NAC Gala (with PM Stephen Harper) raises $575,000

National Arts Centre’s annual Gala raises $575,000 for the NAC’s National Youth and Education Trust Prime Minister Stephen Harper makes a surprise appearance singing in concert with Yo-Yo Ma

Ottawa, Canada – The National Arts Centre’s 2009 Gala has raised an impressive $575,000 for the National Arts Centre Foundation’s National Youth and Education Trust. It also featured a surprise performance by Canada’s Prime Minister Stephen Harper singing in concert with Yo-Yo Ma! The National Youth and Education Trust provides funds for the NAC’s wide array of performing arts programming for young artists, young audiences and schools.

The NAC Gala on Saturday, October 3 had been sold out for months with audiences looking forward to an evening with superstar cellist Yo-Yo Ma, NAC Music Director Pinchas Zukerman and the National Arts Centre Orchestra, along with rising star pianist Avan Yu. Yo-Yo Ma together with Avan Yu had already thrilled the standing-room-only crowd with an encore duet at the end of the first half. Then to their astonishment and delight, Yo-Yo Ma led out Prime Minister Stephen Harper for an surprise performance of “I’ll Get By With a Little Help From my Friends” backed by cellist Ma and the local group Herringbone. The Prime Minister’s wife Laureen Harper was the Honourary Chair of the Gala.

TELUS, Founding Partner of the National Youth and Education Trust, was once again the Presenting Sponsor of the Gala – a commitment that reflects TELUS’s continuing support of this primary resource for supporting the artistic development of young Canadians through educational materials, professional training, mentoring programs and young audience performances. The Trust is also supported by Michael Potter, supporters and patrons of the National Arts Centre Gala, and members of the NAC Foundation’s Donors’ Circle.

In addition to TELUS as the Presenting Sponsor, the Gala is supported by A&E, University of Ottawa and TD Bank Financial Group. Media partners are the Ottawa Citizen, Ottawa Business Journal, Le Droit, Embassy Newspaper and The Hill Times.

The Gala Committee was chaired for the fourth year by Janet Yale, Executive Vice President, Corporate Affairs of TELUS, the Presenting Sponsor of the Gala, and Founding Partner of the National Youth and Education Trust.

Janet Yale said: “What a thrilling night! To have the privilege of being able to see such consummate performers as Yo-Yo Ma and Pinchas Zukerman and our own NAC Orchestra share the stage with pianist Avan Yu, a shining example of the next generation of artists, is exactly what this Gala is all about. It is wonderful to have our community, including our Honourary Gala Chair Laureen Harper and our surprise guest performer Stephen Harper, come together in this way to show their support for this fantastic cause.”

Jayne Watson in her new role as NAC Foundation CEO added: “I am so grateful to all the supporters of the National Youth and Education Trust who have demonstrated through their attendance at this Gala just how important a place the arts have in their lives. Janet Yale and the Gala Committee have really done us proud by raising such an impressive amount in these challenging economic times. I applaud Pinchas Zukerman and the musicians of the NAC Orchestra for donating their services for the Gala, and also Yo-Yo Ma who took time on the afternoon of the Gala to give a workshop to local music students.”

The crowd of over 2,100 included ambassadors, cabinet ministers, senators and members of Canada’s corporate elite. A luxurious wine and canapé reception in the lavishly decorated NAC Foyer was followed by the concert which featured Yo-Yo Ma performing the Dvorák Cello Concerto with the National Arts Centre led by Pinchas Zukerman. To conclude the evening, 650 Gala guests on the transformed Southam Hall stage dined on a spectacular gourmet dinner created by the NAC’s new Executive Chef Michael Blackie.

NAC Orchestra celebrates its 40th birthday with first-ever performance of Mahler’s “Titan” Symphony led by Pinchas Zukerman on Oct. 8-9

Ottawa, Canada – The National Arts Centre Orchestra is turning 40 years old, and to celebrate the occasion, Music Director Pinchas Zukerman will lead the musicians in their first-ever performance Mahler’s mighty “Titan” Symphony No. 1 in Bostonian Bravo Series concerts on Thursday, October 8 and Friday, October 9 at 8 p.m. in Southam Hall.

The special occasion will also be marked by two works from the NAC Orchestra’s four-decade history. Pinchas Zukerman, also one of the world’s most celebrated violinists, will perform Bach’s Violin Concerto in A minor, a piece first performed by the Orchestra in 1971 with Szymon Goldberg as both conductor and violin soloist. Maestro Zukerman will also lead stellar Canadian baritone Russell Braun (who has been a guest artist with the NAC Orchestra since 1994) in Songs for an Acrobat, a work commissioned from Canadian Linda Bouchard in 1995 during the period when she was the Orchestra’s Composer-in-Residence. The music is set to poems by Quebec writer Maurice Tourigny, a close friend of Bouchard. The NAC Orchestra’s Marquis Classics recording of the work was nominated for a Juno Award. The NAC Orchestra will also perform Songs for an Acrobat at Roy Thomson Hall in Toronto later this season on January 16, 2010.

There will be Musically Speaking pre-concert chats both nights at 7 p.m. with music critic Jean-Jacques Van Vlasselaer. On Thursday, October 8 he will present the talk in English titled “The Beginning and Ending of a World”, and on Friday, October 9 he will present it in French titled “Début et fin d’un monde”.

Mahler’s First Symphony is one of the most original and innovative in music history. With the sole exception of Brahms, and possibly Sibelius, there is probably no other composer than Gustav Mahler whose First Symphony represents such a towering achievement. Among the innovations one can point to are the largest assemblage of orchestral musicians hitherto required in a symphony, and the incorporation of café, pop and gypsy music. And nowhere else are the sounds of nature so pervasively and integrally bound up with the symphonic thought than in the first movement of this symphony. Other things to listen for are the unusual rendition of “Frère Jacques” played by the double bass, and a finale in which seven horns – their bells turned up – proclaim the heroic ending.

The expanded NAC Orchestra for Mahler’s Symphony No. 1 “Titan” is made possible by the Friends of the NAC Orchestra Kilpatrick Fund. The late William Kilpatrick was a longtime NAC subscriber who bequeathed funds to NACOA (now called Friends of the NAC Orchestra), the revenue from which is given to the Orchestra each year to help present a work that requires larger instrumental forces. The Friends of the NAC Orchestra are also celebrating their 40th birthday at this time.

