January 19, 2007 -

Ottawa, Canada -- The National Arts Centre Orchestra conducted by Gary Kulesha and featuring soloists Nicholas Atkinson (tuba) and Joanna G’froerer (principal flute) will workshop new pieces by Canadian composers Christien Ledroit and F.R.C. Clarke on Wednesday, January 24 at 19:30 at Dominion Chalmers Church (355 Cooper Street – corner of O’Connor). The concert is part of the Canadian Music Centre’s Professional Reading Series (Ontario Region), and is presented in collaboration with the NAC New Music Programme. Admission is free and no tickets are required.

Christien Ledroit’s Concerto for Tuba will be performed by NAC Orchestra tuba player Nicholas Atkinson. The composer says it “has some aspects of the standard concerto, including trading off sections with the orchestra and virtuosic displays of skill, but through much it is more rhapsodic, with the tuba taking a lyrical role over an accompanimental background.” F.R.C. Clarke’s Divertimento for Flute and Strings will be performed by Joanna G’froerer. Each work will be performed twice, with an opportunity between performances for discussion amongst the performers and composer.

Christien Ledroit was born in 1975 in London, Ontario. He studied music composition at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario and completed a Master of Music degree in composition at McGill University in Montreal in 2002. He has studied with an eclectic group of composers including Michael Colgrass, Sean Ferguson, Jean Lesage, alcides lanza, Alfred Fisher, John Burge and Marjan Mozetich. Since high school Christien has played guitar in a punk band, while still continuing to develop technique on the violin and in contemporary art music. It is precisely this dichotomy which most influences his music today. Christien has received commissions and awards from many sources including two SOCAN Young Composers Competition awards. Christien now lives in Hamilton with his wife Stefanie and daughter Ramona.

F.R.C. Clarke was born in Vancouver in 1931 and went to Toronto in 1949 to study at the Royal Conservatory of Music and the Faculty of Music at the University of Toronto. In 1951 he received the Royal Conservatory Gold Medal in Organ; in 1952 he became a fellow of the Royal Canadian College of Organists; in 1954 he received the degree of Doctor of Music from the University of Toronto. Dr. Clarke moved to Kingston, Ontario in 1958 to become organist/choirmaster at Sydenham St. United Church (a post he held for 40 years) and conductor at the Kingston Choral Society (1958 to 1977). In 1964 he joined the faculty of the Queen's University Music Department (now School of Music), and from 1981 to 1991 he was Director of the School. He is now professor emeritus. As a composer Dr. Clarke has won several awards and published over 30 works (mostly choral, organ and piano pieces).

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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