November 14, 2005 -

Ottawa -- Today, for the first time ever, more than 8,700 elementary school students from across Alberta will be able to watch a real-time concert by Canada’s National Arts Centre (NAC) Orchestra without having to leave their respective schools.  As part of a performance and education tour of Alberta and Saskatchewan, the National Arts Centre Orchestra will perform the Vivaldi and the Four Seasons concert for a live audience of grades four to six students in Grande Prairie.  The concert, which will feature two young Alberta soloists, will simultaneously be webcast via the Alberta SuperNet to more than 130 schools, the majority of which are located in rural Alberta.

“We are so happy to be able to use the Alberta SuperNet to bring this concert to students because it means we can reach so many more children,” said NAC Music Education Director Claire Speed. “It’s these kinds of innovate partnerships that allow us to bring music education to those teachers and students who may not have as much access to it as they would like. It’s going to be a magical day.”

Through support from Bell Canada, participating schools will get to see and hear the Vivaldi and the Four Seasons performance featuring Saskatchewan native storyteller and singer/songwriter Joseph Naytowhow and two young Alberta violinists –Meghan Nenninger, 13, of Calgary, and Maria van der Sloot, 12, of Medicine Hat. These talented performers will play the first movement of the Bach Double Concerto with the Orchestra. Both of these rising stars study at the Mount Royal College Conservatory in Calgary.

“Bell is commited to initiatives that inspire and connect students in communities across Canada,” said Steve Lake, Chief Operating Officer, Bell in the West. “Our partnership with the NAC is a rare opportunitiy to showcase the Alberta SuperNet, while revealing that classical music can be fun and accessible to students everywhere.”

The concert, is just one of over 90 educational events that the NAC Orchestra will undertake while touring Alberta and Saskatchewan this month in honour of the provinces’ centennials.

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About the National Arts Centre
Canada’s National Arts Centre plays a leadership role in education and community outreach, and in the use of new technology to reach Canadians from coast to coast. The NAC Orchestra Tour is supported by Alberta Presenting Sponsor EPCOR, Saskatchewan Presenting Sponsor CN, with additional Major Support for Alberta by CN. The National Post is the Tour’s national media partner.  Follow the tour online at www.artsalive.ca.

About Alberta SuperNet
Alberta SuperNet is a broadband network linking approximately 4,200 government, health, library and education facilities in 429 communities across the province at affordable and sustainable costs to the Government of Alberta. Additionally, Alberta SuperNet creates a competitive market for the delivery of broadband services by private Internet service providers throughout the province to rural retail customers. Alberta SuperNet is comprised of a Base Area Network, constructed, owned and operated by Bell in 27 of Alberta’s largest communities. The Extended Area Network is comprised of 402 communities in rural Alberta. For more information, visit www.albertasupernet.ca

About Bell Canada
Bell Canada, Canada's national leader in communications, provides connectivity to residential and business customers through wired and wireless voice and data communications, local and long distance phone services, high speed and wireless Internet access, IP-broadband services, e-business solutions and satellite television services. Bell Canada is wholly owned by BCE Inc. For more information, visit www.bell.ca

For more information, please contact:
Mary Gordon
National Arts Centre
Tel: (613) 947-7000 Ext. 524

Darren Roberts
Bell Canada
Tel: (604) 647-2918

Jane Morris
National Arts Centre (on tour)
Cell: (613) 302-0727