The orchestral forces are also supplemented for this concert by the apprentices of the Institute for Orchestral Studies – five young string players chosen by audition to join the NAC Orchestra in rehearsal and concert, and to receive mentorship from NAC Orchestra musicians, on five different occasions throughout the season.

The concerts are being recorded by CBC Radio 2 for future broadcast on In Concert with host Bill Richardson, on Tempo with host Julie Nesrallah, and for Radio-Canada Espace Musique on Soirée classiques hosted by Michel Keable. Bill Richardson will also host an intermission interview with composer Linda Bouchard and baritone Russell Braun in the Main Foyer.

After the opening concert on Thursday, October 8, the audience is invited to join the musicians in the Foyer for birthday cake and coffee courtesy of Bostonian Executive Suites and Mark Motors Audi.

These concerts also mark the first of this season’s “Exploration of the Symphony” podcast series. You can go online to the NAC’s website at www.nac-cna.ca/podcast to hear assistant principal double bass Marjolaine Fournier interview music critic Jean-Jacques Van Vlasselaer about Mahler’s “Titan” Symphony in separate English and French versions.

Tickets for the NAC Orchestra’s 40th birthday concerts on October 8 and 9 in the NAC’s Southam Hall at 8 p.m. are on sale now at $19, $29, $39.50, $50, $60, $70 and $87.50 at the newly renovated NAC Box Office (Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.) and through Ticketmaster (with surcharges) at 613-755-1111. Ticketmaster may also be accessed through the NAC’s 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. Live Rush tickets (subject to availability) for full-time students (aged 13 to 29) are $11 at the NAC Box Office from 2 p.m. the day before the concert to 6 p.m. the day of, 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.

Listen to more than 150 NAC Orchestra performances - FREE! - visit
www.NACMusicbox.ca

Orchestras in the Park: the weather did not stop the music!

Canada’s Capital Region – The National Capital Commission (NCC) and the National Arts Centre (NAC) thank the 18,700 concert-goers who made the third edition of Orchestras in the Park a resounding success. The program of four free outdoor concerts in LeBreton Flats Park, from July 23 to 26, came to a close yesterday evening.

In spite of weather forecasts that threatened rain all four nights, concert-goers were rewarded with concerts that went ahead on time and in their entirety under almost entirely rainfree skies.

This excerpt from an unsolicited e-mail received this morning summarized what a lot of concert-goers were saying about these four perfect concerts:

“My family appreciated the concerts at LeBreton Flats Park. I can't imagine a better way to give the general public an opportunity to hear music that some might not be familiar with. It also provided an opportunity for people who cannot afford to attend concerts at the NAC to hear good music performed by world-class musicians. My wife and I enjoyed Thursday, Friday and Sunday the most. My two granddaughters, however, thought that Natalie MacMaster was wonderful (and she was). The setting and ease of access to the site could not have been better.”

Indeed, the National Capital Commission and the National Arts Centre are proud of the strong line-up of performers featured this year with the NAC Orchestra and the Orchestre de la francophonie canadienne: Anton Kuerti, Julian Kuerti, Amy Horvey, Jean-Marie Zeitouni, Erin Wall, Antonio Figueroa, James Westman, Laurence Ewashko, Jean-Philippe Tremblay, Hong Xu and of course, Natalie MacMaster.

Orchestras in the Park is a collaboration between the NAC and the NCC to present a series of free outdoor orchestral concerts at LeBreton Flats Park, the biggest gathering site for cultural events in the Capital.

The Devil's Fiddler at Chamberfest

The Devil’s Fiddler to perform at Chamberfest!

Roby Lakatos, accompanied by his talented five-piece 'Gypsy Band', slithered and scampered his way - at about 100 notes a second - through four show stoppers, each more preposterously exuberant than the last. - The London Times

The Ottawa Chamber Music Society is thrilled to announce the Ottawa debut of Roby Lakatos as a surprise addition at the 16^th Ottawa International Chamber Music Festival thanks in part to the support of the Marquee Tourism Events Program. Lakatos and his ensemble, a scorching Hungarian gypsy band will perform at Chamberfest on Wednesday, July 29 at 7 pm at Dominion-Chalmers United Church.

Roby Lakatos is not only an impressive virtuoso, but a musician of amazing versatility. With an unusual musical scope - as composer, classical violinist and gypsy violinist, Roby Lakatos is at home in the Hungarian folklore as well as in classical music and jazz. He was born into a legendary family of gypsy violinists who are descended from Janos Bihari, known as the "King of Gypsy Violinists". His musicianship evolved not only within his own family as he was initiated into secrets of gypsy music as a child, but also at the Béla Bartók Conservatory of Budapest, where he won the first prize for classical violin in 1984.

The combination of his heritage and his nomadic free spirit and classical violin education has allowed Lakatos to become a classical virtuoso, a jazz improviser, a composer and arranger, a fiery violinist – all at the same time.

"Since Haydn’s time the influence of Gypsy music has been evident throughout classical music. There is no other performer or ensemble in this day and age that encapsulates the true essence of the Gypsy tradition, its virtuosity, its passion, and sheer ability to entertain, as does violinist Roby Lakatos and his remarkable ensemble," raves Roman Borys, cellist of the Gryphon Trio, the Artistic Directors of the Festival.

His musical prowess borders on genius. Lakatos follows in the footsteps of masters such as Liszt and Brahms in combining classical music with pulsating, vibrant Hungarian Gypsy overtones. Xpress (Abu Dhabi)

“My style has three elements,” says Lakatos. “The base is Gypsy music, of course, but also it includes classical music and jazz. The arrangements are very classical - but we have a lot of improvisation, too, because Gypsy music is like jazz,” he explains. “And, of course, we never make the same concert twice.”

In addition to sold-out performances at the 2009 festivals of Domaine Forget and Orford, Lakatos and his ensemble have performed to great acclaim in concert halls in North America and Europe, including New York’s Carnegie Hall, Santa Cecilia in Rome, and the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam. The other members of Roby Lakatos' ensemble are Kálmán Cséki, László Bóni, Oszkár Németh and Attila Rontó.

