The acclaimed Atlantic Classical Orchestra, Stewart Robertson Music Director, announced its 2009 Concert Season today featuring the triumphant return of special guest artists to the Lyric Theatre stage!

The 2009 Season is the 19 th for the Treasure Coast's own world-class chamber orchestra, which has been enjoying increasing regional and national attention for the high artistic quality of the orchestra's performances and the innovative programming featured on concert programs. The orchestra brings to Treasure Coast audiences the finest orchestral musicians from South Florida and throughout the United States as well as some of the world's most sought after performers as guest artists. The sheer thrill and enjoyment of making music shown by the members of the ACO under Music Director Stewart Robertson is palpable to audiences and helps account for the record number of subscribers to the 2009 Season.

"We are incredibly excited about our upcoming season," states Larry Kopp, ACO Executive Director. "Our orchestra has been receiving increasing 'buzz' regionally and nationally for the quality of our orchestra and our high-energy, musical performances. And the quality and excitement of our performances has resulted in an all time high number of subscribers in 2009, which is fantastic!"

The ACO's raison d'être are the four series concerts that forms the crux of the orchestra's season. In 2009, the orchestra is performing well known classics along with little-known gems of the orchestral repertoire.

The First Series Concert, January 9 th, 2009, 4:00pm & 8:00pm at the Lyric Theatre in Stuart, focuses the spotlight on the virtuoso musicians of the ACO. The program includes two well-known and loved works, Beethoven's Eighth Symphony and Kodály's Galanta Dances, paired with the hauntingly beautiful evocation of an idyllic northern isle, isle of Bliss, by the popular Finnish composer Rautavaara.

The Series II Concert sees the triumphant return of two extremely popular guest artists from last season, pianist Christopher O'Riley and violin wunderkind Caroline Goulding! The O'Riley/Goulding duo will be performing a little-known concerto by Mendelssohn, his Double Concerto for Piano, Violin and Orchestra.

Also on the program, which will be heard on Friday, February 6 th, 2009, 4:00pm & 8:00pm, at the Lyric Theatre in Stuart, are two works, one well known one and an undiscovered gem. Aaron Jay Kernis' Musica Celestis is one of this contemporary composer's most popular works and has often been compared to Barber's Adagio for Strings; and Arriaga's Symphony in D, a work by the now-forgotten "Spanish Mozart," a child prodigy who died before his 20 th birthday.

"The idea for Christopher O'Riley and Caroline Goulding returning in 2009 was Mr. O'Riley's," states Kopp. "He mentioned the Mendelssohn concerto to Stewart who jumped at the idea. As host of NPR's From the Top Christopher first met Caroline as a guest on his show, and in fact they will be performing the Mendelssohn together in October with the Cincinnati Pops as part of a From the Top broadcast. With the energy of youth and the wisdom of experience together as soloists it should prove to be an incredible performance."

Friday, March 6 th, 2009, 4:00pm & 8:00 pm at the Lyric Theatre, brings together three European masters of composition with three disparate styles for the ACO's Series III Concert.

Opening the concert is Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, the epitome of the classic style, with one of his best known and greatest works, his Symphony #35, nicknamed the "Haffner" Symphony. The French master of the early 20 th Century, Maurice Ravel, is represented with one of his greatest compositions, his jazz influenced Piano Concerto in G, featuring pianist Stewart Goodyear. And finally, the German master of the Broadway musical, Kurt Weill, makes a rare concert appearance with his charming Second Symphony. A composition which manages to fuse the essence of Haydn with the spirit of the musical, this rare performance is one you don't want to miss!

Stewart Goodyear, soloist in the Ravel Concerto, is one the classical music world's up and coming piano soloists. Known for his virtuosic cadenzas improvised on the spot, sparkling technique and innate musicality, his appearance on the Treasure Coast is a chance to hear one of the young masters of the keyboard live in concert.

Finally, the ACO ends their 19 th Season with a program sure to appeal to all tastes. Held on Tuesday, March 31 st, 2009, 4:00pm & 8:00pm at the Lyric Theatre in Stuart, the concert features a mélange of music for music lovers of every variety.

The concert opens with the little-known but incredibly beautiful Benedictus by the late 19 th Century Romantic composer Sir Alexander MacKenzie. Next, the virtuoso musicians of the ACO are featured in John McCabe's Concerto for Chamber Orchestra. And speaking of featuring ACO musicians, the ACO's Principal Cellist Ian Maksin will be soloist in Tchaikovsky's Rococo Variations, an achingly beautiful work which is fiendishly difficult for the cello! Finally, the concert ends with a performance of Saint-Saëns Symphony #2, the lyric and beautiful precursor to his better known Symphony #3.

The Atlantic Classical Orchestra's 2009 Season. A feast of world-class music for Treasure Coast audiences- come enjoy the great music from our very own orchestra!

Tickets for Lyric Theater performances in Stuart by the ACO are $40 for the 4:00 pm concert and $45 for the 8:00 pm performance; subscriptions for all four performances are $135/160 respectively, and are available through the ACO Box Office through November and afterwards at the Lyric Theater Box, 59 SW Flagler Avenue in Stuart, phone number (772) 286-7827.