April 04, 2005 -

Ottawa, Canada -- Israeli-born Toronto clarinetist Shalom Bard, first-prize winner of the Canadian Music Competitions in 1994, performs in recital with pianist Jeanie Chung on the Aber Diamond Debut Series on Friday, April 8 at noon in the Foyer of the NAC.  The 80-minute recital presented by the National Arts Centre and CBC Radio Two features music by Debussy, Canadian composer Jacques Hétu, Muczynski and Brahms. It will be hosted by Eric Friesen and broadcast live-to-air on his CBC Radio Two programme Studio Sparks.

Admission is $3.00 with all proceeds going to the NAC Orchestra Bursary Trust Fund. Seating is available on a first come-first served basis. Additional donations to the Fund are greatly appreciated.

Shalom Bard will perform Debussy’s Première rapsodie, Hétu’s Nocturne, Muczynski’s Time Pieces, and Brahms’ Sonata in E-flat major.

Shalom Bard has performed as soloist with several orchestras including the Toronto Symphony, Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber Orchestra, Edmonton Symphony, and the Strathfield Symphony in Sydney, Australia. As a chamber musician, he has performed with ensembles such as the St. Lawrence String Quartet and the Duke Trio. He has participated in several music festivals, among which include Aspen, Banff, Bowdoin and the Aria International Academy.

Shalom Bard was born in Israel and began his musical education at the age of six later studying with Igal Cohen, principal clarinetist of the Haifa Symphony Orchestra. After moving to Toronto in 1990, he continued his clarinet studies with Joaquin Valdepenas and later in Los Angeles with Yehuda Gilad and Michele Zukovsky.

Mr. Bard holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Toronto and a Master of Music degree from the University of Southern California. He is the recipient of several prizes and awards, in addition to his Canadian Music Competition win, including the prestigious Chalmers Award from the Ontario Arts Council in 1996 and 1997.

Last season, Mr. Bard was acting principal clarinetist of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra by invitation of Zubin Mehta.

The Aber Diamond Debut Series showcases talented young musicians from Canada and around the world. The recitals take place in the Foyer of the NAC, and each is broadcast live-to-air across Canada on Eric Friesen’s new afternoon programme Studio Sparks on CBC Radio Two. On concert days, Eric Friesen will broadcast his full three-hour show from the NAC Foyer from 11:00 to 14:00, with the recital presented in the middle hour at noon. Listeners can tune in from noon to 15:00 to hear the recital at 13:00.

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