NACO, June 4-5: Stewart Goodyear and Jun Mˆ§rkl perform Saint-Saˆ´ns and Schumann

Ottawa, Canada ’Äì Canadian pianist Stewart Goodyear is the guest soloist when the National Arts Centre Orchestra gives a rare performance of Saint-Saˆ´ns’Äô exotic Piano Concerto No. 5, composed amid the ancient splendours of Egyptian temples. These Ovation Series concerts on Wednesday, June 4 and Thursday, June 5 at 20:00 in the NAC’Äôs Southam Hall also feature the NAC Orchestra debut of German conductor Jun Mˆ§rkl (pronounced JEUN MARE-kel) who will open the concerts with the Orchestra’Äôs debut performance of the Overture to Schumann’Äôs Manfred. The programme concludes with Schumann’Äôs joyful ’ÄúSpring’Äù Symphony No. 1, which drew its inspiration from the composer’Äôs beloved young bride Clara.

Both concerts are preceded by free Musically Speaking talks at 19:00 led in English by music critic Jean-Jacques Van Vlasselaer, entitled ’ÄúSchumann’Äôs music as payment for life’Ķ’Äù

Stewart Goodyear is known for his imagination, for his graceful, elegant style and his exquisite technique. The career of this accomplished young artist spans many genres ’Äì concerto soloist, chamber musician, recitalist and composer. Mr. Goodyear has performed with many of the major orchestras of the world. His regular appearances with the National Arts Centre Orchestra (where he made his debut at age 12) include recitals and chamber music concerts in addition to orchestral. In addition to his talents as a pianist, Stewart is a composer and frequently performs his own works, one of which will be heard on the June 10 Music for a Sunday Afternoon chamber concert. He has written on commission for the Toronto Youth Symphony for its 25^th anniversary, as well as for the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival. A new work for chorus was premiered by the Nathaniel Dette chorale of Canada in Toronto (June 2005).

Jun Mˆ§rkl is in his third season as Music Director of the Orchestre National de Lyon, and his first as Principal Conductor and Artistic Director of the MDR Leipzig Radio Symphony. Both orchestras have embarked upon ambitious recording projects with Naxos, for whom Mˆ§rkl will record Mendelssohn in Leipzig and Ravel, Debussy and Messiaen in Lyon. Mˆ§rkl has long been a regular guest with leading German orchestras, and in 2008 returns to the Munich Philharmonic and the Radio Sinfonie Orchester Berlin. Every season he conducts the NHK Symphony, with whom in 2006 he recorded the complete Schumann symphonies as part of an ongoing commitment to EXTON Records. He has also conducted the Orchestre de Paris, the Dutch Radio Philharmonic, the Philadelphia Orchestra and the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, to name only a few.

Tickets for these Ovation Series concerts on Wednesday, June 4 and Thursday, June 5 at 20:00 are on sale now at $19.00, $29.00, $49.00, $59.00, $69.00 with box seats at $83.00 (GST and Facility Fee included) at the NAC Box Office (Monday to Saturday from 10:00 to 21:00), and through Ticketmaster (with surcharges) at 613-755-1111. Ticketmaster may also be accessed through the NAC’Äôs website at www.nac-cna.ca.

Half-price tickets for students in all sections of the hall are on sale in person at the NAC Box Office upon presentation of a valid student ID card. Same-day Live Rush tickets (subject to availability) for full-time students (aged 13 to 29) are $10 at the NAC Box Office between 14:00 and 18:00 on the day of performance only, upon presentation of a valid Live Rush card.

Groups of 10 and more save 15% to 20% off the regular price of tickets to NAC Music, Theatre and Dance performances. To reserve your seats call 613-947-7000 ext. 384 or email grp@nac-cna.ca.