December 23, 2004 -

Ottawa, Canada  - The National Arts Centre and CBC Radio Two are proud to announce the line-up for the 2005 Aber Diamond Debut Series of six noon-hour recitals beginning in January in a new venue at the NAC and in a new format of live radio broadcasts hosted by Eric Friesen. (Aber Diamond is pronounced “Abber” Diamond.)

These hour-long recitals at 12:00 noon will showcase supremely talented young musicians from Canada and around the world, some of whom are alumni of the NAC Young Artists Programme. The recitals take place on the main stage in the Foyer of the NAC, and each will be broadcast live-to-air across Canada on Eric Friesen’s new afternoon programme Studio Sparks on CBC Radio Two. The radio programme is heard from noon to 15:00 with the recital airing in the middle hour at 13:00.

Admission to the concert is $3.00 with all proceeds going to the NAC Orchestra Bursary Trust Fund. Additional donations to the Fund are greatly appreciated.

The full Aber Diamond Debut Series 2005 lineup is as follows:

January 7:
Caitlin Tully, violin (British Columbia) with Robert Koenig, piano
Caitlin Tully, a 17-year-old award-winning alumna of the NAC Young Artists Programme, has performed with the NAC Orchestra as well as a number of other orchestras and in recital across Canada and the United States.

February 25:
Yuja Wang, piano (China)
This 17-year-old pianist, has been praised by world-renowned pianists Vladimir Ashkenazy and Fou Ts’ong, and has been a frequent prizewinner in national and international competitions, including first prize in the Huapu Cup National Piano Competition, the First “Mido” Concours De Tiano Sino-Francais.

March 18:
Peter McGillivray, baritone (Saskatchewan) with Stephen Philcox, piano
The 2003 First Prize winner of the CBC Radio National Competition for Young Performers as well as the People’s Choice Award, Peter McGillivray has performed with the NAC Orchestra and is a member of the Canadian Opera Company Ensemble.

April 8:
Shalom Bard, clarinet (Israel-Ontario), with Jeanie Chung, piano
Born in Israel, Shalom Bard studied at the University of Toronto after moving to Canada in 1990. First Prize winner of the Canadian Music Competition in 1994, this talented musician was principal clarinet of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra in 2002-03.

May 6:
Lana Henschell, piano (Alberta)
This Calgary pianist is a prize winner in a number of competitions including the Calgary Kiwanis Music Festival Rose Bowl, the Shean Piano Competition in Edmonton, the International Stepping Stone of the Canadian Music Competitions, and the Stravinsky Awards International Piano Competition in Champaign-Urbana. Lana Henschell’s recital will be part of the NAC Alberta Scene.

June 24:
Amaury Coeytaux, violin (France) and Béla Horváth, viola (Hungary), with Jean Desmarais, piano
Both of these dazzling string players are alumni of the NAC Young Artists Programme and are students in the Zukerman Program at the Manhattan School of Music in New York.

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

Jill LaForty, CBC Radio Network Producer
(613) 288-6461