Reserved tickets for this performance can be purchased online at www.chamberfest.com, in person at the OCMS office, Dominion Chalmers United Church Box Office, or at any festival concert, or by calling 613-234-6306. General admission tickets are available only at the door. A Festival pass provides access to this, as well as 90 other Chamberfest concerts. Full ticket and pass details are available at www.chamberfest.com or at 613-234-6306.

Festival de musique de chambre d'Ottawa

Chamberfest '09

La musique dans toute sa splendeur

Du 25 juillet au 8 août

"… un des événements les plus attendus en son genre." -- Where Ottawa, août 008

Du 25 juillet au 8 août, plus de 250 musiciens de calibre international se produiront dans le cadre du 16^ième Festival international de musique de chambre d'Ottawa. Pour une période de deux semaines, mélomanes et musiciens convergent vers Ottawa pour le populaire festival. Chamberfest '09 offre plus de 90 concerts présentés en divers lieux, dont les plus belles églises et édifices historiques d'Ottawa. Le Festival présente aussi des concerts extérieurs gratuits le long du Canal Rideau (inclus au patrimoine mondial par l'Unesco) et sur les pelouses de Rideau Hall à la résidence de la Gouverneure générale. De Mozart à Miles Davis, les mélomanes se régaleront d'un choix estival de musiques inoubliables.

"Chamberfest 09 est un délicieux mélange de classiques et de saveurs audacieuses émanant de nouvelles collaborations. Les amateurs de musique sont invités à utiliser leurs laissez-passer comme un passeport, qui les entraînera dans un voyage extraordinaire à la découverte de la musique", déclare Glenn Hodgins, directeur exécutif de la Société de musique de chambre d'Ottawa.

Cette année marque le 200^ième anniversaire de la mort de Haydn et de la naissance de Mendelssohn. Chamberfest '09 a donc invité plus d'une douzaine d'ensembles de musique de chambre provenant des quatre coins du globe pour rendre hommage à ces deux grands maîtres. On soulignera également le 100^ième anniversaire de naissance de Benny Goodman avec un concert réunissant James Campbell et Gene DiNovi.

"Chamberfest est une célébration du lien privilégié qui unit l'interprète et l'auditoire, où se manifeste la magie de la communication musicale. Cet échange d'énergie qui nous en fait redemander d'avantage est notre thème ", ajoute Roman Borys, porte-parole du Gryphon Trio, qui assume la direction artistique du Festival.

Chamberfest débute avec un concert bénéfice exceptionnel mettant en vedette James Ehnes et Jon Kimura Parker (respectivement récipiendaires de prix Grammy et Juno), réunis sur scène à Ottawa pour une première fois. Leur prestation, énergique et intime à la fois, comprend entre autres des oeuvres de Prokofiev, Mozart et Ravel.

Les amateurs de musique ancienne seront choyés : Charles Daniels et Les voix baroques, l'Ensemble Caprice (lauréat d'un Prix Juno) et la soprano Ann Monoyios accompagnée par l'Ottawa Bach Choir et le Festival Baroque Consort offriront différentes prestations mémorables. Les mordus de nouvelle musique apprécieront entre autres les interprétations du Quatuor Molinari, de Gary Hayes et des membres de Ottawa New Music Creators et pourront applaudir l'ensemble Toca Loca.. Doreen Taylor-Claxton, originaire d'Ottawa, et Frédéric Lacroix interpréteront Elemental Voices, un spectacle concept créé par Mme Taylor-Claxton qui incorpore voix et danse. Par ailleurs, Gary Kulesha, compositeur, interprète et éducateur canadien de renom animera les Dialogues sur la nouvelle musique, une série de concerts mettant en vedette plusieurs interprètes de la région d'Ottawa.

Chamberfest '09 fait place à la prochaine génération de virtuoses et présente Jan Lisiecki, pianiste originaire de Calgary, extraordinairement doué pour ses 14 ans, ainsi que le Quatuor Afiara, ensemble canadien nouvellement apparu sur la scène internationale. Le concert des Étoiles montantes, événement toujours aussi populaire, mettra en vedette de jeunes artistes locaux tout aussi accomplis que remarquables.

La série de concerts Monter en flèche au-delà de toute attente – les femmes et la composition comprend entre autres la première mondiale de Elektras Tanz de la pianiste et compositrice Heather Schmidt dédiée aux femmes compositrices contemporaines (et du XIXe siècle) qui ont fait leur marque dans le monde de la musique. Le Festival célèbre aussi Fanny Mendelssohn et Clara Schumann, deux compositrices qui ont su transcender les attentes de leur temps en composant des œuvres qui nous émeuvent encore.

"J'ai cru une fois que je possédais du talent pour la création, mais j'ai abandonné cette idée; une femme ne doit pas vouloir composer- il n'y en a encore jamais eu une capable de le faire. Devrais-je croire que je puis être celle-là? - Clara Schumann à 20 ans

Harry Halbreich, musicologue européen de renom, revient cet été avec ses Rêveries musicales, alors qu'il partage ses réflexions sur le répertoire de la journée pour huit jours. Cette année, la série comprendra des prestations d'œuvres de Haydn en l'honneur du 200^ième anniversaire de sa mort. De plus, les Rêveries musicales incluent deux présentations matinales par Yung Chin, maître archetier qui compte parmi les facteurs d'archets les plus respectés au monde; il partagera avec les festivaliers les Mystères de l'archet.

Toujours aussi courus et appréciés, les Concerts pour les jeunes sont de retour, ainsi que les sympathiques présentations destinées aux familles, en association avec le Festival du canal Rideau, le samedi 1^er août et le dimanche 2 août. Le premier concert nécessitera la participation de la foule, non seulement pour jouer de la musique mais pour participer au défilé de bicyclettes du Festival du canal Rideau! Lors du deuxième concert, les musiciens de Chamberfest animeront la Flottille du Festival, où figurent des douzaines de bateaux décorés avec originalité. Les ensembles de cuivres captiveront les festivaliers en jouant à bord des bateaux de la flottille, sur le rivage, sur les ponts surplombant et tout autour.

Grâce à une nouvelle association, la SMCO est heureuse d'annoncer le retour de la très populaire Série de fin de soirée. Chamberfest transporte ses concerts de fin de soirée au Club émeraude de Saint Brigid (Centre Saint Brigid pour les arts et humanités, 314 rue St. Patrick, au coin de Cumberland et St. Patrick) - un des endroits les plus branchés de la capitale. Les festivaliers pourront se détendre devant leur boisson préférée et savourer 15 nuits de classique, jazz et musique du monde tout en se mêlant aux musiciens dans une atmosphère détendue et familière. On peut se rendre au Club dès 21h 30; les prestations débutent vers 22h 30. L'entrée est libre pour les détenteurs d'un laissez-passer du festival.

