National Arts Centre presents the third annual Conductors
Programme, June 23-July 3, led by Finnish master conductor Jorma
Panula and NAC Orchestra Music Director Pinchas Zukerman
May 13, 2003 -
Ottawa, Canada - The National Arts Centre will present its
third annual Conductors Programme from Monday, June 23 to Thursday,
July 3. This programme provides a valuable opportunity in Canada for
experienced conductors to develop to a higher level under the expert
guidance of accomplished orchestra leaders. Participants were
selected from applications received from Canada and abroad to
participate in the programme at three different levels, during which
they will work with Finnish conductor and master teacher Jorma
Panula, and National Arts Centre Orchestra Music Director Pinchas
Zukerman.
Of the 56 applicants to the Conductors Programme, eight have been
selected for full participation in the programme. An additional four
will be participating auditors who will receive one day of
conducting. Eight others will audit the programme.
During the programme, the eight full participants will undergo ten
days of intensive study in a master class format conducting a string
quintet of participants in the NAC Young Artists Programme. In the
final two days of the programme, on July 2 and 3, up to four
participants will have the opportunity to rehearse and conduct the
National Arts Centre Orchestra in the NAC's Southam Hall. This
will culminate in a free public concert on Thursday, July 3, at
19:30, for which tickets may be picked up in person at the NAC Box
Office.
Conducting sessions for each participant will be videotaped, and
these videos used as the basis for detailed discussion each day.
Included in the Programme will be orchestration sessions led by
Maestro Panula and evening information sessions with staff and
members of the National Arts Centre Orchestra and invited guests.
From the candidates showing the greatest promise during the
training sessions, a candidate may be selected to undertake an
apprentice role with the National Arts Centre Orchestra in future
concert seasons. Jean-Philippe Tremblay, a participant in the 2001
Conductors Programme, is currently completing a two-year period as
Apprentice Conductor of the Orchestra.
The eight full participants are: Oscar Bustillo (USA),
Béatrice Cadrin (Sainte-Foy, QC, Canada), Rodrigo de Carvalho
(Brazil), Jeffrey Domoto (USA), James Fellenbaum (USA), Lawrence
Golan (USA), Pietari Inkinen (Finland), and Jin Kim (USA).
The auditor-participants are: Shalom Bard (Canada/Israel), Jason
Caslor (North Battleford, SK, Canada), Clay Couturiaux (USA), and
Matthew Kraemer (USA).
The auditors are: John Antonopoulos (Montreal, QC, Canada), David
Bourque (Toronto, ON, Canada), Jean-Michael Lavoie (Verdun, QC,
Canada), Paul Arnold (Kingston, ON, Canada), Stéphane Potvin
(Deschaillons, QC, Canada), William Bayer (Halifax, NS, Canada),
Hugues Laforte-Bouchard (Amos, QC, Canada), Takuya Nishiwaki
(Japan).
Jorma Panula was the artistic director of the Turku Philharmonic
Orchestra from 1963 to 1965, the Helsinki Philharmonic from 1965 to
1975, and the Aarhus Symphony from 1970 to 1973. He has been a
frequent guest conductor throughout Europe and has appeared
frequently as conductor of the Finnish National Opera. He has also
composed a wide variety of music, including two operas that
established a genre of "performance opera" which fuses music, visual
art and daily life. He is now a guest conductor and professor for
conducting courses all over the world including Paris, London,
Moscow, Tanglewood and Aspen. Conductors who have studied under him
include Jukka-Pekka Saraste and Esa-Pekka Salonen.
Jorma Panula has led both the 2001 and 2002 editions of the
National Arts Centre Conductors Programme with Pinchas Zukerman. NAC
Orchestra Music Director Pinchas Zukerman first met conductor Jorma
Panula in 1990 in Denmark when Panula led a viola concerto which had
been written for Zukerman by Finnish composer Per Norgaard.
The NAC Conductors Programme is supported by the National Youth
and Education Trust with special thanks to TELUS, Founding Partner of
the Trust, Corus Entertainment, J. Armand Bombardier
Foundation and Universal Music. Thanks
also go to the Honourable Mitchell Sharp for establishing the
Mitchell Sharp Young Musicians Endowment.
Free tickets to the final concert of the NAC Conductors Programme
on Thursday, July 3, at 19:30 are available in person at the NAC Box
Office.