Top 10 most memorable moments at the National Arts Centre in 2009

(Ottawa, Canada) – In addition to celebrating its 40^th anniversary in 2009, the National Arts Centre (NAC) featured many memorable moments during the past 12 months. Here is a list of the top 10 NAC highlights of this remarkable year:

1) Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s surprise performance of the Beatles’ “With a Little Help from my Friends” with Yo Yo Ma at the NAC’s Fall Gala on October 3. The performance generates some of the highest media coverage in the NAC’s history with hundreds of media mentions nationally and internationally, and becomes the number one You Tube video viewed in Canada and number five in the world.

2) Leonard Cohen is a very hot ticket when he performs to a full house at the National Arts Centre for two nights in May during his successful North American tour.

3) BC Scene presents 600 artists from British Columbia in the nation’s capital during a 13-day festival. Also in 2009: the NAC produces the Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards, co-presents the Magnetic North Theatre Festival, and co-produces the Canada Dance Festival.

4) Resurrection of the NAC’s English Theatre Company under the direction of Peter Hinton, the NAC’s English Theatre Artistic Director. The company launched with a sold-out run of A Christmas Carol.

5) Maestro Pinchas Zukerman conducts the National Arts Centre Orchestra in a performance of Mahler’s Symphony No. 1 “Titan” for its 40^th anniversary concert on October 8. He also led the 11th edition of the NAC Summer Music Institute, that brought 90 students from seven Canadian provinces and 12 other countries to study with 24 world renowned faculty members.

6) Wajdi Mouawad, the NAC’s French Artistic Director, is named Associate Artist of the prestigious Avignon Theatre Festival in France, where he presents three of his plays: Littoral, Incendies, and Forêts in a 11-hour performance from dusk till dawn.

7) Three Canadian composers, Ana Sokolovic, Peter Paul Koprowski, and John Estacio each win $75,000 from the NAC to compose music for the National Arts Centre’s Orchestra.

8) The National Arts Centre hosts a birthday party to celebrate the Canadian Music Centre’s 50^th anniversary with a free concert of Canadian music in Southam Hall.

9) In September, Cathy Levy, the NAC’s acclaimed Dance producer, brings rising star Hofesh Shechter a British-based, Israeli-born dancer, composer, and musician to the NAC. Earlier on June 2, Levy produces an elegant 40^th anniversary show that blends classical music, dance and theatre, hosted by playwright Michel Marc Bouchard and Veronica Tennant (who danced in the first NAC performance back in 1969).

10) Kevin Loring, the NAC’s playwright in residence, wins the Governor General’s Literary Award for Drama for Where the Blood Mixes. The play will be presented as part of the NAC English Theatre 40^th anniversary season.

The National Arts Centre English Theatre Company extends A Christmas Carol!

National Arts Centre English Theatre

Peter Hinton, Artistic Director

Based on the Novel by Charles Dickens
Performance added – Sunday, December 27
2 p.m. in the NAC Theatre

Ottawa, Ontario – With tickets selling at a brisk pace this holiday season, the NAC English Theatre is pleased to announce that an additional performance of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol has been added on Sunday, December 27 at 2 p.m.

A Christmas Carol is as well known as any work can be. For the first time, a faithful telling of Charles Dickens’ cherished holiday story of a miser’s last chance for redemption is presented by the National Arts Centre English Theatre, on the full Shakespearean thrust stage.. The production stars Stephen Ouimette as Scrooge alongside the 40^th Anniversary NAC English Theatre Acting Company.

Purchase your tickets at the NAC Box Office, by phone at 613-755-1111, or at Ticketmaster.ca.
To learn more about the NAC English Theatre Company’s production of A Christmas Carol, go to www.nac-cna.ca/en/theatre/0910/christmascarol.

The Ottawa Citizen is a proud sponsor of Theatre5 Series.
Supported by Trinity Development Group – Share the Spirit.

A Christmas Carol plays December 8 - 27, 2009 in the Theatre at the National Arts Centre.

Adults: $20 - $61
Students: $11.25 - $31.75

For any information, please call:
Sean Fitzpatrick, Communications Officer, National Arts Centre English Theatre
613-947-7000 ext. 389; e-mail: sfitzpat@nac-cna.ca
or visit the NAC website at www.nac-cna.ca

A Leahy Family Christmas with the NAC Orchestra takes to the stage on December 18 in Southam Hall of the National Arts Centre

Additional seats now available due to audience demand!

OTTAWA, December 7, 2009 — A Leahy Family Christmas with the NAC Orchestra – a unique holiday concert during the NAC’s 40^th Anniversary season – unites Canadian musical powerhouse family Leahy with conductor Stéphane Laforest, the National Arts Centre Orchestra, and the Ottawa Regional Youth Choir, under the direction of Kevin Reeves. A Leahy Family Christmas with the NAC Orchestra will be performed in Southam Hall of the National Arts Centre on Friday December 18 at 7 p.m. (please note early curtain time). This concert has been in such demand with music-lovers that the front rows of Southam Hall have been slightly reconfigured, adding over 100 seats to the hall’s capacity. Tickets for these seats are available now.

The eight award-winning brothers and sisters of Leahy have been making music together their entire lives. This year, they invite you to join them for A Leahy Family Christmas with the NAC Orchestra -- where you’ll feel just like one of the gang at a festive family gathering back home in Lakefield, Ontario. The step-dancing, fiddle-playing, song-singing Leahy family, together with the NAC Orchestra and the Ottawa Regional Youth Choir, promise a full spectrum of Christmas music, from sacred hymns and slow airs to fiery Celtic tunes and best-loved carols. It’s sure to be an exhilarating Christmas adventure!

Embarking on this tour gives the members of Leahy the chance to share a bit of the enchantment of the Christmas season that began when they were children and still continues today. Family Christmas traditions included not only honoring the sacredness of the season, but also partaking of good food, the company of family and friends – and, always, copious amounts of music. A Leahy Family Christmas with the NAC Orchestra offers audiences a peek in the window of the Leahy home to experience a bit of the magic of the season for themselves.