Le festival prend fin avec éclat avec CelebrEIGHT! - un magnifique concert bénéfice mettant en vedette la soprano Donna Brown, originaire d'Ottawa et l'ensemble de violoncelles du Festival (huit violoncelles), qui interpréteront les splendides Bachianas Brasilieras No. 5 de Villa-Lobos. Le St. Lawrence String Quartet et le Ying Quartet, deux ensembles fort réputés se réuniront pour jouer le fameux Octuor de Mendelssohn.

Le Festival offre une gamme de laissez-passer à des coûts raisonnables qui conviennent à tous les budgets. Les laissez-passer, les billets pour le concert d'ouverture et le concert bénéfice de clôture sont disponibles dès le 21 mai. Tous les renseignements sur les billets et le programme complet du festival sont disponibles à www.chamberfest.com.

On peut se procurer les laissez-passer et les billets au bureau de la Société de musique de chambre d'Ottawa, au 201-4, rue Florence (au coin de la rue Bank), à la billetterie de la SMCO située à l'Église unie Dominion-Chalmers, 355, rue Cooper Street, et en ligne à www.chamberfest.com.

La Société de musique de chambre d'Ottawa tient à remercier ses commanditaires, associés et donateurs pour leur généreux soutien.

Ville d'Ottawa

Conseil des arts de l'Ontario

Patrimoine canadien

Le Fonds pour les manifestations culturelles de l'Ontario

La Fondation Trillium de l'Ontario

Conseil des Arts du Canada

Ottawa Chamber Music Festival

Chamberfest ’09 –

Exceptional entertainment, Exceptional value!

July 25-August 8

“…one of the genre’s most anticipated annual events.” -- Where Ottawa 13/08/2008

From July 25 to August 8, more than 250 of the world’s finest musicians will gather for the 16^th Ottawa International Chamber Music Festival – Chamberfest 09 for two weeks of superb music-making. Over 90 indoor and outdoor concerts and events will be presented at venues including some of the city's most beautiful churches and heritage sites, including free concerts along the world-famous Rideau Canal (UNESCO World Heritage Site) and the Governor General’s residence, on the grounds of Rideau Hall. From Mozart to Miles Davis, savour a summer sampling of unforgettable sounds!

“Chamberfest 09 is a delicious mix of core favourites blended with the bold flavours of new collaborations. I encourage patrons to use their Festival pass as a passport taking them on an extraordinary journey of musical discovery, “says Ottawa Chamber Music Society Executive Director Glenn Hodgins.

This year is the celebration of the 200^th anniversary of the year of Haydn’s death and Mendelssohn’s birth. Over a dozen string quartets from around the world and a handful of piano trios and other ensembles will perform masterpieces by these musical giants during the fourteen days of Chamberfest ’09. Another celebration will be a lively concert by James Campbell and Gene DiNovi to celebrate the 100^th anniversary of Benny Goodman’s birth.

“This is a celebration of that special bond between performer and audience, where the magical communication of music happens. We all know and love that exchange of energy that has kept us all coming back for more,” says Roman Borys, on behalf of Artistic Directors, the Gryphon Trio.

Chamberfest begins with an outstanding opening benefit concert featuring Grammy and Juno award winner James Ehnes and Jon Kimura Parker partnering on an Ottawa stage for the very first time. Their powerful yet intimate performance will include selections from Prokofiev, Mozart and Ravel.

Early Music aficionados will be thrilled with performances by Les Voix Baroques, the Juno award wining Ensemble Caprice, and world-renowned soprano Ann Monoyios accompanied by the Ottawa Bach Choir and the Festival Baroque Consort.

New Music fans will be captivated by performances by the Molinari Quartet, Gary Hayes and members of the Ottawa New Music Creators, and Toca Loca, to name but a few. Ottawa’s own Doreen Taylor-Claxton and Frédéric Lacroix will perform Elemental Voices, a concept created by Ms. Taylor-Claxton that incorporates voice and dance. Esteemed Canadian composer, performer and educator, Gary Kulesha will offer insights as he hosts New Music Dialogues, a series of concerts featuring many Ottawa performers.

The next generation of virtuosos will be well represented at Chamberfest 09 by the extraordinarily talented Calgary pianist 14 year old Jan Lisiecki and the Afiara Quartet, Canada’s hottest new entry on the international quartet scene. The ever-popular Rising Stars concert will feature incredibly accomplished young local artists.

Soaring Beyond Expectation – Women in Composition is a series of concerts, including the world premiere of a piece by pianist and composer Heather Schmidt, dedicated to 19^th century and contemporary women composers who have made their mark on the musical world. Fanny Mendelssohn and Clara Schumann, both women who were limited by prevailing attitudes of the time, are but two women composers celebrated during the festival.

"I once believed that I possessed creative talent, but I have given up this idea; a woman must not desire to compose — there has never yet been one able to do it. Should I expect to be the one?" - Clara Schumann at age 20

Renowned European musicologist Harry Halbreich returns this summer for eight days to offer his Musical Musings on the repertoire of the day. A new feature to this musical start to the festival day will be Highlights from Haydn, the addition of a live performance of a piece by Haydn in honour of the 200^th anniversary of his death. In addition to the Musical Musings will be two morning presentations by master bow maker Yung Chin, one of the most respected and sought-after bow makers in the world, to share with festival-goers the Mysteries of the Bow.

Young People’s Concerts make their popular return, as well as family friendly presentations offered in partnership with the Rideau Canal Festival on Saturday, August 1 and Sunday, August 2. The first of two concerts involves participation from the crowd making music while participating in the Rideau Canal Festival’s Bicycle Parade! The second concert will see Chamberfest musicians animating the Canal Festival’s Flotilla, which features dozens of elaborately decorated boats. Festival-goers will be captivated by brass musicians performing from flotilla boats, on the shore, on the bridges above, and throughout surrounding areas.

