
Premium $139
A Reserve $119
B Reserve $99
C Reserve $79
A Transaction Fee between $4 and $8.50 applies to orders made online and by phone. Delivery Fees may also apply. A ticket limit of six is in place online to ensure fair ticket access for all. Want to bring a bigger party? Call our Box Office during business hours on (03) 9699 3333 to book.
ACO Subscriptions On Sale Now
Subscriptions are on sale now via the ACO website.
Artists
Rakhi Singh Director Guest Director, Violin and Manchester Collective Co-Founder and Co-Artistic Director
Sidiki Dembélé percussion
Australian Chamber Orchestra
Program
Sidiki Dembélé
Teriya, Siniensigui, Tama (The Journey), Djikunu (Power of Water), Shaka, Hakilima
Traditional (arr. Rakhi Singh)
Johnny Faa
John Playford
Wallom Green
Henry Purcell
The Old Bachelor, Z.607
Hornpipe; The Virtuous Wife, Z.611
Air; Timon of Athens, Z.632
Curtain Tune
Hans Abrahamsen
Ten Preludes for String Quartet: Selections
Emily Hall
So Far
Edmund Finnis
Hymn (after Byrd)
Nwando Ebizie
For You, small in the embrace of untethered unwinding possible futures
Dembélé / Rakhi Singh
Simiya / Suo Gan
Constellations was produced by Manchester Collective and premiered in the United Kingdom in October 2026. Nwando Ebizie’s work was commissioned by Manchester Collective with support from the Vaughan Williams Foundation.
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