May 28, 2004 -

Ottawa, Canada -- The final concert of the National Arts Centre Orchestra’s subscription season takes place on Thursday, June 3 and Friday, June 4, when former Principal Guest Conductor Franz-Paul Decker returns to the podium with a fiery programme of Spanish music including works by de Falla, Albeniz, Rodrigo, and featuring two very special guest artists – NAC Orchestra principal flute Joanna G’froerer and Spanish castanet virtuoso Lucero Tena. These Bostonian Bravo concerts take place at 20:00 in the NAC’s Southam Hall.

Joanna G’froerer will perform Rodrigo’s Fantasia para un gentilhombre, a work the late Spanish composer originally composed for the guitar of Andrés Segovia, which was later arranged for flute by James Galway. Joanna G’froerer was invited by conductor Maximiano Valdés to Spain to record the Rodrigo with the Orquesta Sinfonica del Principado de Asturias. The resulting Naxos CD, released in Canada in February, has received rave reviews. Richard Todd wrote in the Ottawa Citizen: “G’Froerer plays gorgeously. (Has anyone ever heard her play another way?)”; and Rick Phillips of CBC Sound Advice gave the recording 5 stars out of 5, saying “I thought that the big lush vibrato rich flute tone of James Galway never really fit the music and here on this new Naxos disc, Joanna G’froerer uses a cleaner, more pure and focussed sound that I preferred and that did these works better justice.” Joanna will be in the Foyer after the concert for a CD signing.

Lucero Tena has raised castanet performance to the level of an art form by blending rhythmic sensibility, precise calibration of sound intensities, and above all a masterful perfection of technique. Composers like Joaquin Rodrigo, Federico Moreno-Torroba, Leonardo Balada and Enrique Llacer-Regoli have composed music especially for her, and she has performed with conductors such as Lorin Maazel, Mstislav Rostropovich, Rafel Fruhbeck de Burgos, as well as Franz-Paul Decker with whom she made her NAC Orchestra debut in 1993. Her unique personal style has led to the castanets being introduced into the great concert halls as a solo instrument. The term “castanet concertist” was created especially for her, and is entirely appropriate for the style of performance she has taken all over the world. 

Lucero Tena will perform Luigi Boccherini’s Introducción y Fandango arranged by Abril; Tomás Bretón’s Zapateado; Amadeo Vives’ “Fandango” from Doña Francisquita; and Pablo de Sarasate’s  Finale from Zigeunerweisen.

Franz-Paul Decker will conduct the NAC Orchestra in Manuel de Falla’s El Amor Brujo, and excerpts from Albeniz’s Suite Española orchestrated by Raphael Frühbeck de Burgos). Maestro Decker is a conductor of international reputation who has played an important role in Canadian musical life.  He has been a regular guest conductor of the National Arts Centre Orchestra since 1976 and was Principal Guest Conductor from 1991 to 1999. Maestro Decker is Principal Guest Conductor of the Orquestra Simfònica de Barcelona, where he was Music Director from 1986 to 1992.  In September 1995 he was named Conductor Laureate of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra with whom he has enjoyed a highly acclaimed association of 30 years.

Tickets for these Bostonian Bravo Series concerts on June 3 and 4 are on sale now at $27.00, $45.00, $56.00 and $58.00, with box seats at $73.00 (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.  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. Groups of 20 and more save up to 20% on NAC Music, Theatre and Dance performances.  To book call 947-7000 ext. 384 or email grp@nac-cna.ca.

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