January 08, 2007 -

Ottawa (Canada) -- Continuing this season’s celebration of the orchestra family, the next TD Canada Trust Young People’s Concerts on Saturday, January 13 at 13:30 and 15:30 in the afternoon will put the spotlight on the percussion section of the National Arts Centre Orchestra. Led by Principal Youth and Family Conductor Boris Brott, “The Rhythm of Life” shows how music can reflect the rhythms of the world around us, and how an orchestra can make time speed up and stand still. Special guests include famed storyteller Roch Carrier, the Loyal Kijabiro Drum Ensemble, Bangers and Smash, and three young guest percussionists, two of whom are former prize-winners in the annual NACO Bursary Competition: Reynaliz Herrera and Jean-Sébastien Lacombe.

The bilingual programme for kids 5 and up and their grown-up friends features music by Britten, Haydn, Glazunov, Rimsky-Korsakov and much more – all featuring percussion and illustrating the theme of life’s rhythms, including plenty of audience participation.

The concert ticket includes Pre-Concert Activities in the NAC Foyer organized by the Friends of the NAC Orchestra (formerly NACOA) 45 minutes prior to each concert, beginning at 12:45 for the first concert and 14:45 for the second concert. Activities include the opportunity to try out a wide assortment of instruments of the percussion section; meet Ian Black, Weather Specialist for CBC TV News at 6; enjoy a performance-demonstration by the Mallet Maniacs Marimba Ensemble; check out theme-related books from the Ottawa Public Library; see the NTrak Miniature Railroad; and participate in clock craft.

The National Arts Centre Orchestra will perform excerpts from Haydn’s Clock Symphony, the percussion variation from Benjamin Britten’s “Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra”, Anderson’s The Syncopated Clock, the “Snow and Hail” section of Glazunov’s The Seasons, the Toccata from Villa-Lobos’s Bachianas Brasileiras, and Schinstine’s Rock Trap.

Famed Canadian storyteller Roch Carrier will read from his tale The Flying Canoe accompanied by Reynaliz Herrera, the young Mexican percussionist who has been studying in Ottawa since the NAC Orchestra met her on its U.S. Mexico Tour. Reynaliz will also be joined by Jean-Sébastien Lacombe and Alex MacFarlane in her own composition Tres para tres para tres.The Loyal Kijabiro Drum Ensemble will play the Sacred Drums of Burundi . Everyone will leave the hall still bouncing to the “Russian Sailors Dance” from Gliere’s The Red Poppy.

All TD Canada Trust Young People’s Concerts feature NACOtron presented in collaboration with Rogers Television. Three television cameras positioned on stage and in the hall capture live video images of the musicians while they are performing, and these images are projected onto a giant screen above the stage allowing the audience to watch the action in close-up.

The Ottawa Citizen is the media partner of the TD Canada Trust Young People’s Concerts.

Tickets for “The Rhythm of Life” on Saturday, January 13 at 13:30 and 15:30, including Pre-Concert Activities, are $15.88 for children and $22.88 for adults (including GST and Facility Fee where applicable) and 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. Visit the National Arts Centre’s web site at www.nac-cna.ca.

Groups of 10 and more save 15% to 20% off the regular price of tickets to NAC Music, Theatre and Dance performances. To reserve your seats call 947-7000 ext. 384 or email grp@nac-cna.ca.

Subscriptions to the three remaining TD Canada Trust Young People’s Concert series, including a special Family-of-Four pack, are also still available by calling the Subscription Office at 613-947-7000, ext. 620.

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