The Leahy family consists of Donnell (fiddle), Doug (fiddle), Angus (fiddle), Frank Jr. (drums), Siobheann (bass, vocals, dance), Denise (guitar, vocals, dance), Maria (guitar, vocals, dance), and Erin (piano, vocals, dance). Leahy will focus their set-list mainly on Christmas favourites and original seasonal pieces as well as typical Leahy fare that audiences have come to love. The concert will feature selections such as A Christmas Festival, The Huron Christmas Carol, Christmas in Killarney, and a special Christmas sing-along medley.

On recent tours, audiences have learned that these instrumentalists, singers, and dancers bring a rare level of originality and musicianship to the stage. This originality includes music that Leahy writes, arranges, and produces. Known for their unique blend of musical styles and genres, their repertoire is more distinct than ever. The band’s four acclaimed CDs – Leahy, Lakefield, In All Things, and Live – have world-wide sales of over half a million copies. Leahy is now in the process of recording their fifth CD, due out in 2010. Pure and authentic – Leahy continues to be one of Canada’s most sought after exports.

A Leahy Family Christmas with the NAC Orchestra will be performed in Southam Hall of the National Arts Centre on Friday December 18 at 7 p.m. Tickets are $19, $29, $40, $52, $62, $70 and $81 for adults and $10.75, $15.75, $21.25, $27.25, $32.25, $35.75, and $41.75 for students (upon presentation of a valid student ID card). Tickets are available at the NAC Box Office (in person) and through Ticketmaster (with surcharges) at 613-755-1111; Ticketmaster may also be accessed through the NAC’s website www.nac-cna.ca.

Subject to availability, full-time students (aged 13-29) with valid Live Rush™ membership may buy up to 2 tickets per performance at the discount price of $11 per ticket. Tickets are available online (www.nac-cna.ca) or at the NAC box office from 10 a.m. on the day before the performance until 6 p.m. on the day of the show or 2 hours before a matinee. Groups of 10 or more save 15% to 20% off regular ticket prices to all NAC Music, Theatre and Dance performances; to reserve your seats, call Julie Laroche at 613-947-7000, ext. 634 or e-mail grp@nac-cna.ca.

For additional information, visit the NAC website at www.nac-cna.ca

The National Arts Centre English Theatre Company presents A Christmas Carol

National Arts Centre English Theatre

Peter Hinton, Artistic Director

Based on the Novel by Charles Dickens
Starring Stephen Ouimette as Ebenezer Scrooge
with the 40^th Anniversary English Theatre Acting Company:
nisha ahuja, Michael Blake, Richard Donat, Randi Helmers,
Tanja Jacobs, Geordie Johnson, Kris Joseph, Ron Kennell, John Koensgen, Jani Lauzon, Julie Tamiko Manning, Alex McCooeye, Niall Patrick McNeil, Matt Miwa,

Jeremiah Sparks, Waneta Storms, Matthew Tapscott
and also featuring: Joshua Bajpai, Ananya Rajkumar, and Nina Rose Taylor

Directed by Peter Hinton

December 8 - 26, 2009 NAC Theatre

“Keep Christmas in your own way and let me keep it in mine.” Ebenezer Scrooge

Ottawa, Ontario – A Christmas Carol is as well known as any work can be. All that has to be said is “Scrooge”, “God bless us everyone” or even “humbug” and everyone gets the reference. In fact, the story of Ebenezer Scrooge has become as much a tradition of Christmas as the holidays themselves. For the first time, a faithful telling of Charles Dickens’ cherished holiday story of a miser’s last chance for redemption is presented by the National Arts Centre English Theatre, presented on the full Shakespearean thrust stage and starring Stephen Ouimette as Scrooge with the 40^th Anniversary NAC English Theatre Acting Company.

A Christmas Carol is a powerful moral allegory about the importance of goodwill and generosity in a time of economic hardship and poverty. It stresses the unparalleled importance of caring for those who suffer due to ignorance or want. At the same time, it is also a spine-tingling ghost story, which tells of a covetous old miser, Ebenezer Scrooge, haunted by three spirits on Christmas Eve. Over the course of the night, Scrooge witnesses the power of charity, and is warned of the dangers of a society where money is valued above family, friendship, community and the true spirit of giving.

Since late October, English Theatre’s Peter Hinton and Paula Danckert (Artistic Director and Company Dramaturg & Artistic Associate respectively) have been rehearsing with the 40^th Anniversary NAC English Theatre Acting Company, which includes18 of the best artists from across the country (nisha ahuja, Michael Blake, Richard Donat, Randi Helmers, Tanja Jacobs, Geordie Johnson, Kris Joseph, Ron Kennell, John Koensgen, Jani Lauzon, Julie Tamiko Manning, Alex McCooeye, Niall Patrick McNeil, Matt Miwa, Stephen Ouimette, Jeremiah Sparks, Waneta Storms, and Matthew Tapscott).

Joining this amazing group of artists are two local youngsters, who will share the role of Tiny Tim. Joshua Bajpai and Ananya Rajkumar won the roles in an audition this past September wherein over 70 children from the Ottawa area tried out for the role. Also joining the cast is teen Nina Rose Taylor from Toronto.

Alongside these artists are the 40^th Anniversary English Theatre Company, featuring Musical Direction and Arrangement by Allen Cole, Set & Costume Design by Eo Sharp, Lighting Design by Jock Munro, Sound Design by Troy Slocum, Choreography by Dayna Tekatch, and Company Historian David Dean. The Stage Manager is Jane Vanstone Osborn and the Assistant Stage Manager is Stéfanie Séguin.

The NAC English Theatre is proud to offer this production as a gift to our audiences and as an ideal way for families to help celebrate the holiday. Nothing could speak more to the value of peace and goodwill toward one’s fellow man than to experience the suspense, joy and transformation of Scrooge.

The NAC 40^th Anniversary English Theatre Company will follow up A Christmas Carol with Bertolt Brecht’s Mother Courage and Her Children in January in the NAC Theatre and in February at the Manitoba Theatre Centre in Winnipeg.

Ottawa Citizen is proud sponsor of Theatre5 Series.

