National Arts Centre presents the second annual Conductors Programme from Monday, June 24 to Wednesday, July 3
May 08, 2002 -
Ottawa, Canada -- The National Arts Centre will present its second
annual Conductors Programme from Monday, June 24 to Wednesday, July
3. This programme provides a valuable opportunity in Canada for
experienced conductors to develop to a higher level under the expert
guidance of accomplished orchestra leaders. Participants will be
finalized from applications received from Canada and abroad to
participate in the programme, during which they will work with
Finnish conductor and master teacher Jorma Panula, and National Arts
Centre Orchestra Music Director Pinchas Zukerman.
During the programme, these conductors will undergo ten days of
intensive study in a masterclass format conducting a string quintet
of participants in the NAC's Young Artists Programme plus piano.
In the final two days of the programme, on July 2 and 3, up to four
participants will have the opportunity to rehearse and conduct the
National Arts Centre Orchestra in the NAC's Southam Hall. This
will culminate in a free public concert on Wednesday, July 3, at
19:30
Conducting sessions for each participant will be videotaped, and
these videos used as the basis for detailed discussion each day.
Included in the Programme will be orchestration sessions led by
Maestro Panula and evening information sessions with staff and
members of the National Arts Centre Orchestra.
All programme sessions will be open to auditors.
From the candidates showing the greatest promise during the
training sessions, a candidate may be selected to undertake an
apprentice role with the National Arts Centre Orchestra in future
concert seasons. Jean-Philippe Tremblay, a participant in the 2001
Conductors Programme, is currently the Apprentice Conductor of the
Orchestra.
Jorma Panula was the artistic director of the Turku Philharmonic
Orchestra from 1963 to 1965, the Helsinki Philharmonic from 1965 to
1975, and the Aarhus Symphony from 1970 to 1973. He has been a
frequent guest conductor throughout Europe and has appeared
frequently as conductor of the Finnish National Opera. He has also
composed a wide variety of music, including two operas that
established a genre of "performance opera" which fuses music, visual
art and daily life. He is now a guest conductor and professor for
conducting courses all over the world including Paris, London,
Moscow, Tanglewood and Aspen. Conductors who have studied under him
include Jukka-Pekka Saraste and Esa-Pekka Salonen.
Jorma Panula led the inaugural 2001 edition of the National Arts
Centre Conductors Programme with Pinchas Zukerman. The previous year
he led the Conductor Training Workshop presented by Orchestras Canada
in collaboration with the National Arts Centre and the NAC Orchestra.
NAC Orchestra Music Director Pinchas Zukerman first met conductor
Jorma Panula in 1990 in Denmark when Panula led a viola concerto
which had been written for Zukerman by Finnish composer Per
Norgaard.
The NAC Conductors Programme is partially funded through the
National Youth and Education Trust - Founding partner TELUS,
in association with Clarica, Corus Entertainment, the American
Friends of Canada and the J. Armand Bombardier Foundation. Thanks
also go to the Honourable Mitchell Sharp for establishing the
Mitchell Sharp Young Musicians Endowment and the following
individuals: Suki Sandler, Leah Superstein and Tom Wappel & The
Wappel Family Foundation.
Free tickets to the final concert of the NAC Conductors Programme
on Wednesday, July 3 at 19:30 are available in person at the NAC Box
Office.
