April 04, 2005 -

Ottawa, Canada -- American conductor Lawrence Foster returns to the podium of the National Arts Centre Orchestra in a programme that features the dazzling young pianist Jonathan Biss – the first American chosen to participate in the BBC’s New Generation Artist program and the 2002 Gilmore Young Artist Award-winner – performing Mendelssohn’s Piano Concerto No. 1 in G minor. These Mark Motors Audi Signature Series concerts on Wednesday, April 13 and Thursday, April 14 at 20:00 in the NAC’s Southam Hall also include Beethoven’s Overture, Adagio and Finale from the ballet The Creatures of Prometheus and Haydn’s “Surprise” Symphony (No. 94), possibly the most popular of all the symphonies by this prolific composer.

Conductor Lawrence Foster will give pre-concert talks in English both nights to introduce the concerts.

Twenty-four-year-old Jonathan Biss has already proved himself an accomplished and exceptional musician with a flourishing international reputation through his orchestral and recital performances in North America and Europe.  He has performed with many of the world’s leading orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic, the Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, and Seattle Symphony Orchestras, the Munich and Rotterdam Philharmonics, and the Staatskapelle Berlin. He has also performed in recital in major U.S. and European cities. EMI Classics has just released his highly anticipated recording debut on its EMI Classics “Debut” series, a series that spotlights artists on the brink of major international careers.

Jonathan Biss represents the third generation in a family of professional musicians, which includes his grandmother Raya Garbousova, one of the first well-known female cellists (for whom Samuel Barber composed his Cello Concerto), as well as his parents, violinist Miriam Fried and violist/violinist Paul Biss, his first musical collaborators. He is a former student of Leon Fleisher at The Curtis Institute of Music.

Lawrence Foster is a frequent guest conductor with the orchestras of Los Angeles, Montreal, Chicago and Houston, as well as the Deutsche Oper of Berlin among others. He has been Music Director of the Gulbenkian Orchestra, Lisbon, since 2002 and is Music Advisor to the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra of which he was formerly Music Director. He was also formerly Music Director of the Barcelona Symphony Orchestra and National Orchestra of Catalunya of which he is now as Principal Guest Conductor.

Please note that Beethoven’s Creatures of Prometheus replaces the previously announced world premiere of a commission by NAC Award Composer Alexina Louie. This premiere will now take place next season on February 22 and 23, 2006, in order to give the composer more time to complete her work. Lawrence Foster replaces Alexina Louie as Pre-Concert Talks speaker.

Tickets for these Mark Motors Audi Signature Series concerts on April 13 and 14 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

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