Supported by Trinity Development Group – Share the Spirit.

Niall Patrick McNeil is the recipient of the 2010 David Leighton Arts Fellowship.

A Christmas Carol plays December 8 - 26, 2009 in the Theatre at the National Arts Centre.

Pay What You Can: Tuesday, December 8
Previews: Wednesday, December 9 and Thursday, December 10
Opening: Friday, December 11

Hinterview: Saturday, December 12 at 1 p.m. in the NAC Panorama Room.
Artistic Director Peter Hinton will be interviewing NAC English Theatre Company Historian David Dean.

Student Club: Friday, December 11

Talkbacks: Wednesday, December 16 & 23, Thursday, December 17 and Sunday, December 20

In the NAC Theatre: Evening performances Tuesday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday matinees are at 2 p.m.
Sunday, December 20 at 2 p.m.
No performances on Mondays or on December 24 and 25

Adults: $20 - $61 Previews: $30
Students: $11.25 - $31.75 Previews: $16.25
Groups of 10+ receive great discounts! For more information contact grp@nac-cna.ca or
visit our webpage.

Tickets are available for purchase:
In person at the NAC Box Office
At all Ticketmaster outlets
By telephone from Ticketmaster, (613) 755-1111
Online through the Ticketmaster link on the NAC’s website (www.nac-cna.ca)
A service charge applies on all purchases made through Ticketmaster

Find out more about NAC English Theatre on Facebook and YouTube. To discover more about A Christmas Carol and the 40^th Anniversary English Theatre Acting Company, click www.nac-cna.ca/en/theatre/christmascarol.

This performance is eligible for the Live Rush program.
Students with a valid Live Rush™ membership card may buy up to 2 tickets per eligible performance at the discount price of only $11 per ticket. New this season! All unsold tickets for Live Rush eligible performances will be made available to Live Rush members on the day before the performance, starting at 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. on the day of the performance. This includes all available seats, including the best seats in the house.
Check out liverush.ca for information on the Live Rush program.

For any information, visit the NAC website at www.nac-cna.ca

The National Arts Centre English Theatre Company presents
A Christmas Carol

Based on the Novel by Charles Dickens
Starring Stephen Ouimette as Scrooge
with the 40^th Anniversary English Theatre Acting Company

Show Run Dates

December 8 - 26, (Pay-what-you-can December 8, previews December 9 & 10, opening night December 11)

The ever-popular Kinderconcerts Series – presented by the National Arts Centre Orchestra and Jeunesses Musicales of Canada

– continue with the special presentation of Le grand bal de Noël (presented in French) on December 6 in the Panorama Room

OTTAWA, November 30, 2009 — Le grand bal de Noël is a special Kinderconcert with a wonderful Christmas theme. As in all Kinderconcerts, music, instruments, theatre and storytelling capture youngsters’ imaginations, providing tons of fun and discovery of the endless wonders of music.

Le grand bal de Noël takes place in the Panorama Room (on the floor, so bring a cushion!) on Sunday December 6 at 1:30 and 3 p.m. This magical Kinderconcert – performed in French only -- is perfect for families and children aged 3-8.

From their distant home on an ice floe, three penguin musicians (in full penguin costume) have waddled all the way to the North Pole for a great Christmas party. But what a disappointment -- they’re refused admission! To get in, they have to perform an original Christmas song. For Amatin, Ademain and Atemplein, making up a Christmas song on the spot is a real challenge. Will the three chums find inspiration? Will they be ready in time for the dazzling celebration? Help them out and come along to the party! After all, Christmas is about more than just a song. Le grand bal de Noël features Marc Fortin (trombone), Pierre Blais (banjo), and Jean Sabourin, (sousaphone).

Upcoming Kinderconcerts include:

Skarazula

Sunday, February 7, 2010

Featuring Steve Grenier, percussion, psaltery; François Rainville, cittern, mandore, oud, tromba marina, vielle; François Perron, recorders, flute

Take off on an adventure to medieval Europe with the members of Skarazula! Travel with them along the roads of France, Spain, Italy, Turkey, the countries of Eastern Europe… listen to them sing in different languages and discover some rather odd instruments. A musical voyage that promises to delight both young and old.

Giggle and Stomp

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Featuring Bruno Roy and Louis-Daniel Joly, percussion

This powerful history of percussion starts in Africa, the land of rhythm, where instruments resonate and music resounds. This animated concert takes listeners on a magical journey through percussion history, with stops along the way in the Middle East, Europe and the Americas. From African and Brazilian music to the hip-hop of today, these instruments transcend all culture and time. Discover exotic and colourful percussion instruments like the kalungu, djembe, derbouka, tambourine, cymbals and apito in this rhythmic concert experience!

A Journey to Dixieland

Sunday, June 13, 2010

Featuring Le Dixieband, clarinet, trumpet, trombone, banjo, sousaphone and drums; Marielle Grenier, actress and singer

The ageless, electrifying music of Dixieland recalls the festive atmosphere of the early years of the 20th century when the New Orleans and Dixieland styles emerged. The show focuses on the songs, dances and dreams of this colourful period, as a lively old lady called Miss New Orleans relives her young, carefree years. Like a gramophone that takes us back in time, Miss N.O. introduces the audience, to her marvellous memories, as she recounts the legends of blues, Charleston, shimmy and scat music. A magical, rhythmic show that is educational, exciting, and nostalgic, and that will enchant the whole family!

All Kinderconcert performances are in the NAC’s Panorama Room.

English performances are at 9:30 a.m. (recommended for ages 3 – 6); 11 a.m. – recommended for ages 3 – 6; and 1:30 p.m. – recommended for ages 5 - 8

The French performance is at 3 p.m. – recommended for ages 3 – 8

The National Arts Centre grants the NAC Award to three prominent Canadian contemporary composers

Recipients John Estacio, Peter Paul Koprowski, and Ana Sokolovic receive music commissions and residencies valued at $75,000 each

OTTAWA, November 30, 2009 — Peter Herrndorf, President and CEO of the National Arts Centre, and Pinchas Zukerman, Music Director of the NAC Orchestra, are delighted to announce the recipients of the prestigious NAC Award. They are John Estacio, Peter Paul Koprowski, and Ana Sokolovic, three talented Canadian contemporary composers with enviably successful careers. Each NAC Award includes a series of commissions and residencies valued at $75,000.

