October 14, 2004 -

Ottawa, Canada -- The National Arts Centre Orchestra’s star principal cello Amanda Forsyth is the soloist for the Elgar Cello Concerto, a grandiose and haunting work rarely performed by the NAC Orchestra, in concerts on Wednesday, October 20 and Thursday, October 21 at 20:00 in NAC’s Southam Hall. NAC Orchestra Music Director Pinchas Zukerman is on the podium to lead Forsyth in the famous concerto, which the Orchestra last played in 1990. The concerts open with selections from Mozart’s Don Giovanni arranged for wind octet and double bass, and also feature Beethoven’s Symphony No. 4 in B-flat major. The concert of October 20 is sponsored by GE Canada.

There are free pre-concert talks both evenings given at the NAC in English by music critic Jean-Jacques van Vlasselaer starting at 19:00. His title is “Beethoven’s Full Swing, and Elgar’s Last Burst.”

Amanda Forsyth’s relationship with the Elgar Concerto began with her studies in England under William Pleeth, who had also been the teacher of Jacqueline du Pré’s. Du Pré, the celebrated British cellist whose stellar career was cut tragically short by multiple sclerosis, is the musician with whom the concerto became most closely associated. Amanda was the first child student that Pleeth had taken on since du Pré, who often performed the concerto with her husband Daniel Barenboim on the podium. Pinchas Zukerman, a close friend and frequent musical collaborator of Barenboim and the late du Pré, will now conduct his wife Amanda in the Elgar.

Elgar premiered his Cello Concerto in 1919 shortly after the close of World War I. It was his last important work and, as Programme Annotator Robert Markow writes, “Into it he poured his most personal utterances and the sense of resignation that affects those in the autumn of their lives.  The mournful, poignant tone of the cello seems to emphasize this quality, further heightened by the restraint with which Elgar uses the orchestra in this work.”  It is an audience favourite, and one of Elgar’s best-known works. Pinchas Zukerman has a special affinity for the works of Elgar and is a champion of another Elgar masterpiece – his Violin Concerto in B minor.

Born in South Africa, Amanda Forsyth came to Canada as a child and began playing the cello at age three.  She started her musical education in Canada and after her studies with William Pleeth in London, England, she studied with the renowned pedagogue Harvey Shapiro at the Juilliard School in New York and with Lynn Harrell in Los Angeles.  By the time she was 24 years old she had performed two seasons with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and was appointed principal cello of the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra by conductor Mario Bernardi.  She has been principal cello of the NAC Orchestra since 1999.

As a soloist and chamber musician Forsyth has collaborated with illustrious artists including, Lynn Harrell, Yo-Yo Ma, Pierre Boulez, Gary Hoffman, Ralph Kirshbaum, Mario Bernardi, Garrick Ohlsson, Jon Kimura Parker, Yefim Bronfman, Louis Lortie, Jaime Laredo, Sharon Robinson, the Orion Quartet, Michael Tree, Arnold Steinhardt and Pinchas Zukerman. Recent engagements include appearances with the Toronto Symphony, Montreal Symphony, Vancouver Symphony, and New West Symphony in California, as well as at Carnegie Hall, the Washington Library of Congress, Fiddlefest Gala in New York, Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival and the Austin Symphony Orchestra in Texas. Forsyth is a member of the Zukerman Chamber Players, a string ensemble which appeared to critical acclaim during international tours in 2003 and 2004 with performances at festivals in Canada, the U.S. and Europe.

Tickets for these Ovation Series concerts on October 20 and 21 are on sale now at $27.00, $46.00, $57.00 and $59.00, with box seats at $77.50 (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

Subscriptions for the season are also still available by calling the Subscription Office at 613-947-7000, ext. 620.

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