In another new partnership, the OCMS is happy to announce the return of the very popular Late Night Series. Chamberfest brings Late Night concerts to Ottawa’s coolest hot spot, Saint Brigid’s Emerald Club (Saint Brigid’s Centre for the Arts and Humanities, 314 St. Patrick Street at the corner of Cumberland and St. Patrick). Festival-goers can relax with their favourite brew as they enjoy 15 nights of classical, jazz and world music while mingling with musicians in an informal, relaxed atmosphere. Doors open at 9:30 pm, with a 10:30 soft start for performances. Admittance is free with a festival pass.

The festival closes with a dazzling benefit concert. CelebrEIGHT! will include Ottawa’s own Donna Brown and the Festival Cello Ensemble (eight cellos!) performing the glorious Bachianas Brasilieras No. 5 and the St. Lawrence String Quartet and the Ying Quartet performing Mendelssohn’s famous Octet.

We have created a range of fairly priced passes with an option to suit every budget. Festival passes and tickets for the Opening and Closing Benefit Concerts are available for purchase as of May 21. All ticket information and the full schedule is available online at www.chamberfest.com.

Passes and tickets are available at the Ottawa Chamber Music Society office at 201-4 Florence Street (at the corner of Bank Street), the OCMS Box Office situated at Dominion-Chalmers United Church, 355 Cooper Street, and online at www.chamberfest.com.

The Ottawa Chamber Music Society gratefully acknowledges the support of its sponsors, partners and donors.

City of Ottawa

Ottawa Arts Council

Canadian Heritage

Ontario Cultural Attractions Fund

The Ontario Trillium Foundation

Canada Council for the Arts

NACO: July 23-26: Orchestras in the Park

National Arts Centre Orchestra & NCC / News Release

Featuring three NAC Orchestra concerts and one by the Orchestre de la francophonie canadienne

Ottawa, Canada – The National Arts Centre (NAC) together with the National Capital Commission (NCC) present the third summer of Orchestras in the Park from Thursday, July 23 to Sunday, July 26, a glorious open-air festival in LeBreton Flats Park of four free evening concerts at 7:30 p.m. The first three concerts feature the National Arts Centre Orchestra (“Classics and Kuertis” on July 23; “Opera Under the Stars” on July 24; and Natalie MacMaster on July 25), and the final concert features the Orchestre de la francophonie canadienne (“Beethoven’s Fifths” on July 26). Admittance is free and no tickets are required. Each concert is approximately 90 minutes without intermission. The NCC is offering a free shuttle from Tunney’s Pasture as well as free valet bike parking (details at the end).

Activities on site include a free Kids Zone introducing children to music one hour before each performance. Orchestras in the Park also offers the opportunity to participate in a Photo Contest for a chance to win prizes. Audience members are invited to submit photos representing their experiences while attending the 2009 festival. (Details and rules are online at the NAC website.)

Orchestras in the Park begins on Thursday, July 23 with “Classics and Kuertis”, featuring renowned Ottawa favourite Anton Kuerti at the piano and his son Julian Kuerti (assistant conductor of the Boston Symphony, and an alumnus of the NAC Conductors Program) leading the the NAC Orchestra in Mendelssohn’s Piano Concerto No. 1. This concert also features trumpet player Amy Horvey, this year’s recipient of the Richard Li Young Artist Chair, performing the Hummel Trumpet Concerto. The younger Kuerti will also lead the Orchestra in Mozart’s Overture to Cosi fan tutte and Dvorak’s Symphony No. 8.

For “Opera Under the Stars” on Friday, July 24, conductor Jean-Marie Zeitouni leads the NAC Orchestra, soprano Erin Wall, tenor Antonio Figueroa, and baritone James Westman – three sensational Canadian singers – in favourite arias from Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro, Don Giovanni and The Magic Flute, Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette and Faust and Verdi’s La Traviata, joined by the Opera Lyra Ottawa Chorus directed by Laurence Ewashko.

On Saturday, July 25, the electrifying Natalie MacMaster, Cape Breton’s fiddling, step-dancing sensation guarantees to have the audience on its feet cheering her and the NAC Orchestra in a night of Celtic delights with Jean-Marie Zeitouni once again on the podium. Natalie is joined by her pianist Mac Morin and drummer Vince Ditrich in favourites such as Strathspey & Reels, Three Jigs, Jesse’s Polka, and Anniversary Waltz, plus a classical vs. fiddle face-off titled “Bach – Devil’s Dream”.

Orchestras in the Park concludes on Sunday, July 26, when the Orchestre de la francophonie canadienne takes over the outdoor stage in “Beethoven’s Fifths” led by founding Music Director Jean-Philippe Tremblay. Pianist Hong Xu, the 2006 Laureate of the Honens International Piano Competition performs Beethoven’s “Emperor” Piano Concerto No. 5 and Tremblay leads the Orchestra in Beethoven’s mighty Fifth Symphony!

A special Kids Zone prior to each Orchestras in the Park concert starting at 6:30 p.m. allows children and their families to explore the world of music. There will be live demonstrations by young string players and roving performance ensembles, plus an instrument “petting zoo”, complementary reading material from the Ottawa Public Library, and crafts tables for colouring.

Concertgoers are reminded to pack their lawn chairs or blankets for this event. Limited onsite parking is available; the public is encouraged to use public transit. There is also a free shuttle service from Tunney’s Pasture starting at 7 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, and 6:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, as well as following each concert. As an additional green measure, the NCC also offers a valet bike parking service where cyclists can check their bikes for free in a supervised parking area.

There is a drop off spot and reserved area for people with disabilities. For those with hearing impairment, assistive listening devices will be available at the First Aid tent, located at the south entrance of the park, off of Wellington Street.

LeBreton Flats Park, a 3.6 hectare area between the Canadian War Museum and Wellington Street offers spectacular views and is the biggest gathering site for cultural events in the Capital.