The National Arts Centre is ensuring that Canadian repertoire takes centre stage. Each composer will be commissioned to create three new music works for the NAC Orchestra over the next 5 years, and each will teach students during the NAC’s annual Summer Music Institute. The announcement of these awards underscores the National Arts Centre’s commitment to new music, to Canadian contemporary composers, and to artistic innovation. The NAC is proud to support and promote Canadian music and, over the years, the NAC Orchestra has commissioned 82 Canadian works, all of which have been performed in hundreds of concerts at the NAC and on tour across Canada and around the world.

“Throughout its 40 year history, the National Arts Centre has been fully committed to developing and showcasing Canada’s composers,” said Peter Herrndorf. “Through their imaginative works, our talented music creators give voice to this country’s epic story while celebrating the spirit of its peoples. The NAC is proud to contribute to the great Canadian repertoire through these special awards and our numerous new music initiatives.”

Pinchas Zukerman said, “The second phase of our New Music Program will build on the excellent groundwork we’ve laid over the past 8 years, especially through the development and support of emerging composers in the Summer Music Institute. In addition to creating new work for the Orchestra and its ensembles, our NAC Award composers will add their voices to the excellent faculty we’ve built for training young artists. This Program continues to reinforce the Orchestra’s commitment to creation, performance, and learning.”

Christopher Deacon, Managing Director of the National Arts Centre Orchestra, said, “The NAC Award gives each of these composers the opportunity to think big and create works of lasting importance that can have an impact nationally and internationally. In our view, these three composers are brilliant and we’re delighted to be able to support their work.”

“On behalf of Prime Minister Stephen Harper and the Government of Canada, I want to take this opportunity to congratulate the award recipients,” said Minister of Canadian Heritage & Official Languages James Moore. “We have a thriving contemporary music scene in Canada, and these awards being presented today are a great way to further its development.”

The National Arts Centre also bestowed NAC Awards on Canadian composers Gary Kulesha, Denys Bouliane, and Alexina Louie in 2002, and the relationship included commissions, education activities, and touring with the NAC Orchestra. Their works were often performed at the NAC and on tour across Canada, the U.S. and Mexico. The National Arts Centre must train and inspire this country’s next wave of creators. In March 2008, the NAC acted as a direct conduit between a Canadian creative icon and the next generation of artists with a four-day tribute to R. Murray Schafer on his 75^th birthday. As part of the NAC’s eXpressions new music festival, the event showcased ten of Schafer’s works, which were broadcast nationally by CBC Radio. Murray also led a choral music workshop and a two-day symposium for students, educators, and young composers. An archive of these activities is available in the Music section of the NAC’s performing arts educational website, ArtsAlive.ca.

INITIATIVES IN SUPPORT OF CANADIAN MUSIC

DURING THE NATIONAL ARTS CENTRE’S 40^TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON (2009-10)

· On July 1, 2009, the National Arts Centre launched the award-winning NACmusicbox.ca as part of its performing arts educational website, ArtsAlive.ca. NACmusicbox.ca features over 120 NAC Orchestra recordings from 1969 to the present; fifteen of these are works by Canadian composers. In 2010, NACmusicbox.ca will expand to include an additional 65 Canadian compositions. These will be featured in a timeline that will bring a distinctly Canadian dimension to the history of orchestral music by proudly showcasing 51 Canadian composers and placing them within the context of Canadian events, classical music and world history.

· On October 8-9, 2009, Music Director Pinchas Zukerman led the NAC Orchestra in a 40^th birthday celebration featuring Canadian baritone Russell Braun performing Songs for an Acrobat… an outstanding work by former NAC composer-in-residence Linda Bouchard. This concert was recorded for national broadcast by CBC Radio. Maestro Zukerman will again be on the podium when the work is reprised as part of the NAC Orchestra’s performance at Roy Thomson Hall in Toronto on January 16, 2010.

· On November 9, 2009, the National Arts Centre partnered with the Canadian Music Centre (on the occasion of their golden anniversary) to co-present a capacity-audience concert entitled Celebrating Canadian Composers – Canadian Music Centre’s 50^th Anniversary. The evening included works by Ann Southam, Christos Hatzis, Harry Somers, Alexina Louie, Abigail Richardson, and Denis Gougeon.

· On March 15, 2010, the NAC will co-produce, with the Vancouver 2010 Cultural Olympiad, a unique program of Canadian chamber music, choral music, projected visual imagery, dance, and spoken word entitled Made in Canada at the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts in Vancouver. This concert will include works by Alexina Louie, R. Murray Schafer, and Stephen Chatman, and a commission by Kati Agógs.

· Also on March 15, 2010, the NAC will launch an online teacher resource guide for elementary schools celebrating Canadian composers, their works and their stories with extensive cross-curricular lesson plans. NAC teacher resource guides have been downloaded over one million times from ArtsAlive.ca.

· In June 2010, the National Arts Centre will produce and host the 8^th annual NAC Composers Program as part of the NAC Summer Music Institute. This program enables talented young composers -- the future of Canadian music -- to create works for live performance and to work with distinguished Canadian and international faculty at the NAC. Since its creation in 2003, the NAC Composers Program has provided training to 41 emerging composers, including affiliate composers (3) and auditors (11), resulting in 28 NAC commissions. The composers, 85% of whom are Canadian, have studied with the three NAC Award composers -- Gary Kulesha, Alexina Louie and Denys Bouliane -- and several international guest composers, including Roberto Sierra (USA), John McCabe (England), Alexander Raskatov (Russia), Joseph Schwantner (USA), and Poul Ruders (Denmark). Each summer the emerging composers have their new compositions workshopped in several sessions with a dedicated ensemble from l’Orchestre de la francophonie canadienne, led by its Music Director and conductor Jean Philippe Tremblay. The pieces are then premiered in a public concert and have been recorded by CBC Radio for future broadcast.

Acclaimed conductor Peter Oundjian conducts the Toronto Symphony Orchestra in a Bombardier Great Performers Series concert on December 10

in Southam Hall of the National Arts Centre

The program includes music by Christopher Theofanidis, Philip Glass, and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 6 “Pastoral”

OTTAWA, November 27, 2009 — In the second Bombardier Great Performers Series concert of the NAC’s 40^th Anniversary season, world-renowned conductor Peter Oundjian leads the Toronto Symphony Orchestra (TSO) in Southam Hall of the National Arts Centre on Thursday December 10 at 8 p.m.

The program for the evening includes:

CHRISTOPHER THEOFANIDIS Rainbow Body
PHILIP GLASS Violin Concerto No. 2 (The American Four Seasons)
BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 6 "Pastoral"

Not yet 40 years old, American composer Christopher Theofanidis has been hailed as one of the leading composers of his generation. He was the winner of the UK’s $50,000 Masterprize in 2003 for Rainbow Body, which has subsequently become the world’s most-performed orchestral work by a living composer. This atmospheric work is inspired by a melody from the medieval mystic Hildegard von Bingen and by Tibetan Buddhism’s concept of oneness with the universe.

Philip Glass is the first composer to win a wide, multi-generational audience in the opera house, the concert hall, the dance world, in film and in popular music. Here he reimagines Vivaldi’s famous violin concertos in his fresh-off-the-page Violin Concerto No. 2 The American Four Seasons. The concerto receives its world premiere one day before the NAC concert, on December 9 in Toronto. The work will premiere in London and the U.S. in 2010; it will also be recorded and performed on tour around the world. The TSO was one of five co-commissioners for this new work, written for violinist Robert McDuffie.

Beethoven conducted the premiere of his famous Pastoral Symphony in Vienna in 1808. A series of portraits of country life, the work expressed the composer’s deep, lifelong love of nature, which he considered essential to his mental and physical health. (He did important creative work while tramping through woods and fields.) The Sixth is a genial piece -- spacious, relaxed, lyrical -- yet it was radical enough to influence program music for generations. Beethoven described the Pastoral Symphony as “more the expression of feeling than painting”, and it conveys a visitor’s musical impressions of the countryside over the course of one day.

Friends of the NAC Orchestra Silent Auction

The silent auction – which features special items donated from across Canada and around the world -- will be held in the NAC foyer before the concert, at intermission, and for 20 minutes following the performance. Proceeds will benefit the Friends of the NAC Orchestra’s commitment to

music education programs for young people.

The Toronto Symphony Orchestra performs in Southam Hall of the National Arts Centre on Thursday December 10 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $19, $29, $39.50, $46, $50, $60, and $70 for adults and $10.75, $15.75, $21, $24.25, $26.25, $31.25, and $36.25 for students (upon presentation of a valid student ID card). Tickets are available at the NAC Box Office (in person) and through Ticketmaster (with surcharges) at 613-755-1111; Ticketmaster may also be accessed through the NAC’s website www.nac-cna.ca. Subject to availability, full-time students (aged 13-29) with valid Live Rush™ membership may buy up to 2 tickets per performance at the discount price of $11 per ticket. Tickets are available online (www.nac-cna.ca) or at the NAC box office from 10 a.m. on the day before the performance until 6 p.m. on the day of the show or 2 hours before a matinee. Groups of 10 or more save 15% to 20% off regular ticket prices to all NAC Music, Theatre and Dance performances; to reserve your seats, call Julie Laroche at 613-947-7000, ext. 634 or e-mail grp@nac-cna.ca.

For additional information, visit the NAC website at www.nac-cna.ca

The NAC 2009-10 Manhattan on the Rideau jazz masterclass series begins with pianist Jason Moran on Sept. 22

Ottawa, Canada – The National Arts Centre’s 2008-2009 “Manhattan on the Rideau” series of four jazz masterclasses begins on Tuesday, September 22 with legendary jazz pianist Jason Moran at the NAC’s Fourth Stage from 12 noon to 2 p.m. Admission is free. Manhattan on the Rideau links leading jazz faculty members of Manhattan School of Music (MSM) with accomplished music students at the National Arts Centre. The sessions use the very latest in broadband videoconference technology to connect teachers and students in real time with high fidelity audio and video. The series is produced by NAC New Media as part of the Hexagon Project in association with MSM.

Manhattan on the Rideau continues with vibraphonist Stefon Harris on November 10; vocalist/ composer Theo Bleckmann on February 9; and vocalist/composer Peter Eldridge on April 6. All four free masterclasses are from 12 noon to 14:00 and take place in the NAC’s Fourth Stage.

A masterclass is a one-on-one lesson in which a master musician teaches a selected student or ensemble under the watchful eyes of fellow students and members of the public. The audience can learn from the master along with the talented student in the spotlight. Each masterclass involves 2 to 3 students in succession followed by questions-and-answers. Jason Moran will teach students from Toronto’s Humber College, the Schulich School of Music at McGill University, and the Music Faculty at the University of Toronto.

***
Jason Moran was born in 1975 in Houston, Texas, and began studying piano at age 6. His aspirations and talents eventually led him to New York City where he continued his education at the Manhattan School of Music to study with pianist Jaki Byard, a jazz leftist who became Moran’s teacher for four years and a role model for life. Since 1997, Moran has been a fixture in Greg Osby’s touring and recording bands. Moran made his professional recording debut on Osby’s 1997 Blue Note CD, Further Ado, which brought him to the attention of Blue Note executives who signed the pianist to his own record deal shortly thereafter.

Moran has performed as a sideman with such artists as Cassandra Wilson, Joe Lovano, Don Byron, Steve Coleman, Lee Konitz, Von Freeman, Ravi Coltrane, and Stefon Harris. Rolling Stone proclaimed Moran “the most provocative thinker in current jazz,” and he topped the Down Beat Critics Poll in three categories in 2003 and 2004. He has been lecturer/instructor at Banff Center for The Arts, Denmark’s’ Vallekilde Jazz Camp, Skidmore and Manhattan School of Music.

