NAC Orchestra’s 2009-10 Debut Series of recitals begins on Sept. 21 with soprano Joyce El-Khoury

Ottawa, Canada – The National Arts Centre Orchestra’s Debut Series, which gives talented rising star musicians the opportunity to perform in recital at the NAC, will begin a new season on Monday, September 21 with soprano Joyce El-Khoury accompanied by pianist Jean Desmarais. The four-concert series of one-hour recitals hosted by NAC Artistic Attaché Paul Lefebvre takes place at noon in the NAC Salon. On this opening concert, Joyce El-Khoury will perform songs by Verdi, Duparc, Massenet, Fauré, Korngold, R. Strauss, Puccini, Gounod and Dvorák.

Admission is $3, with proceeds going to fund the NACO Bursary.

The series continues with the Afiara String Quartet on October 20; cellist Estelle Choi (from the Mount Royal College Conservatory Academy for Gifted Youth and a 2009 participant in the NAC Summer Music Institute) with pianist Jean Desmarais on November 19; and pianist Marika Bournaki on January 15, 2010.

CBC Radio 2 has returned to the Debut Series as broadcast partner. The concerts of September 21, October 20 and January 15 will be recorded for future broadcast on Tempo with host Julie Nesrallah, and on In Concert with host Bill Richardson.

Soprano Joyce El-Khoury is a member of the Metropolitan Opera’s Lindemann Young Artist Development Program. A graduate of the Academy of Vocal Arts, Ms. El-Khoury performed the roles of Tatyana in Eugene Onegin, the title role in Massenet’s Manon, Fiordiligi in Così fan tutte, the title role in Puccini’s Manon Lescaut, and Violetta in La Traviata. This month she performs as the Second Lady in Opera Lyra Ottawa’s Magic Flute, and as Pamina for their Silver Cast production.. Other roles include Nedda in Pagliacci at the Crested Butte Music Festival and with Knoxville Opera, Marguerite in Faust with Opera Camerata of Washington, D.C.

She is a First Prize winner of the George London Foundation; 2nd Prize winner in the Gerda Lissner International Voice Competition, International Semi-Finalist in Placido Domingo’s Operalia Competition, First Prize winner in the Mario Lanza Vocal Competition, First Prize winner and WRTI Radio audience favorite in the Giargari Bel Canto Competition. Recently featured with the Metropolitan Opera MET IN THE PARKS Recital Series 2009, Ms. El-Khoury will be making her Metropolitan Opera house debut this season with roles in Le nozze di Figaro, Suor Angelica and Simon Boccanegra.

PROGRAM:

VERDI Simon Boccanegra : “Come in quest’ora bruna”
DUPARC Chanson triste
MASSENET Manon : “Adieu notre petite table”
FAURÉ “Les roses d’Ispahan” “Fleur jetée”
KORNGOLD Die Tote Stadt: “Marietta’s Lied”
R. STRAUSS “Allerseelen” “Cäcilie!“ “Befreit” “Zueignung”
PUCCINI La Bohème: “Si, mi chiamano Mimi”
GOUNOD Faust: “Ah! Je ris” (Jewel song)
DVORÁK Rusalka: “Měsíčku na nebi hlubokém” (Song to the Moon)

NACO 2009 Bursary Competition winners announced.

The National Arts Centre (NAC) has announced the winners of the 2009 NAC Orchestra Bursary Competition following the finals held on Tuesday, May 19 in the NAC Salon. Eight finalists had been chosen from the 32 contestants heard in preliminary auditions held on May 16 and 17. The grand prize-winner of the 2009 NACO Bursary ($7,000) is Daniel Parker, cello (age 16).

This year’s winner of the Harold Crabtree Foundation Award of $5,000 is Antoine Malette-Chénier, harp (age 17). The Friends of the NAC Orchestra Award ($3,000) went to Lara Deutsch, flute (age 18), while Christopher Graham, trombone (age 22) won the NAC Vic Pomer Award ($2,000). The Piccolo Prix ($1,000) went to Denise Sun, bassoon (age 23). The NACO Special Prize for the best performance of prescribed orchestral excerpts went to Christopher Graham, trombone (age 22).

Honourable mentions of $150 went to Yolanda Bruno, violin (age 19), Emilie Grimes, viola (age 19) and Tamsin Johnston, English horn (age 24).

The Bursary Committee and Jury were chaired by Vernon G. Turner, Canada’s former Ambassador to the USSR and to Israel, and an active volunteer at the National Arts Centre.

The 2009 Bursary Committee consisted of NAC Orchestra concertmaster Yosuke Kawasaki, violin Jessica Linnebach (upper strings), bassist Murielle Bruneau (lower strings), flutist Emily Smethurst (winds), French horn Jill Kirwan (brass and percussion), and Ross Francis, (Friends of NACO representative). The Committee included Kelly Abercrombie as the NAC Music representative. The Jury included Turner and Francis (non-voting members), and also included special guests Jean-Jacques Van Vlasselaer (music critic) and Rosalind Sartori (former NACO cellist), and special advisors Lucile Brais and Kenneth Simpson (non-voting members). Violinist Sally Benson replaced Jessica Linnebach who withdrew for conflict of interest.

