These days a victorious homecoming is normally reserved for élite athletes, but since 2011 it has had an equivalent in the sphere of classical music, thanks to the creation of the Australian World Orchestra. The brainchild of Alexander Briger, this project-based orchestra unites expatriate Australians plying their trade overseas with the cream of musicians active at home, to create a supergroup of sorts. The calibre of the players has been matched or even surpassed by some of the big names who have conducted it previously, including Australia's own Simone Young (2011), Zubin Mehta (2013), and Simon Rattle (2015). In these parlous times for classical music, putting together the funding to make this dream a reality was an achievement in itself. What might have been a one-off novelty event has just celebrated its fifth anniversary with its fourth set of Sydney concerts, and is seemingly firmly established.