Biography:
Arcos Chamber Orchestra
The New York Arcos Chamber Orchestra was founded in 2005 by the well-known saxophonist and conductor John-Edward Kelly and concertmaster Elissa Cassini. In memory of Bartók's ability to unite the past and the future in music that speaks directly to the heart, the Arcos Chamber Orchestra creates an artistic bridge from the sources of European musical culture to the most exciting modern music of our time.
Although many chamber orchestras have recently performed without a conductor, the Arcos Chamber Orchestra takes a more traditional approach, believing that doing without a conductor would limit both the repertoire and musical unity too much. Modern music is of central importance for the orchestra, but the Arcos Chamber Orchestra is not a ›new music ensemble‹.
The Orchestra understands that modern music grew out of historical music, and that it cannot be performed well or received well if taken out of historical context. That is why almost all of the Arcos Chamber Orchestra's programs contain both contemporary and historical works, so that the listener can discover for themselves the powerful connecting threads between old and new. The orchestra also places particular emphasis on discovering and bringing to the public music by little-known composers.
Albums:
Desert Point ∙ Ostácoli ∙ Sinfonia per archi:
