Brian Ritchie, formerly of the Violent Femmes and now with Australia’s The Break, has a new group … the Australian Chamber Orchestra.
Brian Ritchie - Photo By Ros O'Gorman
Ritchie will be heading to Slovenia to perform with the Australian Chamber Orchestra at the Festival for Moribor this week.
“I am honoured to represent Tasmania at the Maribor Festival, and particularly stoked to play with the ACO. I never thought I’d be jamming out on Vivaldi”, Brian tells Noise11.com.
He will be playing bass, guitar and the Japanese instrument shakuhachi in the orchestra.
The former bass player for Milwaukee’s Violent Femmes is now an Australian citizen living in Hobart with his wife Dr. Varuni Kulasekera.
Since 2009, Brian has been the curator for the Mona Foma festival in Hobart. This year, he recruited a ‘super group’ featuring Amanda Palmer (Dresden Dolls), musicians from PJ Harvey’s band and himself to perform the Violent Femmes first album from start to finish.
Brian is also the bass player for The Break, the Australian surf band featuring former Midnight Oil members Rob Hirst, Jim Moginie and Martin Rotsey.
