November 09, 2005 -

OTTAWA, CANADA -- National Arts Centre Music Director Pinchas Zukerman and children in Regina, Calgary and Ottawa will perform part of Antonio Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons together in front of live audiences through the latest in broadband videoconference technology on Thursday Nov. 10.

Over 70 children, most of whom are Aboriginal, will participate in this live event.  The children are from St. Augustine Community School in Regina SK, Chief Old Sun School in Siksika just east of Calgary AB, the Kana:takon School in St. Regis (Akwesasne) QC and the Akwesasne Mohawk School on Cornwall Island (Awkesasne) ON.

The public is welcome to attend the free, public presentations of Music Connexions at the locations listed below. Please call the RSVP number in your area to reserve a seat.

Regina
Atrium, First Nations University
2:00 - 3:30 pm
RSVP (306) 790-5950 x 0

Calgary
Leacock Theatre, Mount Royal College
1:00 - 2:30 pm
RSVP: (403) 440-5055

Ottawa
Rehearsal Hall B, National Arts Centre
3:00 - 4:30 pm
RSVP: (613) 947-7000 x 550

For more information, contact:
Mary Gordon
Communications Advisor
National Arts Centre
(613) 947-7000 x 524

Jane Morris
Communications Officer
National Arts Centre Orchestra
Cell: (613) 302-0727

Yamaha Canada and local distributors of St John’s Music in Regina, Calgary and Ottawa supported Music Connexions by supplying recorders, method books and partial funding for recorder clinics.

The National Arts Centre plays a national role in education and community outreach, and in the use of new technology to reach Canadians from coast to coast. Music Connexions  is just one of over 90 educational events taking place as part of the orchestra’s performance and education tour to Alberta and Saskatchewan, Nov. 7-19.

The tour will see orchestra members visit Regina, Melville, Prince Albert, Humboldt and Saskatoon. Alberta events include stops in Grande Prairie, Medicine Hat, Calgary, Edmonton, Spruce Grove, Stony Plain, Banff, Red Deer and Lethbridge.

The NAC Orchestra Alberta-Saskatchewan Tour is supported by Alberta Presenting Sponsor EPCOR and Saskatchewan Presenting Sponsor CN, with additional Major Support in Alberta from CN. Bell is the Technology Sponsor in Alberta. The Tour’s Education Sponsors are ConocoPhillips in Alberta and SaskEnergy in Saskatchewan. True Energy Inc. is the Saskatchewan Community Sponsor. Special funding for the Tour’s education programs is provided by Education Donor CIBC, National Arts Centre Friends – Alberta and donors to the NAC’s National Youth and Education Trust. The National Post is the Tour’s National Media Partner.

Special thanks to the Interdepartmental Partnership with the Official-Language Communities (IPOLC) and supporters of the National Youth and Education Trust.

Follow the tour online at www.artsalive.ca.

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