Young musicians compete for $18,500 at the Finals of the NACO Bursary Competition 2008 on May 4

Ottawa, Canada ’Äì Up to eight young musicians with connections to the National Capital Region will compete for prizes totaling $18,500 at the Finals of the 2008 NAC Orchestra Bursary Competition to be held on Sunday, May 4 at 19:00 in the National Arts Centre Studio. These finalists will be selected from 30 applicants who auditioned before a jury of National Arts Centre Orchestra musicians and guests on April 30 and May 1. The winners will be announced and presented with certificates and cheques at the May 4 Finals. Admission is FREE, but donations to the NAC Orchestra Bursary Trust Fund are greatly appreciated.

Each finalist will perform short orchestral excerpts followed by a movement from a concerto or sonata that features their instrument, sometimes accompanied by piano. Refreshments will be served while the jury deliberates before the announcement of the winners.

The NACO Bursary Competition is open to music students in or from the region aged 16 to 24 who are following a recognized course of music study in preparation for careers as professional orchestral musicians. This year’Äôs Bursary Committee and Jury are chaired by Vernon G. Turner, Canada’Äôs former Ambassador to the USSR and to Israel, and an active volunteer at the National Arts Centre.

The NACO Bursary Trust Fund was established in 1979 to commemorate the 10^th anniversary of the founding of the National Arts Centre Orchestra and to thank the people of the National Capital Region for their support during the Orchestra’Äôs first decade. The top prize is the NACO Bursary of $7,000 funded from the NACO Bursary Trust Fund. A second Trust Fund prize of $2,000 is the NACO Vic Pomer Award named for the late NACO violinist. A third prize covered by the Fund is the NAC Orchestra Special Prize of $500 for Best Orchestral Excerpts. Also available are three additional prizes to be awarded at the Jury’Äôs discretion: the Harold Crabtree Foundation Award of $5,000; the Friends of the National Arts Centre Orchestra Award of $3,000, created in 1993 to celebrate the Orchestra’Äôs 25^th season; and the Piccolo Prix of $1,000 initiated in 2001 by Pasqualina (Pat) Adamo.