National Arts Centre Orchestra announces programming for the 2002 Great Composers Festival, July 5-26
May 08, 2002 -
Ottawa, Canada -- The National Arts Centre today announced the
programming of the fourth annual Great Composers Festival with the
National Arts Centre Orchestra and Music Director Pinchas Zukerman,
featuring themed concerts of music by the classical masters and
starring a wealth of superb and mostly Canadian soloists. The
Festival will take place in the National Arts Centre's Southam
Hall between July 5 and July 26, 2002. In addition, exciting day-long
activities on July 1 including NAC Orchestra Canada Day concerts were
also unveiled, as well as several additional special concerts in the
month of July.
The National Arts Centre also revealed details of the NAC Young
Artists Programme now in its fourth year, and the NAC Conductors
Programme in its second. These advanced training programmes will be
joined next year by the recently announced NAC Young Composers
Programme.
The Great Composers Festival consists of seven concerts, six of
them featuring the National Arts Centre Orchestra (July 5, 9, 11, 16,
20 and 25), all but two conducted by Pinchas Zukerman who also
performs as violinist on selected concerts. The seventh is a chamber
music concert (July 6). The Festival is presented by the Casino du
Lac-Leamy in association with the Ottawa Citizen.
The seven Great Composers Festival concerts are programmed around
themes: A Tribute to Schubert (July 5) with Canadian-American
cellist Gary Hoffman; Chamber Music Extravaganza (July 6)
featuring Pinchas Zukerman on violin and viola with participants and
faculty of the NAC's Young Artists Programme; Great Baroque
Composers (July 9) featuring NAC Orchestra principal musicians
Charles Hamann (oboe), Karen Donnelly (trumpet), Joanna
G'froerer (flute) and the Cantata Singers of Ottawa, Laurence
Ewashko, director; Celebrating Mozart (July 11) with Canadian
pianist Stewart Goodyear, plus NACO principal musicians Kimball
Sykes (clarinet), Donnie Deacon, (violin), Jane Logan, (viola) and
Amanda Forsyth (cello); Ravel/Mendelssohn/Dvorák (July 16) with
Japanese violinist Sayaka Shoji (replacing pianist
Hélène Grimaud) and Canadian harpist Jennifer Swartz;
Judy and David's Symphonic Adventure, an afternoon family
concert starring children's performers Judy and David conducted
by Jean-Philippe Tremblay (July 20); and The Three Bs -
Brahms, Bach and Beethoven (July 25) conducted by Gregory Vajda
with Ottawa's own Angela Hewitt at the piano. (See separate
listing for programming details.)
There will be chamber music presentations or pre-concert talks
prior to each of the six evening Great Composers Festival concerts.
These mini-chamber music concerts or talks begin at 18:15, last
approximately 30 minutes, and are included in the ticket price of the
main concerts, which begin at 19:30. Ticket-holders have the option
of arriving early for the 18:15 event, or coming at 19:30 if they
wish to attend only the main concert. The July 20 family concert
includes pre-concert activities in the Foyer.
For the second year, the National Arts Centre will be alive with
activities all day long on July 1. Pinchas Zukerman will lead the
National Arts Centre Orchestra in a special Canada Day concert in
Southam Hall at 19:30 as well as a rehearsal open to the public at
15:30. Unisong will again bring choirs together from across the
country for a special concert in Southam Hall at 10:00. These young
singers will also be part of the Orchestra concerts. Other
performances and activities will take place in the Foyers and on the
Terraces throughout the day. The National Arts Centre's Canada
Day activities are presented by Rogers Television and CPAC -
The Cable Public Affairs Channel. (See separate release for more
details).
Other special concerts in the month of July include the final
concert of the NAC Conductors Programme on July 3; l'Orchestre
de la francophonie led by Jean-Philippe Tremblay on July 19; the
National Youth Orchestra of Canada led by Kazuyoshi Akiyama on July
26; and a co-presentation with the Ottawa International Jazz Festival
of Cleo Laine and John Dankworth with the NAC Orchestra on July
28.
