May 16, 2007 -

Ottawa, Canada -- This season's TD Canada Trust Young People's Concert season concludes its celebration of the orchestra family with "Song of the Wild" – an enchanting musical portrait of the animal kingdom led by Principal Youth and Family Conductor Boris Brott on Saturday, May 26 at 13:30 and 15:30 in the afternoon. The spotlight will be on the string section of the orchestra along with special guests from the hugely popular circus-theatre troupe The 7 Fingers (Les 7 doigts de la main) and the Ottawa Chinese Arts Troupe, as well as two young Ottawa string virtuosi Stanley and Kerson Leong. Musical selections for the bilingual programme for kids 5 and up and their grown-up friends include Peter and the Wolf, Carnival of the Animals and a suite from Disney's The Lion King.

The concert ticket includes "Tunetown", pre-concert activities in the NAC Foyer organized by the Friends of the NAC Orchestra 45 minutes prior to each concert, beginning at 12:45 for the first concert and 14:45 for the second concert. Activities for this concert include the opportunity to try out an assortment of stringed instruments with SuzukiMusic; make animal face masks; meet representatives from Music for Young Children, the Ottawa Field Naturalists and the Canadian Wildlife Federation; check out theme-related books from the Ottawa Public Library, and learn about Environment Canada, the Ottawa Youth Orchestra Academy, CAMMAC and Music Magic.

Fucik's Entrance of the Gladiators will get the concert off to a jolly start, followed by themes from Prokofiev's ever-popular Peter and the Wolf. The Ottawa Chinese Theatre Troupe will perform a traditional Peacock Dance and Lion Dance. The menagerie of Saint-Saens's Carnival of the Animals will be brought to life by the amazing performers of the circus troupe The Seven Fingers. Two young Ottawa prodigies, Stanley and Kerson Leong, will have the chance to shine: Stanley, a 12-year-old cellist, will be featured in Saint-Saens The Swan while Kerson, a 9-year-old violinist, will perform Schubert's The Bee. After Mancini's The Pink Panther, this season's Young People's Concert series, will come to a close with an orchestral suite from Disney's The Lion King.

All TD Canada Trust Young People's Concerts feature NACOtron presented in collaboration with Rogers Television. Five 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 "Song of the Wild" on Saturday, May 26 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.

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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