DETAILED CONCERT LISTINGS:

Thursday, July 23

Classics and Kuertis

National Arts Centre Orchestra

Julian Kuerti, conductor

Anton Kuerti, piano

Amy Horvey, trumpet (Richard Li Young Artist Chair)

MOZART Cosi fan tutte: Overture

HUMMEL Trumpet Concerto in E-flat major

MENDELSSOHN Piano Concerto No. 1 in G minor

DVORAK Symphony No. 8 in G major, Op. 88

Friday, July 24

Opera Under the Stars

National Arts Centre Orchestra

Jean-Marie Zeitouni, conductor

Erin Wall, soprano

Antonio Figueroa, tenor

James Westman, baritone

MOZART The Marriage of Figaro: Overture

MOZART The Marriage of Figaro: E Susanna non vien - Dove Sono (Wall)

MOZART The Marriage of Figaro: Hai gia vinta la Causa – Vedro (Westman)

MOZART Don Giovanni: Giovinette che fatte all'amore (Wall, Westman, Chorus)

MOZART Don Giovanni: Il Mio (Figueroa)

MOZART Don Giovanni: La Ci darem la mano (Wall, Westman)

MOZART The Magic Flute: Overture

MOZART The Magic Flute: Dies Bildnis (Figueroa)

MOZART The Magic Flute: Finale: Die Strahlen der Sonne (Westman, Chorus)

GOUNOD Roméo et Juliette: Overture-Prologue: Vérone vit jadis deux familles rivales (Chorus)

GOUNOD Roméo et Juliette: Duet Madrigal: Ange adorable (Wall, Figueroa)

GOUNOD Faust: Jewel Song (Wall)

GOUNOD Faust: Ainsi que la brise légère (Wall, Figueroa, James)

VERDI La Traviata: Un Di felice (Wall, Figueroa)

VERDI La Traviata: Gypsy chorus (Chorus)

VERDI La Traviata: Di Provenza il mar, il suol (Westman)

VERDI La Traviata: Libiamo Drinking Song

Saturday, July 25

Natalie MacMaster and the NAC Orchestra

National Arts Centre Orchestra

Jean-Marie Zeitouni, conductor

Natalie MacMaster, fiddle

Mac Morin, piano

Vince Ditrich, drums

Sunday, July 26

Beethoven’s Fifths

Orchestre de la francophonie canadienne

Jean-Philippe Tremblay, conductor

Hong Xu, piano (Honens Competition Laureate)

BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-flat major, Op. 73 “Emperor”

BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67

Pinchas Zukerman leads NACO's first-ever performance of Brahms' German Requiem

Pinchas Zukerman leads NAC Orchestra in its first-ever performance of Brahms’ German Requiem on June 18-19

Ottawa (Canada) – Music Director Pinchas Zukerman leads the National Arts Centre Orchestra in its first-ever performance of Brahms’ sublime German Requiem (Ein deutsches Requiem) as a grand finale to the 2008-09 season with soprano Nicole Cabell (making her NAC Orchestra debut), baritone Nathan Berg, and three choirs combined under the direction of chorus master Duain Wolfe – the Ottawa Choral Society (Matthew Larkin, director), Ottawa Festival Chorus (Laurence Ewashko and Duain Wolfe, directors) and Cantata Singers of Ottawa (Michael Zaugg, director). These Bostonian Bravo Series concerts on Thursday, June 18 and Friday, June 19 at 8 p.m. in the NAC’s Southam Hall open with Capital BrassWorks alternating with a women’s chorus in works by Bach and Brahms.

On Friday, June 19 only, there is a Musically Speaking pre-concert talk at 7 p.m. This exploration of the Brahms German Requiem will be led by star soprano-teacher Benita Valente (on the faculty of the NAC Summer Music Institute) and demonstrated by young soprano Maghan Stewart and baritone Jonathan Estabrooks accompanied by pianist Jean Desmarais. This entertaining and informative lecture-demonstration, hosted by Paul Lefebvre, is free.

Brahms considered calling this Requiem the “Human Requiem”. With a gentle setting of “How lovely is thy dwelling place” as its centrepiece, it is intended to comfort the bereaved and give them peace and hope. The composer’s crowning achievement, the German Requiem ranges from radiant to dramatic. Brahms began the Requiem when he was only 23 and suffering from the loss of Schumann, his dear friend and mentor – and he completed it three years after the death of his mother.

The opening half of this program features Capital Brassworks, a 12-member ensemble made up of brass players from the NAC Orchestra, in transcriptions of three Bach numbers, two of which are introduced by the respective chorales upon which they are based performed by a women’s choir singing unaccompanied – “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring” (Jesus bleibet meine Freude) and “Sleepers, Wake” (Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme). As an interlude in this Bach encounter, the women’s choir joins two horns and a harp for a group of Brahms songs that, due to their unusual scoring, are rarely heard in live performance but which are among the most divinely beautiful ever written. The evening opens with Bach’s Fantasia in C major performed by Capital BrassWorks.

California-born soprano *Nicole Cabell, the 2005 Winner of the BBC Singer of the World Competition in Cardiff, and a DECCA recording artist, has received tremendous public and critical acclaim for her work in opera, concert and recital. This season included her debut season at the Metropolitan Opera, and this summer, she makes her Hollywood Bowl debut as Clara in Porgy and Bess. Next season she returns to the Metropolitan Opera, the Lyric Opera of Chicago and the Chicago Symphony.

Baritone Nathan Berg made his debut at the National Arts Centre in 1998, and his most recent appearance was last season, singing Mendelssohn’s Elijah. A winner of prizes in the Royal Over-Seas League, Peter Pears, Kathleen Ferrier and Walther Gruner Lieder Competitions, Mr. Berg’s musicality and artistry continues to receive international critical acclaim. His operatic credits include the Canadian Opera Company, New York City Opera, and Bayerische Staatsoper.

*Nicole Cabell replaces soprano Erin Wall. (However Erin Wall will perform with the NAC Orchestra in Opera Under the Stars on July 24 as part of Orchestras in the Park.)

Tickets for these Bostonian Bravo Series concerts on Thursday, June 18 and Friday, June 19 at 8 p.m. are on sale now at $19.00, $39.00, $49.00, $59.00, $69.00 and $86.00 (GST and Facility Fee included) at the NAC Box Office (Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.), and through Ticketmaster (with surcharges) at 613-755-1111. Ticketmaster may also be accessed through the NAC’s 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. Live Rush tickets (subject to availability) for full-time students (aged 13 to 29) are $11 at the NAC Box Office from 2 p.m. the day before the concert to 6 p.m. the day of, 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.

NAC extends deadline for 40th Anniversary Prelude cover contest and offers a cash prize to the selected artists

Canada’s National Arts Centre announced today that they are extending the deadline for the 40^th anniversary Prelude cover contest to June 30, 2009 and, with the encouragement of the artistic community, the NAC will also be awarding the selected artists a $500.00 prize.

