June 06, 2006 -

Ottawa, Canada -- The National Arts Centre Orchestra will bid farewell to its Founding Concertmaster Walter Prystawski after 37 years with the NAC Orchestra in a grand celebration on Thursday, June 15 and Friday, June 16, the final Bostonian Bravo concerts of the regular season. NAC Orchestra Founding Conductor Mario Bernardi has been invited back to take the podium for this historic occasion. Walter Prystawski will step forward as soloist with principal second violin Donnie Deacon in Bach’s brilliant Concerto for Two Violins to open the programme. Then, for the last time, he will take his regular chair at the front of the orchestra for Mozart’s dramatic Piano Concerto No. 20 featuring renowned pianist Jon Kimura Parker, and for Beethoven’s divine Symphony No. 7.

Music critic Jean-Jacques Van Vlasselaer, who has been writing about the NAC Orchestra for as long as Walter has been concertmaster, will give pre-concert talks in English on June 15 and in French on June 16. (Please note that these talks were originally both in French, but have been modified for the occasion.) The English talk is entitled “A solo-violin between a duo and double doubling” and the French talk is entitled “Un solo-violon entre un duo et deux doubles”.

For this concert, the NACOcast (weekly talks and interviews by NAC Orchestra principal bassoon Christopher Millard which can be downloaded on iPods or listened to on computer) features an interview with Mario Bernardi about Walter Prystawski. It will be available for download as of June 13.

An exhibit of Walter’s life and career, assembled by NAC archivist Gerry Grace and NACOA volunteer Annaline Lubbe, is on display in the Foyer from now until the end of the season, and everyone is invited to write messages to Walter in a book which will be presented to him on his departure. A special souvenir house program for the June 15-16 concerts will pay tribute to Walter in photos and testimonials. Finally everyone in the audience is invited to attend a post-concert reception in the Foyer co-hosted by the NAC and by the NAC Orchestra Association, of which Walter’s wife Viki was a founding member.

Please note that the Bach and Beethoven replace the previously announced performance of Mahler’s Symphony No. 1. The Mozart performed by Jon Kimura Parker remains unchanged.

Bios of all the artists are available on request.

Tickets for these Bostonian Bravo concerts on June 15 and 16 are on sale now at $27.00, $47.50, $58.00 and $60.00, with box seats at $79.00 (GST and Facility Fee included) at the NAC Box Office (Monday to Saturday from 10:00 to 21:00), and through Ticketmaster (with surcharges) at 613-755-1111. Ticketmaster may also be accessed through the NAC’s web-site at www.nac-cna.ca.

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 947-7000 ext. 384 or email grp@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.

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For more information please contact:
Jane Morris, Communications Officer,
National Arts Centre Orchestra
(613) 947-7000, ext. 335
jmorris@nac-cna.ca