The NAC’s Hexagon project supports education outreach activities by leveraging next-generation networks like Canada’s CA*net4 (www.canarie.ca) and Internet2 (www.internet2.org) in the United States as well as regional high speed networks throughout the world. The NAC’s broadband infrastructure includes state-of-the-art optical network access in all its performance spaces as well as on-site videoconference and audio-video production facilities. Hexagon projects include tele-mentoring sessions with master teachers in music, theatre and dance..

Design Your Own NAC Subscription Starting September 8 / Créez votre propre forfait d’abonnement au CNA à la carte à compter du 8 septembre

OTTAWA – On September 8, the National Arts Centre’s 40th Anniversary officially begins. To celebrate, the NAC they will introduce a new and exciting package with Design Your Own NAC Subscription.

Every year, the NAC Orchestra, Dance, English Theatre, French Theatre, and Fourth Stage present a wide range of exciting performances. Now patrons can pick favourites and build their own subscription series! From ballet, theatre and classical music to family shows, Pops concerts and jazz, the possibilities are endless – and simple! All they have to do to build this flexible series is select four or more shows from over 100 subscription performances offered in the NAC’s 2009–10 subscription season.

With this special subscription, patrons will save an average of 15% over regular Box Office single ticket prices, and qualify for NAC subscriber benefits such as free exchanges and discounts on other NAC performances. Packages start at just $80!

Please note, the following special presentations are not included in this Design Series:
The NAC Gala: A Magical Evening with Yo-Yo Ma; The Nutcracker; Handel’s Messiah; A Leahy Family Christmas; Le grand bal de Noël; The Ark: The Theatre of Ancient Greece; A Place to Call Home; Celebrate New Year’s Eve with Geggie

Design Your Own NAC Subscriptions are available by phone at 613-947-7000 ext. 620, in person at the NAC Box Office from 10 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. (Monday through Saturday) or through the NAC’s website at www.nac-cna..ca starting September 8.

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OTTAWA – Le 8 septembre marque le début officiel de la saison du quarantième anniversaire du Centre national des Arts (CNA). Pour souligner cet événement, le CNA lancera alors un nouveau programme des plus alléchants : Créez votre propre forfait d’abonnement au CNA à la carte.

Chaque année, l’Orchestre du CNA, la Danse, le Théâtre français, le Théâtre anglais et la Quatrième Salle présentent un large éventail de spectacles et de concerts plus passionnants les uns que les autres. Il sera désormais possible de choisir parmi toutes ces offres pour composer son propre forfait d’abonnement! Du ballet aux concerts « pops » et jazz en passant par le théâtre, la musique classique et les spectacles famille, les possibilités sont infinies – et les modalités sont d’une simplicité enfantine! Pour composer ce forfait d’abonnement d’une souplesse inouïe, il suffit de sélectionner au moins quatre (4) spectacles parmi plus de 100 présentations sur abonnement de la programmation régulière 2009-2010 du CNA.

Les acheteurs de ce forfait d’abonnement épargneront en moyenne 15 % du prix courant des billets à l’unité en plus d’obtenir de nombreux avantages réservés aux abonnés du CNA, comme les échanges de billets sans frais et des rabais pour d’autres présentations à l’affiche au CNA. Et les forfaits les moins chers ne coûtent que 80 $!

Veuillez prendre note que les présentations hors série suivantes ne peuvent être incluses dans ce forfait d’abonnement à la carte : le Gala du CNA : Une soirée enchantée en compagnie de Yo-Yo Ma; Casse-Noisette; le Messie de Haendel; La famille Leahy fête Noël avec l’Orchestre du CNA; Le grand bal de Noël; The Ark : The Theatre of Ancient Greece; A Place to Call Home; Célébrez le Nouvel An avec John Geggie.

Les forfaits « Créez votre propre forfait d’abonnement au CNA à la carte » seront en vente à compter du 8 septembre, par téléphone au 613-947-7000, poste 620, en mains propres à la Billetterie du CNA (du lundi au samedi de 10 h à 21 h) et en ligne, via le site Web du CNA, à l’adresse www.nac-cna.ca .

National Youth Orchestra of Canada returns for annual summer visit

National Youth Orchestra of Canada returns to the NAC for its annual summer visit with a free concert under the baton of Alain Trudel on July 28

Ottawa, Canada – The National Youth Orchestra of Canada (NYOC) will return to the National Arts Centre’s Southam Hall on Tuesday, July 28 at 7:30 p.m. for a free concert under the baton of Alain Trudel. The 100-member ensemble of elite young musicians from across Canada will perform Haydn’s Symphony No. 96 and Mahler’s Symphony No. 6 on a program that opens with Dreams of Flying by Canadian composer and NYOC alumnus Rob Teehan, who at age 26 is the youngest composer the NYOC has ever commissioned.

Tickets for the concert on Tuesday, July 28 at 7:30 p.m. are free and may be picked up in person at the NAC Box Office during regular Box Office hours, Monday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Once tickets run out, patrons are encouraged to come on the night and will be seated if space becomes available.

The National Arts Centre concert on July 28 is part of a two-week tour across Ontario and Quebec including Notre Dame Basilica in Montreal and Roy Thomson Hall in Toronto sponsored by TD Financial Group. In addition, on August 2, 2009 at 3 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, the National Youth Orchestra of Canada (NYOC) will make history as one of the first Canadian orchestras to broadcast a concert live via the internet (www.nyoc.org/webcast). In 2010, the NYOC will celebrate its 50-year anniversary with a series of concerts across the country.

National Capital Region participants this summer are Benoit Constant, 20 (violin), Pamela Cummings, 19 (violin), Ruza McIntyre, 17 (violin), Christine Yoo, 16 (violin), Sunmock Yang, 17 (viola), Heather Bourne, 20 (viola), Josh Brintrall, 22 (clarinet), Roxanne Léveillée, 23 (clarinet) and Christopher Graham, 22 (trombone). They were chosen from among over 550 applications received from across the country after auditions were held in major cities in January.

