September 26, 2006 -

Ottawa, Canada -- Yuja Wang’s introduction to National Arts Centre Orchestra audiences was the stuff of which fairy tales are made. The dazzling Chinese pianist, then only 17 years old, stepped in as a last-minute replacement for legendary pianist Radu Lupu in February 2005, performing not only Beethoven’s Fourth Piano Concerto, but also learning that composer’s Sonata No. 3 for Violin and Piano to play alongside another legendary instrumentalist, the NAC’s own Pinchas Zukerman on the same programme. Audiences leapt to their feet and music critic Jean-Jacques Van Vlasselaer declared “A star is born”. The NAC Orchestra immediately rebooked Yuja to perform in that summer’s Great Composers Festival.

Now Yuja Wang returns to perform Prokofiev’s virtuosic Piano Concerto No. 3 with NAC Orchestra Music Director Pinchas Zukerman on the podium in Ovation Series concerts on Wednesday, October 4 and Thursday, October 5 at 20:00 in Southam Hall. And once again the programme also offers a chance to hear the young star featured in chamber music: Schubert’s beloved “Trout” Quintet, opens the concert performed by Wang together with Zukerman as violinist, associate principal viola Jethro Marks, principal cello Amanda Forsyth, and principal double bass Joel Quarrington, the latter having returned to the NAC Orchestra after two seasons with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. In addition, Zukerman conducts the NAC Orchestra in Tchaikovsky’s lush, romantic Romeo and Juliet, Fantasie Overture.

There will be pre-concert Talks in French both evenings given by Le Droit music critic Jean-Jacques van Vlasselaer entitled “Une histoire de deux mondes”.

Born in Beijing in 1987, Yuja Wang began studying music in China and her early public performances took place in China, Australia, and Germany, where she was a frequent competition prizewinner. Her Canadian connection began in 1999 when she was a student of the Morningside Music Bridge program at Mount Royal College in Calgary, and winner of its concerto competition. For the past four years she has attended the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia as a student of Gary Graffman, and was a recipient of the prestigious 2006 Gilmore Young Artist Award. Wang will make many important debuts in the 2006-07 season including with the New York Philharmonic, the Houston, Chicago, and San Francisco symphonies, and the NHK Symphony Orchestra in Japan. She will tour to the Netherlands for the first time with the St. Petersburg Philharmonic performing Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1, Yuri Temirkanov conducting, and will return to China performing with both the China Philharmonic in Beijing and the Guangzhou Symphony. This fall, she makes her first recital tour of Germany.

Yuja Wang will also open the NAC-CBC Aber Diamond Debut Series on October 6 in the NAC Foyer at noon, the day after her NAC Orchestra concerts.

Tickets for these Ovation Series concerts on Wednesday, October 4 and Thursday, October 5 at 20:00 are on sale now at $18.82, $38.64, $58.45, 68.36 with box seats at $82.22 (6% 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 website at www.nac-cna.ca.

Half-price tickets for students in all sections of the hall are on sale in person at the NAC Box Office upon presentation of a valid student ID card. Same-day Live Rush tickets (subject to availability) for full-time students (aged 13 to 29) are $10 at the NAC Box Office between 14:00 and 18:00 on the day of performance only, upon presentation of a valid Live Rush card. Groups of 10 and more save 15% to 20% off the regular price of tickets to NAC Music, Theatre and Dance performances. To reserve your seats call 947-7000 ext. 384 or email grp@nac-cna.ca. Subscriptions for the season are also still available by calling the Subscription Office at 613-947-7000, ext. 620.

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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