NACO, March 16: Pinchas Zukerman and Marc Neikrug in recital

Ottawa (Canada) ’Äì The Bombardier Great Performers Series of recitals will feature the National Arts Centre Orchestra’Äôs Music Director Pinchas Zukerman, one of the world’Äôs great violinists and violists, together with his recital partner, the pianist and composer Marc Neikrug (pronounced NIKE-roog), on Monday, March 16 at 8 p.m. in the NAC’Äôs Southam Hall. This recital ’Äì the first for Zukerman and Neikrug in Ottawa since 2005 ’Äì features music by Schubert, Janˆ°cek, Dvorˆ°k and Suk. Pinchas Zukerman and Marc Neikrug have performed together all over the world since 1975. This season alone, their recital schedule has taken them to Vienna, Philadelphia, New York and Chicago.

Pinchas Zukerman, described by Itzhak Perlman as the ’Äúgreatest violist that ever was’Äù opens the program on that instrument performing the Sonata ’Äúper Arpeggione’Äù in A minor. Then he switches to violin for Janacek’Äôs Sonata for Violin and Piano, Dvorˆ°k’Äôs Four Romantic Pieces and the final two of Suk’Äôs Four Pieces for Violin and Piano.

The two musicians describe their musical selections as follows: ’ÄúThe program was chosen for its wonderful variety of sounds and emotions. The first half highlights the sound of the viola alone, focusing on the single greatest piece played on that instrument. It is a work which can and begs to be heard in isolation. The second half is entirely Czech music. The Janˆ°cek Sonata is a work of tremendous originality, depth, and drama. It has a great impact on audiences and deserves to be played much more than it is. The remaining pieces are charming miniatures of particularly national character. The nice relationship is that Suk was not only a pupil of Dvorˆ°k but also his son-in-law.’Äù

Pinchas Zukerman was named Music Director of the National Arts Centre Orchestra in 1998, and he continues to guest conduct and perform with the world’Äôs finest orchestras. His current season comprises well over 100 concert engagements and travel to 17 countries including France, India, Israel, China, Turkey, Peru, New Zealand, Austria, Russia and the United Arab Emerates. He performs orchestra, solo recital and chamber music repertoire in 34 cities. He appears with London’Äôs Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, of which he became Principal Guest Conductor in January 2009, in Moscow, Italy and Spain; the Dallas Symphony Orchestra on tour in the US; the Israel Philharmonic in New York’Äôs Carnegie Hall, Bombay and Israel; the New York Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony, Cleveland Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra Philharmonique de Radio France and Gulbenkian Orchestra.

Marc Neikrug has performed worldwide as a pianist, for over thirty years appearing regularly at major festivals and concert halls. He is also an internationally renowned composer whose chamber music, symphonic music, music-theater and opera have been performed by major orchestras all over the world and by artists including Zubin Mehta, Loren Maazel, Christoph Eschenbach, Christoph von Dohnanyi, Alan Gilbert, David Zinman, Leonard Slatkin, Lawrence Foster, Oliver Knussen, James Galway, and the Emerson, Vermeer, Tokyo and Orion Quartets.

His music-theater work Through Roses has since its premiere in 1980, had hundreds of performances in fifteen countries and has been translated into 11 languages. Last July it was performed by members of the NAC Orchestra at the Canadian War Museum.

Tickets for this Bombardier Great Performers recital featuring Pinchas Zukerman and Marc Neikrug on March 16 are on sale now at $19.00, $39.00, $45.00, $49.00, $59.00 and $69.00 (GST and Facility Fee included) at the NAC Box Office (Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.), and through Ticketmaster (with surcharges) at 613-755-1111. Ticketmaster may also be accessed through the NAC’Äôs web-site at www.nac-cna.ca.

Half-price tickets for students in all sections of the hall are on sale in person at the NAC Box Office upon presentation of a valid student ID card. Live Rush tickets (subject to availability) for full-time students (aged 13 to 29) are $11 at the NAC Box Office from 2 p.m. the day before the concert to 6 p.m. the day of, upon presentation of a valid Live Rush card.

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 613-947-7000 ext. 384 or email grp@nac-cna.ca.