In celebration of its upcoming 40^th anniversary season, Canada’s National Arts Centre (NAC) is inviting visual artists from across Canada to submit cover artwork for the 2009-2010 season of its Prelude Magazine.

The NAC turns 40 on June 2^nd, 2009.

The National Arts Centre is looking for creative variations on the theme of “The Arts are Alive in Canada” through visual representation of any or all disciplines presented at the Centre—Theatre, Dance and Music— while also representing the cultural fabric of our country from coast to coast to coast.

Prelude Magazine is the National Arts Centre’s performing arts publication, distributed to patrons attending presentations at the NAC in the disciplines of music, theatre and dance. It is published four times a year: Fall, Winter, Spring and Summer. It has an average annual distribution of 300,000 copies.

For further information regarding the call for submission, contest guidelines and submission requirements, please visit www.nac-cna.ca/preludecontest. This contest is open to all Canadian residents. The contest is not open to staff or immediate families of the National Arts Centre, the NAC Foundation, St. Joseph Communications, Dollco Printing or anyone associated with the production of Prelude.

Deadline for submissions is June 30, 2009 at 5 p.m. EST.

NACO, June 10-11: NACO's first performance of Scheherazade; Kirill Gerstein plays Ravel's Concerto in G

Music Director Pinchas Zukerman leads the National Arts Centre Orchestra in its first-ever performance of Rimsky-Korsakov’s glittering Scheherazade on Wednesday, June 10 and Thursday, June 11 at 8 p.m. in the NAC’s Southam Hall. These Mark Motor Audi Signature Series concerts also feature the NAC Orchestra debut of Russian pianist Kirill Gerstein presenting the sophisticated jazz stylings of Ravel’s sultry Concerto in G. The expanded orchestra for this concert, which opens with Copland’s majestic Fanfare for the Common Man, is made possible in part through the Friends of the NAC Orchestra Kilpatrick Fund.

There will be Musically Speaking Pre-concert Chats both nights at 7 p.m. in English titled “Classical and Jazz: Not Such Strange Bedfellows” featuring composer, arranger, musician and CBC Radio personality Andrew Craig, and hosted by CBC Radio’s Alan Neal.

Both nights, there will also be an intimate post-concert Jazz Café in the NAC’s Fourth Stage hosted by Alan Neal and Andrew Craig and featuring Ottawa’s star bassist John Geggie with his guests, pianist Edward Simon and Montreal drummer Jim Doxas. Their performance will consist of many original compositions as well as repertoire reflecting their interest in classical composers and the improvised jazz idiom. Tickets for the Jazz Café are sold separately from the NAC Orchestra concert and cost $15.

Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade will offer the NAC Orchestra concertmaster Yosuke Kawasaki a chance to shine. In the composer’s musical setting of the Arabian Nights, it is the solo violin that personifies Scheherazade, the entrancing storyteller who postpones her death a thousand and one nights by bewitching the vengeful wife-killing Sultan with her exotic tales.

Russian pianist Kirill Gerstein is quickly proving to be one of today’s most promising and intriguing young artists. Born in 1979 in Voronezh, Russia, he went to the US at the age of 14 to attend the Berklee College of Music in Boston later studying with Solomon Mikowsky at the Manhattan School of Music and Dmitri Bashkirov in Madrid. Gerstein received the First Prize at the 2001 Arthur Rubinstein Piano Competition in Tel Aviv and was a recipient of a 2002 Gilmore Young Artist Award. He was also selected as Carnegie Hall’s “Rising Star” for the 2005-06 season.

Kirill Gerstein says: “I both love and admire the G-major Ravel piano concerto. It seamlessly combines influences from the world of Jazz, Spanish music, Mozart and the Baroque, all the while sounding unmistakably Ravel. The composer himself said that he wanted this concerto to be “entertaining” – and it is, in the best sense of the word. Within a compact form, there is a multitude of moods, serious emotion in the beautiful second movement, virtuosic solos for various instruments and sections of the orchestra as well as brilliant piano writing. I am very much looking forward to playing the piece with the NAC Orchestra and Maestro Zukerman.”

Tickets for these National Arts Centre Orchestra concerts led by Pinchas Zukerman with pianist Kirill Gerstein on Wednesday, June 10 and Thursday, June 11 at 8 p.m. are on sale now at $19.00, $39.00, $49.00, $59.00, $69.00 and $86.00 (GST and Facility Fee included) at the NAC Box Office (Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.), and through Ticketmaster (with surcharges) at 613-755-1111. Ticketmaster may also be accessed through the NAC’s website at http://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. Live Rush tickets (subject to availability) for full-time students (aged 13 to 29) are $11 at the NAC Box Office from 2 p.m. the day before the concert to 6 p.m. the day of, 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.

NACO, June 4-6: Dee Daniels is featured in the NAC Orchestra's Big Band Salute

Jeff Tyzik leads the amazing Dee Daniels and the National Arts Centre Orchestra in a sophisticated Big Band Salute from Thursday, June 4 to Saturday, June 6 at 8 p.m. in Southam Hall to bring the CTV Pops season to a spectacular conclusion. The concert takes a fresh look at great jazz standards of the 30s and 40s by the legendary Duke Ellington, Joplin, Gershwin and more. And you’ll love the silky jazz stylings of Dee Daniels whose four-octave range never fails to amaze and delight.

Dee Daniels will perform favourites such as Ellington’s “How Long Has This Been Going On”, “Don’t Get Around Much Anymore”, “I Got It Bad and That Ain’t Good” and “Every Day I Have The Blues”; “Motherless Child”, and Arlen’s “Stormy Weather”, some of which have been arranged by conductor Jeff Tyzik. Maestro Tyzik will also lead the NAC Orchestra in a suite from Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess, Ellington’s “Take the A Train” and “Satin Doll”, Joplin’s “The Entertainer” and “Sunflower Slow Drag”, and Morton’s “King Porter Stomp”. Drummer Dave Mancini will show off his percussion chops in a drum solo medley arranged by Tyzik.