For four weeks in June, they underwent intensive training at the University of Western Ontario in London. During this time, they received professional instruction from Canada’s top orchestral musicians and had more practical hours of training than most universities offer in a year.

The 2009 NYOC principal conductor is Alain Trudel, who is no stranger to Canadian orchestral music lovers. Mr. Trudel is currently principal conductor of the new National Broadcast Orchestra (which replaced the CBC Radio Orchestra) and principal guest conductor of the Victoria Symphony Orchestra. He is also music director and conductor of l’Orchestre symphonique de Laval and serves as artistic advisor to the Manitoba Chamber Orchestra.

The National Youth Orchestra of Canada is Canada’s advanced orchestral training institute for musicians ages 14 to 28. Its mission is to educate, elevate, and empower Canada’s most gifted young orchestral musicians. The NYOC supports, strengthens and advances the art of orchestral music in Canada through nationally prominent concert tours, recordings, outreach activities, and through the performance and commissioning of Canadian music. Over the years, the reviews and praise bestowed on the NYOC have been nothing short of amazing. It was called “the best youth orchestra in the world” at the World Youth Orchestra Conference in Tokyo. One third of Canada’s professional orchestral musicians (and more than half of the National Arts Centre Orchestra,) got their start in the NYOC. For more information on the NYOC, visit www.nyoc.org.

Multiple honours for Wajdi Mouawad

Multiple honours for Wajdi Mouawad

The Avignon Festival's Associated Artist is honoured by Canada and the Académie française

Ottawa, Canada – Just a few days before the opening of the Avignon Festival, where he is this year's Associated Artist, Wajdi Mouawad—writer, director, actor, and artistic director of the National Arts Centre (NAC) French Theatre—was honoured by the Académie française and appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada.

The first announcement came last week, when Mr. Mouawad received the Grand Prix du Théâtre presented by the Académie française in recognition of his achievements as a playwright. He will receive the award next December at a ceremony to be held under the Dome of the Institut de France in Paris. Established in 1980, the Grand Prix du Théâtre is awarded annually in recognition of a playwright's body of work; past recipients include Jean Anouilh and Marguerite Duras.

Wajdi Mouawad made the news again this week when Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Governor General of Canada, announced his appointment to the rank of Officer of the Order of Canada. The Order, this country's highest civilian honour, recognizes "a lifetime of outstanding achievement and merit of the highest degree, especially in service to Canada or to humanity at large."

These honours came as Wajdi Mouawad was preparing for the July 7 opening of the 2009 Avignon Festival, where, besides acting as Associated Artist, he will present the original versions of three of his plays: Littoral (translated into English as Tideline), Incendies (Scorched), and Forêts. For the first time ever, the three plays will be presented in a single performance stretching from dusk to dawn. The Festival will also present (separately) Mr. Mouawad's latest play, Ciels, completing the tetralogy entitled Le Sang des promesses.

"The National Arts Centre congratulates Wajdi Mouawad on receiving these prestigious honours," said Peter Herrndorf, President and CEO of the National Arts Centre. "We're proud to be associated with such an outstanding artist."

Wajdi Mouawad will return to Ottawa and the NAC in September for the exclusive North American engagement of Littoral.

Two other friends of the National Arts Centre were also honoured by the Governor General this week: Robert Lepage, former French Theatre artistic director, and John Manley, a director of the NAC Foundation, the Centre's fundraising arm. Messrs Lepage and Manley were appointed respectively to the rank of Companion and Officer of the Order of Canada.

National Arts Centre Board of Trustees

Founder of Cavalia and former Cirque du Soleil executive named to
National Arts Centre Board of Trustees

(Ottawa, Canada) – The Honourable James Moore, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, has announced the appointment of Normand Latourelle as vice‑chair of the National Arts Centre’s board of trustees.

“I am pleased that Mr. Latourelle has agreed to serve on the Board of Trustees,” said Minister Moore. “He is one of Canada’s leading innovators in performing arts, and his creativity and leadership have enhanced Canada’s presence on the international stage. I have no doubt that he will be a great asset to the National Arts Centre Board of Trustees.”

Mr. Latourelle is the president and founder of the renowned multimedia equestrian show “Cavalia,” which attracts millions of spectators around the world. He was the executive vice‑president and director general of Cirque du Soleil.

"Canada’s National Arts Centre is delighted to welcome Normand Latourelle as the new vice-chair to its Board," said Julia Foster, Chair of the NAC Board of Trustees. "Mr. Latourelle has had an illustrious career as a creative and artistic force, helping to build the famed Cirque du Soleil and creating a multitude of high-calibre national and international productions. His considerable skills and experience will be most helpful to the NAC.”

Mr. Latourelle has also created major productions, including the sound and light show on Parliament Hill and the Légendes Fantastiques production in Drummondville, which has been presented for the last ten years.

Mr. Latourelle has worked as an agent, editor, and producer of records and shows for Quebec performing artists. He developed tours for a number of Quebec’s top artistic talents, including Jean-Pierre Ferland, Diane Dufresne, and Robert Charlebois. He has been awarded many honours, including Chevalier of the Ordre national du Québec (2007), the Prix Hommage (2004) from La Société des Attractions Touristiques du Québec, and was Personnalité de la semaine by La Presse (2004 and 2009).

The National Arts Centre (NAC) is a federal cultural organization dedicated primarily to developing and showcasing the performing arts in the National Capital Region and across Canada. Home to the acclaimed National Arts Centre Orchestra, the NAC is a multidisciplinary performing arts centre that features classical music, dance, English- and French-language theatre, variety shows and regional programming. The NAC takes part in co-productions with other organizations throughout the country, hosts festivals, and, through its new technologies and international tours, reaches out to audiences across Canada and around the world. The Corporation’s website is at www.nac-cna.ca.

Jayne Watson appointed CEO of the National Arts Centre Foundation

Jayne Watson appointed CEO of the National Arts Centre Foundation

Ottawa (Canada) – The National Arts Centre (NAC) today announced that Jayne Watson has been appointed CEO of the National Arts Centre Foundation, the organization’s fundraising arm.