The National Arts Centre Young Artists Programme has expanded in
length to three weeks from two (June 17 to July 6) and will bring 32
young musicians, age 15 to 29, from across Canada and outside the
country to Ottawa for music training with Pinchas Zukerman and an
international faculty. Some of these young artists can be seen during
the Great Composers Festival, and in additional events at the
University of Ottawa where the Young Artists Programme takes place.
(See separate release for more details.) The associate sponsor of the
Young Artists Programme is Galaxie: The Continuous Music Network.
The National Arts Centre Conductors Programme runs from June 24 to
July 3 during which time conductors from Canada and abroad will study
under master conductor Jorma Panula as well as Pinchas Zukerman. The
programme culminates in a final concert on July 3 where four of the
participants will be chosen to lead the National Arts Centre
Orchestra in a free concert of classical favourites. (See separate
release for more details.)
These advanced training programmes are supported by the NAC's
National Youth and Education Trust with special thanks to TELUS,
Founding Partner of the Trust, Clarica, Corus Entertainment, the
American Friends of Canada, and the J. Armand Bombardier
Foundation.
The Great Composers Festival is priced affordably for summer
audiences with tickets for the National Arts Centre Orchestra
concerts on July 5, 9, 11, 16 and 25 selling for $14, $25 and $34.
For a special all-inclusive price of $88, you can choose any four of
these NAC Orchestra concerts (in the top price level.) The chamber
music concert on July 6 is $15, or may be added to any other Great
Composer's Festival concert for just $5. The children's
concert on July 20 is $12 for children and $16 for adults.
Tickets are on sale now 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.
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.
July 1 Canada Day events are free with no tickets required.
Special concerts on July 3, 19 and 26 are free with tickets
available in person at the NAC Box Office.
Tickets for the July 28 Cleo Laine/John Dankworth concert are
included in the price of an Ottawa International Jazz Festival Bronze
Pass, or can be purchased individually at $20 by calling (613)
241-2633. This concert takes place in Confederation Park.
Great Composers Festival 2002 concerts
Tribute to Schubert
Friday, July 5
Pinchas Zukerman, conductor
Gary Hoffman, cello
Chamber Music (18:15)
Featuring faculty and members of the Young Artists Programme
Orchestral Concert (19:30)
HAYDN Cello Concerto No. 1 in C major
SCHUBERT Symphony No. 8 in B minor, D759, "Unfinished"
SCHUBERT Overture to "Rosamunde" D644
Chamber Music Extravaganza
Saturday, July 6
Pinchas Zukerman, violin and viola
Gary Hoffman, cello
Chamber Music (18:15)
Featuring faculty and members of the Young Artists Programme
Main concert (19:30)
ARENSKY Quartet No. 2 in A minor, Op. 35
BRAHMS String Sextet No. 1 in B-flat major, Op. 18
Great Baroque Composers
Tuesday, July 9
Pinchas Zukerman, conductor and violin
Charles Hamann, oboe
Karen Donnelly, trumpet
Joanna G'froerer, flute
Cantata Singers of Ottawa
Laurence Ewashko, director
Chamber Music (18:15)
Orchestral Concert (19:30)
J.S. BACH Partita in A minor for solo flute, BWV1013
J.S. BACH Concerto for Oboe and Violin, BWV 1060
FASCH Concerto for Trumpet, Two Oboes and Strings in D major
J.S. BACH, PERGOLESI, VIVALDI Selected choruses
Celebrating Mozart
Thursday, July 11
Pinchas Zukerman, conductor and violin
Stewart Goodyear, piano