Jeff Tyzik has earned a reputation as one of America’s foremost pops conductors. A consummate musician, Tyzik is recognized for his brilliant arrangements, original programming, and engaging rapport with audiences. He is in his fifteenth season as Principal Pops Conductor of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra and this season began a new role as Principal Pops Conductor of the Oregon Symphony while continuing to serve as Principal Pops Conductor of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra. Tyzik is also highly sought after as a guest conductor across North America, with recent guest appearances including the Boston Pops and the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl. He made his NAC Orchestra debut in May 2007 leading Sultry Nights with Eartha Kitt.

Dee Daniels is a crowd pleaser and a musician’s musician. Whether accompanying herself at the piano, fronting a trio, big band or symphony, she is a unique talent who transcends musical borders. Her style was born in her stepfather’s church choir in Oakland, California, honed through the R&B era and brought to full fruition during a five-year stay in Europe from 1982 to 1987. Dee Daniels’ international career includes performances in eleven African countries, Australia, Colombia, Hong Kong and Japan, as well as in North America and Europe. She has been inducted into the British Columbia Entertainment Hall of Fame, and has received the prestigious Commemorative Medal for the Golden Jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. On June 9, she will receive an Honorary Doctorate from Capilano University in North Vancouver where she is a respected vocal clinician and mentor and where she created the Dee Daniels Jazz Vocal Scholarship. Her JAZZINIT CD was in the Top Ten CDs of 2007 on several Canadian and American polls.

Tickets for the NAC Orchestra’s “Big Band Salute” from June 4 to 6 in Southam Hall are on sale now at $29, $39, $49, $59, $69 and $86 (GST and Facility Fee included) at the NAC Box Office (Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.), and through Ticketmaster (with surcharges) at 613-755-1111. Ticketmaster may also be accessed through the NAC’s web-site at http://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. Live Rush tickets (subject to availability) for full-time students (aged 13 to 29) are $11 at the NAC Box Office from 2 p.m. the day before the concert to 6 p.m. the day of, 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.

NAC announces Summer Music at the National Arts Centre

Summer Music at the NAC includes

Orchestras in the Park, visiting orchestras and repertoire readings, and everything is FREE!

The National Arts Centre today announced details of Summer Music at the NAC, a line-up that includes four Orchestras in the Park concerts outdoors in LeBreton Flats Park presented in collaboration with the National Capital Commission; concerts by the l’Orchestre de la francophonie canadienne led by Pinchas Zukerman and Jean-Philippe Tremblay, and the National Youth Orchestra of Canada led by Alain Trudel; Canada Day concerts and activities; plus a series of three “Repertoire Readings” of new music by Canadian composers. All concerts are free, though some require tickets that can be picked up in person at the NAC Box Office.

Summer at the NAC also features the unveiling of the new Le Café menu by Chef Michael Blackie.

From July 23 to 26 at 7:30 pm, the National Arts Centre Orchestra will present its third season of Orchestras in the Park in collaboration with the National Capital Commission in the special outdoor performance space developed at LeBreton Flats Park in front of the Canadian War Museum. Each of the four concerts will be preceded by a KidsZone of activities for youngsters.

Orchestras in the Park begins on Thursday, July 23 with the NAC Orchestra performing “Classics and Kuertis” featuring renowned Ottawa favourite Anton Kuerti at the piano with his son Julian Kuerti (associate conductor of the Boston Symphony, and an alumnus of the NAC Conductors Program) on the podium. This concert also features trumpet player Amy Horvey, this year’s recipient of the Richard Li Young Artist Chair, performing the Hummel Trumpet Concerto.

In “Opera Under the Stars” on Friday, July 24, conductor Jean-Marie Zeitouni leads the NAC Orchestra, soprano Erin Wall, baritone James Westman, and tenor Antonio Figueroa – three sensational Canadian singers – in favourite arias from The Barber of Seville, The Marriage of Figaro and more, joined by the Opera Lyra Ottawa Chorus directed by Laurence Ewashko.

On Saturday, July 25, the electrifying Natalie MacMaster, Cape Breton’s fiddling, step-dancing and vocal sensation, guarantees to have the audience on its feet cheering her and the NAC Orchestra in a night of Celtic delights with Jean-Marie Zeitouni once again on the podium.

Orchestras in the Park concludes on Sunday, July 26, when the Orchestre de la francophonie canadienne takes over the outdoor stage in “Beethoven’s Fifths” led by Music Director Jean-Philippe Tremblay and featuring pianist Hong Xu , the 2006 Laureate of the Honens International Piano Competition. Beethoven’s “Emperor” Piano Concerto No. 5 is followed by Beethoven’s mighty Fifth Symphony!

Orchestras in the Park concerts are free with no tickets required.

To kick off the month of July, visit the National Arts Centre for Canada Day festivities taking place all day long on Wednesday, July 1, including a massed choral performance by Unisong at 10 a.m. in Southam Hall and one concert by the NAC Orchestra led by Pinchas Zukerman at 2:30 p.m. featuring both the Unisong Choir and musicians of the NAC Young Artists Program, part of the Summer Music Institute .

The Orchestre de la francophonie canadienne will also pay a visit to Southam Hall on Thursday, July 2 with two more Beethoven symphonies and a piano concerto to coincide with the Orchestra’s summer recording project of all nine Beethoven symphonies. Jean-Philippe Tremblay will open the program with Beethoven’s Symphony No. 1. Then Pinchas Zukerman, Music Director of the National Arts Centre Orchestra will lead 14-year-old Calgary piano prodigy Jan Lisiecki in Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 3 and close the program with Beethoven’s Second Symphony.

On Tuesday, July 28, the National Youth Orchestra of Canada led by Alain Trudel makes its annual visit to the Capital. The program consists of Rob Teehan’s Dreams of Flying, a new work commissioned by the NYOC, Haydn’s Symphony No. 96 and Mahler’s Symphony No. 6.

Tickets for both the Orchestre de la francophonie canadienne and the National Youth Orchestra of Canada are free and can be picked up in person at the NAC Box Office.

And on July 7, 8 and 9, the National Arts Centre Orchestra will offer its services to four composers for “Repertoire Readings” of original works. These sessions, conducted by the NAC Composers Program Lead Composer Gary Kulesha, will take place in the NAC Rehearsal Hall and are open to the public, no tickets required, as long as space is available.

There are also numerous public concerts presented as part of the eleventh annual NAC Summer Music Institute during the month of June. These have been announced separately.

http://www.nac-cna.ca