January 22, 2003 -

The opening concert of the Music for a Sunday Afternoon series on February 9 features violinist Pinchas Zukerman in sextets by Dvorák and Brahms, and contralto Marie-Nicole Lemieux singing Chausson

Ottawa, Canada - The opening concert of this season's Music for a Sunday Afternoon chamber music series features the National Arts Centre Orchestra's Music Director Pinchas Zukerman, one of the finest chamber musicians in the world, playing first violin in two of the most beautiful sextets ever written. And as if that were not enough to excite music-lovers, the rising Quebec vocal star, contralto Marie-Nicole Lemieux, will sing Chausson's Chanson perpétuelle on the same programme. This concert takes place on Sunday, February 9 at 14:00 in the Auditorium of the National Gallery of Canada.

Chanson perpétuelle, a haunting depiction of lost love from a woman's perspective, will be sung by contralto Marie-Nicole Lemieux, who is also the soloist on the National Arts Centre Orchestra concerts earlier the same week (February 5-6). This winner of the "Queen Fabiola" and the "Special Lied" Prizes at the International Queen Elisabeth Competition will be joined by pianist Jean Desmarais, and NAC Orchestra musicians Martin Riseley and Leah Roseman on violin, Donnie Deacon on viola, and Elizabeth Dolin on cello.

The full-throated lyricism of Dvorák's Sextet in A major, and the intensity of Brahms's Sextet No. 2 in G major, will be brought to life by an impressive ensemble of musicians. Pinchas Zukerman will be joined on violin by Jessica Linnebach, an alumna of the NAC Young Artists Programme who performed as soloist with the Orchestra on its Tour 2000 to the Middle East and Europe. Violists are Jethro Marks, another graduate of the Young Artists Programme who also studied with Zukerman at the Manhattan School of Music, and Donnie Deacon, who is usually heard as principal second violin of the NAC Orchestra. Cellists are NACO principal cellist Amanda Forsyth and cellist Margaret Munro Tobolowska.

This Music for a Sunday Afternoon series concert, presented in collaboration with the National Gallery of Canada, takes place on Sunday, February 9 at 14:00. Tickets at $26.00 (GST and facility fee included) 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. Student tickets at $13.50 are on sale in person at the NAC Box Office upon presentation of a valid student ID card. Music for a Sunday Afternoon tickets may also be purchased one hour before the concert outside the Auditorium of the National Gallery.

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