Kimball Sykes, clarinet
Donnie Deacon, violin
Jane Logan, viola
Amanda Forsyth, cello
Chamber Music (18:15)
MOZART Clarinet Quintet in A major, K581, "Stadler"
Orchestral Concert (19:30)
MOZART Serenade No. 6 in D major, K239 "Serenata notturna"
MOZART Piano Concerto No. 20 in D minor, K466
MOZART Symphony No. 25 in G minor, K183
Ravel/Mendelssohn/Dvorák
Tuesday, July 16
Pinchas Zukerman, conductor and violin
Sayaka Shoji, violin
Jennifer Swartz, harp
Pre-concert talk (18:15)
Orchestral Concert (19:30)
RAVEL Introduction and Allegro
MENDELSSOHN Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64
DVORÁK Symphony No. 8 in G major, Op. 88
Judy and David's Symphonic Adventure
Saturday, July 20
Jean-Philippe Tremblay, conductor
Judy and David
Pre-concert activities (12:30)
Orchestral Concert (13:30)
Canada's hottest children's entertainers, Judy and David,
who perform twice daily on YTV, and who have sold over 5 million
children's recordings, make their NAC Orchestra debut. Their
Symphonic Adventure, in which they engage the audience in a zany
search for the conductor's missing baton, is so much fun that
kids may not realize how much they're learning about the
orchestra along the way!
The Three "Bs": Brahms, Bach and Beethoven
Thursday, July 25
Gregory Vajda, conductor
Angela Hewitt, piano
Pre-concert Talk (18:15)
Orchestral concert (19:30)
BRAHMS Hungarian Dances
J.S. BACH Keyboard Concerto in D minor, BWV 1052
J.S. BACH Keyboard Concerto in F minor, BWV 1056
BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92
Special Concerts
Canada Day
Presented by Rogers Television and CPAC - The Cable Public
Affairs Channel
Monday, July 1
Pinchas Zukerman, conductor
Jean-Philippe Tremblay, conductor
Members of Unisong
The NAC Orchestra, participants in the NAC Young Artists Programme
and Unisong choirs from across Canada join in a musical celebration
of Canada's birthday. The concerts are part of day-long
festivities throughout the NAC.
10:00 Unisong
15:30 NAC Orchestra open rehearsal
19:30 NAC Orchestra concert
No ticket required.
NAC Conductors Programme
Wednesday, July 3 (19:30)
Promising conductors will work for 10 days with master conductors
Jorma Panula and Pinchas Zukerman culminating in this final concert
where four will be selected to lead the National Arts Centre
Orchestra in a programme of classical favourites.
Free tickets are available in person at the NAC Box Office.
L'Orchestre de la Francophonie canadienne
Friday, July 19 (19:30)
Jean-Philippe Tremblay, conductor
Julie Boulianne, mezzo-soprano
GOUGEON À l'aventure
CHAUSSON Poème de l'amour et de la mer
TCHAIKOVSKY Symphony No. 4 in F minor, Op. 36
The NAC Orchestra's Apprentice Conductor, a graduate of last
year's NAC Conductors Programme, leads a concert with his own
orchestra founded last year in honour of Les Jeux de la
Francophonie.
Free tickets may be picked up in person at the NAC Box Office.
National Youth Orchestra of Canada
Friday, July 26 (19:30)
Kazuyoshi Akiyama, conductor
R. STRAUSS Tone Poem Don Juan, Op. 20
RESPIGHI The Pines of Rome
PROKOFIEV Symphony No. 6 in E-flat minor, Op. 111
Free tickets are available in person at the NAC Box Office
Cleo Laine and John Dankworth
Sunday, July 28 (20:00)
Cleo Laine, vocalist
John Dankworth, conductor and piano
A co-presentation of the Ottawa International Jazz Festival and
the National Arts Centre. (Great Composer Festival discounts do not
apply to this concert.)
Confederation Park
Admission included with purchase of Ottawa International Jazz
Festival Bronze Pass.
Single ticket price: $20.00
Tickets: (613) 241-2633
