April 11, 2005 -

Ottawa, Canada -- On Monday, April 18, 2005, the Foyer of the National Arts Centre will be the venue for a men and women’s fashion show, the proceeds of which will support the National Arts Centre Orchestra’s music education programmes.

Organized by the National Arts Centre Orchestra Association (NACOA) in partnership with Anik Women’s Boutique, Harry Rosen, the Ben Barry Agency, and CBC, the evening will begin at 7:30 p.m. with wine and nibbles. A brass trio consisting of Karen Donnelly on trumpet, Jill Kirwan on horn, and Donald Renshaw on trombone, all members of the National Arts Centre Orchestra, will perform Francois Poulenc’s Sonata for Brass Trio, a lively composition which will help create the ambiance for the fashion show which will follow.

“Last year’s fashion show was an enormous success, both in supporting the National Arts Centre Orchestra’s music education programmes and in profiling the Orchestra and its members in a new and exciting manner, and we’re convinced this year’s will be even bigger and better,” said Josie Finestone, the President of NACOA.

Hosted by Lucy van Oldenbarneveld from CBC Radio’s Ottawa Morning and Jasmine Lalonde from Radio Canada evening television, the fashion show will feature men’s clothing from Harry Rosen and women’s fashions from Anik Boutique. Both men and women’s fashions will cover the full gamut from smart casual to evening wear. The clothes will be modelled by professional models from the Ben Barry Agency and, again this year, by members of the Orchestra, including Lev Berenshteyn, Donnie Deacon, Jill Kirwan, Christopher Millard, Margaret Munro-Tobolowska, Elizabeth Simpson, David Thies-Thompson, and Winston Webber.   The evening will end with coffee and desserts, and attendees will also have the opportunity to participate in a silent auction and a Balloon Tombola.

The National Arts Centre Orchestra Association is the primary volunteer support organization of the National Arts Centre Orchestra and was created alongside the Orchestra in 1969. Since then, NACOA has helped to support and promote the Orchestra’s activities and to cultivate future musicians and audiences with its commitment to music education programmes for young people. Through its many fundraising activities throughout the year, NACOA funds bursaries and scholarships for aspiring young musicians, pre-concert activities for the TD Bank Financial Group Young People’s Concerts at the NAC, the Music in the Schools Programme with members of the NAC Orchestra and the Young Artists Programme at the NAC, created by Maestro Pinchas Zukerman.

Tickets for the Moda Forte fashion show, a portion of which is tax deductible, cost $65 ($60 for NACOA members). They 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 be accessed through the NAC’s website at www.nac-cna.ca.  Tickets may also be purchased at Anik Boutique, 334 Cumberland St., and Harry Rosen at the Rideau Centre. For information please contact Sue Cassone at (613) 858-3404.