Ms. Watson is currently NAC Director of Communications and Public Affairs, as well as Corporate Secretary of the NAC Board of Trustees. She will assume her new responsibilities on August 10.

Ms. Watson has more than 20 years of experience as a senior executive, political advisor and consultant. Prior to joining the NAC in 2001, she served as Director of Communications at Export Development Canada, and held senior communications roles the Office of the Speaker of the House of Commons and Canada Post Corporation.

In 2007, Ms. Watson co-chaired the NAC’s strategic planning process and helped write the NAC’s 2008-2013 strategic plan, “Performing for Canadians”. She recently coordinated a major fundraising campaign for the 2009 Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards Gala, raising a record amount from private donors and sponsors.

“We considered a number of candidates, but we concluded that Jayne Watson’s remarkable leadership and communications skills, her team building capacity, her energy and enthusiasm, and her recent fundraising success with the Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards Gala made her an exceptional choice,” said Gail O’Brien, Chair of the NAC Foundation.

Ms. O’Brien was part of the committee that selected Ms. Watson as the new Foundation CEO, along with Toronto businessman and NAC Foundation Board Vice-Chair Grant Burton, and NAC President and CEO Peter Herrndorf.

“Jayne is extremely talented and has proven she has what it takes to lead the NAC Foundation,” said Mr. Herrndorf. “We are delighted that Jayne will continue her association with Canada’s National Arts Centre in this new capacity.”

Ms. Watson succeeds Darrell Louise Gregersen, who left the position in January 2009 to become head of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health Foundation in Toronto.

The National Arts Centre Foundation was established in July 2000 and has raised more than $42 million for artistic and educational programming by the National Arts Centre. The Foundation’s mission is to inspire individuals, corporations and foundations to invest in the National Arts Centre’s vision of artistic innovation, development of young talent, and creation of new works, to benefit all Canadians.

BC Scene Festival Wraps-up

BC Scene Festival Wraps-up

Next up: Prairie Scene in 2011

OTTAWA (Canada) — BC Scene, the largest gathering of British Columbia artists ever presented outside the province, culminates this weekend with two sold-out shows by Diana Krall, Canada's internationally acclaimed queen of jazz.

BC Scene, the National Arts Centre's dazzling multi-disciplinary arts festival, began April 21 and ends today. The festival featured 600 artists from disciplines as varied as music, theatre, dance, visual and media arts, literature and culinary arts, in more than 30 venues around the National Capital Region.

Ms. Krall was not the only B.C. artist to perform to capacity audiences over the last two weeks. Others included dance sensations Crystal Pite and Wen Wei Dance; classical music performers Borealis String Quartet, musica intima, Francois Houle, Hard Rubber Orchestra and the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra; rockers Hey Ocean!, Said the Whale and Black Mountain; world beat master Celso Machado, jazz saxophonist Seamus Blake and Celtic-Punjabi electronica band Delhi 2 Dublin. Also playing to full houses were theatre productions such as BIOBOXES, Moms the Word 2: Unhinged and the children's opera Jack Pine. Culinary events were also a big hit, notably the cooking demonstration by renowned B.C. chef Robert Clark and National Arts Centre chef Michael Blackie.

British Columbia artists have been creating a buzz in the Nation's Capital since the festival's opening night event called SWARM, a unique and mind-opening tour of visual and media art installations at 11 local galleries that culminated in a massive party in the National Arts Centre lobby.

It's no wonder Heather Moore, BC Scene's Producer and Executive Director, calls this latest edition of the festival "the best ever".

The National Arts Centre created the Scene concept back in 2003 with Atlantic Scene, followed by Alberta Scene in 2005 and Quebec Scene in 2007. In addition to providing a national showcase for artists from the different regions of Canada, these festivals are designed to help emerging and established artists further their careers thanks to an innovative presenters' program. For example, about 60 presenters – producers, buyers, or talent scouts – from 17 countries (including Canada) were invited to BC Scene. The initial reaction by participating presenters has been very positive. Discussions are underway that will likely soon culminate in invitations to dozens of B.C. artists to perform across Canada and abroad.

Since 2003, hundreds of Canadian artists have benefited from being a part of the Scene festivals. For instance, after Alberta Scene, Alberta artists received 150 new bookings. A survey done six months after the 2007 Quebec Scene found that performing arts groups had already received 51 bookings that represented more than $500,000 in revenue.

Ms. Moore and her team of organizers are already working on the next edition of the festival, the Prairie Scene, which will showcase the artists of Saskatchewan and Manitoba in the Nation's Capital in the spring of 2011.

Partners

BC Scene would like to thank the Government of Canada, the Government of British Columbia, Western Economic Diversification Canada and the Canada Council for the Arts for their generous support of this event.

The National Arts Centre and National Arts Centre Foundation gratefully acknowledges the support of Presenting Partner Plasco Energy Group, Special Partners The Radcliffe Foundation, The Audain Foundation, Martha Lou Henley, Milton and Fei Wong and Dr. Donald B. Rix. Acknowledgment is also extended to Major Partners Enbridge Inc. and Hy's Steakhouse and Cockail Bar, as well as Supporting Partners Anndraya T. Luui, Canwest, HSBC Bank Canada, Holiday Inn and Screen Siren Pictures. BC Scene Media Partners include CBC/Radio-Canada, National Post, Vancouver Magazine and Western Living, Ottawa Citizen, LeDroit, and the Vancouver Sun.

The NAC Foundation also extends a warm thank you to the B.C. Strategy Council and Friends, a committed group of individuals whose leadership, support and guidance have been key to the success of BC Scene. The B.C. Strategy Council and Friends is led by Honorary Chairs Milton and Fei Wong, Chair Donald B. Rix and includes David Aisenstat, Michael Audain Foundation, Shirley Barnett, Peter Bentley, Eric Charman, Robert Fairweather, Moh and Yulanda Faris, Martha Lou Henley, Joanne Louie Mah, Anndraya T. Luui, Radcliffe Foundation, Scott Shepherd, Donald Shumka, Kathleen Speakman.

For more details about BC Scene or to view event photos, visit bcscene.ca.