The National Arts Centre Orchestra (NACO) Bursary Competition was first held in 1981. The NACO Bursary was created by the musicians of the NAC Orchestra as a gesture of appreciation to the audiences who had been so supportive to the Orchestra during its first decade. It is meant to provide recognition and financial support to help further the development of young Canadian orchestral musicians who have connections to the National Capital Region (NCR). In subsequent years thanks to the generosity of additional organizations and individuals, other prizes have been added for a total in 2009 of $18,750. These prizes, in addition to the NACO Bursary, are the Harold Crabtree Foundation Award, created in 2003 by this Foundation which strongly believes in the importance of helping young people; the Friends of the NAC Orchestra Award created in 1993 to celebrate the Orchestra’s 25th anniversary season; the NAC Vic Pomer Award commemorating one of the founding violinists of NACO and a dedicated teacher who died in 2001 at age 70; the Piccolo Prix provided “to encourage and support our young artists” by NAC volunteer and Donors Circle member Cav. Pasqualina Pat Adamo, and the NACO Special Prize for the best performance of prescribed orchestral excerpts.

All prizes are intended for music students aged 16 to 24 whose principal or family residence is in the National Capital Region, or who have been following a recognized course of music study in the NCR in the previous year in preparation for careers as professional orchestral musicians. Each year, a jury identifies deserving recipients through audition and selection.

Finals of the NACO Bursary Competition.

Young musicians compete for $18,750 in prizes at the Finals of the NACO Bursary Competition 2009 on May 19

Up to eight young musicians with connections to the National Capital Region will compete for prizes totaling $18,750 at the Finals of the 2009 NAC Orchestra Bursary Competition to be held on Tuesday, May 19 at 7 p.m. in the National Arts Centre Salon. These finalists will be selected from 36 applicants who auditioned before a jury of National Arts Centre Orchestra musicians and guests on May 16 and 17. The winners will be announced and presented with certificates and cheques at the May 19 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’s Bursary Committee and Jury are chaired by Vernon G. Turner, Canada’s former Ambassador to the USSR and to Israel, and an active volunteer at the National Arts Centre.

The NACO Bursary 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’s first decade.. The first competition took place in 1981. The NACO Bursary Trust Fund provides funding for the NACO Bursary of $7,000; the NACO Vic Pomer Award of $2,000; and the NACO Special Prize for Best Orchestral Excerpts worth $750. The NACO Bursary Committee also has available three additional prizes to be awarded at the Jury’s 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’s 25^th season; and the Piccolo Prix of $1,000 initiated in 2001 by Pasqualina (Pat) Adamo.

www.nac-cna.ca

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Applications accepted for the 2009 NAC Orchestra Bursary Competition

Applications are being accepted for the

2009 NAC Orchestra Bursary Competition with prizes totaling $18,750

Ottawa, Canada – Applications are now being accepted for the 2009 National Arts Centre Orchestra Bursary Competition which has available a total of $18,750 in prizes for talented music students in the National Capital Region who are studying for careers as orchestral musicians. Deadline for applications is March 15, 2009, at 5 p.m. Finalists from amongst the applicants will be selected from auditions to take place at the University of Ottawa before a jury of National Arts Centre Orchestra musicians and special guests on May 16 and 17, 2009. These finalists will then be invited to perform on Tuesday, May 19 in the NAC Salon at 7 p.m., at which time the winners will be chosen and announced by the jury. The Finals are open to the public.

The Bursary Committee and Jury are chaired for the eighth year by Vernon G. Turner, Canada’s former Ambassador to the USSR and Israel, and an active volunteer at the National Arts Centre.

The NACO Bursary 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’s first decade. The first competition took place in 1981. The NACO Bursary Trust Fund provides funding for the NACO Bursary of $7,000; the NACO Vic Pomer Award of $2,000; and the NACO Special Prize for Best Orchestral Excerpts worth $750. The NACO Bursary Committee also has available three additional prizes to be awarded at the Jury’s 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’s 25^th season; and the Piccolo Prix of $1,000 initiated in 2001 by Pasqualina (Pat) Adamo.

Eligible applicants are music students aged 16 to 24 who are following a recognized course of music study in preparation for careers as professional orchestral musicians. They must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada. Their family or principal residence must be in the National Capital Region (NCR), or their principal residence must have been in the NCR for one year immediately prior to applying, or they must have been studying under a recognized orchestral instrument teacher in one of the music schools of the NCR over that year.

Apply online at www.nac-cna.ca.

For additional information, please call Kelly Abercrombie:

613-947-7000, ext. 390 or email to mused@nac-cna.ca

Mail or fax applications to:

National Arts Centre Music Department

P.O. Box 1534, Station B

Ottawa, Canada K1P 5W1

FAX: 613-992-5225

Applications must be received at the NAC by 5 p.m. on March 15, 2009.