Amazing Planet Earth

NACO Family Adventures

Apr 22, 2024

Southam Hall 1 Elgin Street Ottawa Canada

Family programming Music Classical music Masterworks Children

In-person event
Bilingual
Ages 5-12
≈ 1 hour

Performance options	Start time	Language	Availability
Monday, April 22, 2024	10:00 am	bilingual	sold out
Monday, April 22, 2024	12:30 pm	bilingual	sold out

From the bottom of the ocean to the top of the highest mountain, from the tiniest insect to the mightiest elephant, from the deepest tree root to the farthest reaches of outer space—our world is full of spine-tingling wonders and incredible secrets. Join the NAC Orchestra and its special guests for a musical exploration of Amazing Planet Earth and the universe beyond!

Presented in association with the NACO Family Adventures series.

The program will include excerpts from:

EDVARD GRIEG Suite No. 1 from “Peer Gynt,” Opus 1: I. Morning Mood
NIKOLAI RIMSKY-KORSAKOV The Tale of Tsar Saltan: Flight of the Bumblebee
AARON COPLAND Music for Movies: Threshing Machines
LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 6 in F Major, Opus 68, “Pastoral”; II. Andante molto mosso
EDWARD ELGAR The Wand of Youth, Suite No. 2, Opus 1b
SAMUEL COLERIDGE-TAYLOR Reunion from Hiawatha: Suite from the Ballet, Opus 82a
FELIX MENDELSSOHN The Hebrides Overture, Opus 26, “Fingal’s Cave”
BENJAMIN BRITTEN “Four Sea Interludes” from Peter Grimes, Opus 33a: IV. Storm
CLAUDE DEBUSSY “Clair de lune” from the Suite Bergamasque
ARTURO MARQUEZ Conga de Fuego Nuevo

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Let your students experience one of the most outstanding ensembles of its kind in the world!

The NAC Orchestra boasts many of the finest musicians in the country who enthusiastically share the common goal of bringing music to young people. Perfectly suited to both the novice student and musical apprentice, this weekday matinee is bound to delight students and teachers alike!

We hope you will enjoy the giant images on the NACOtron screen as they capture and magnify the magic of these fabulous concerts!

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Free resources for students and teachers

In advance of attending the Amazing Planet Earth student matinee performance, join orchestras, musicians, activists, and scientists from coast to coast on a musical journey: The Great Canadian Orchestra Field Trip is a free video-on-demand learning series that explores the transformative power of music and art in the climate emergency.

Artists

Conductor Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser
Conductor
Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser

Canada

A passionate communicator, Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser brings clarity and meaning to the concert hall, fostering deep connections between audiences and performers. Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser is concurrently the Principal Youth Conductor and Creative Partner of the National Arts Centre Orchestra, the Principal Education Conductor and Community Ambassador of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Artist in Residence and Community Ambassador of Symphony Nova Scotia and Resident Conductor of Engagement and Education of the San Francisco Symphony.

Daniel has conducted the New York Philharmonic, the Houston Symphony, the Carnegie Hall Link Up Orchestra, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, the Regina Symphony Orchestra, the Canadian Opera Company, the National Symphony Orchestra and is the Music Director of the Kennedy Center Summer Music Institute. He served as Assistant Conductor of the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony, Associate Conductor of the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra, and Cover Conductor with the Washington National Opera.

Daniel hosts the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s (CBC) nationally broadcast weekly radio show Centre Stage. He was also the subject of an award-winning, full-length CBC documentary, Disruptor Conductor, focusing on his concerts for neurodiverse, prison, African diaspora and LGBTQ2S+ populations.

Daniel earned his bachelor’s in music performance and education from the University of Calgary and his Master of Philosophy in Performance from the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, England.

Communicateur passionné, Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser apporte clarté et sens à la salle de concert, tissant des liens profonds entre le public et les interprètes. Il œuvre actuellement comme premier chef des concerts jeunesse et partenaire de création de l’Orchestre du Centre national des Arts, premier chef des concerts éducatifs et ambassadeur communautaire de l’Orchestre symphonique de Toronto, artiste en résidence et ambassadeur communautaire de l’ensemble Symphony Nova Scotia, et chef résident des concerts éducatifs et de rayonnement de l’Orchestre symphonique de San Francisco.

Il a dirigé les orchestres philharmoniques de New York et de Calgary, les orchestres symphoniques de Houston, Détroit, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Vancouver et Regina, le Carnegie Hall Link-Up Orchestra, la Compagnie d’opéra canadienne et le National Symphony Orchestra, et il est directeur musical du Kennedy Center Summer Music Institute. Ancien chef d’orchestre adjoint de l’Orchestre symphonique de Kitchener-Waterloo et chef associé de l’Orchestre symphonique de Thunder Bay, le maestro a été chef d’orchestre substitut avec le Washington National Opera.

Il anime l’émission de radio hebdomadaire Centre Stage de la Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), diffusée à l’échelle nationale. Il a également fait l’objet d’un documentaire primé de la CBC intitulé Disruptor Conductor, portant sur ses concerts destinés aux populations neuroatypiques, aux détenus, à la diaspora africaine et aux membres des communautés 2ELGBTQ+.

Titulaire d’un baccalauréat en interprétation musicale et en éducation de l’Université de Calgary, il a obtenu sa maîtrise en interprétation musicale au Royal Northern College of Music de Manchester, en Angleterre.
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NAC Orchestra
NAC Orchestra

Canada’s National Arts Centre (NAC) Orchestra is praised for the passion and clarity of its performances, its visionary learning and engagement programs, and its unwavering support of Canadian creativity. The NAC Orchestra is based in Ottawa, Canada’s national capital, and has grown into one of the country’s most acclaimed and dynamic ensembles since its founding in 1969. Under the leadership of Music Director Alexander Shelley, the NAC Orchestra reflects the fabric and values of Canada, engaging communities from coast to coast to coast through inclusive programming, compelling storytelling, and innovative partnerships.

Since taking the helm in 2015, Shelley has shaped the Orchestra’s artistic vision, building on the legacy of his predecessor, Pinchas Zukerman, who led the ensemble for 16 seasons. Shelley’s influence extends beyond the NAC. He serves as Principal Associate Conductor of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in the UK and Artistic and Music Director of Artis—Naples and the Naples Philharmonic in the United States. In addition to his other conducting roles, the Pacific Symphony in Los Angeles’s Orange County announced Shelley’s appointment as its next Artistic and Music Director. The initial five-year term begins in the 2026-2027 season, with Shelley serving as Music Director-Designate from September 2025. Principal Guest Conductor John Storgårds and Principal Youth Conductor Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser complement Shelley’s leadership. In 2024, the Orchestra marked a new chapter with the appointment of Henry Kennedy as its first-ever Resident Conductor.

The Orchestra has a rich history of partnerships with renowned artists such as James Ehnes, Angela Hewitt, Renée Fleming, Hilary Hahn, Jeremy Dutcher, Jan Lisiecki, Ray Chen, and Yeol Eum Son, underscoring its reputation as a destination for world-class talent. As one of the most accessible, inclusive and collaborative orchestras in the world, the NAC Orchestra uses music as a universal language to communicate the deepest of human emotions and connect people through shared experiences.

A hallmark of the NAC Orchestra is its national and international tours. The Orchestra has performed concerts in every Canadian province and territory and earned frequent invitations to perform abroad. These tours spotlight Canadian composers and artists, bringing their voices to stages across North America, the United Kingdom, Europe, and Asia.

L’Orchestre du Centre national des Arts (CNA) du Canada est reconnu pour la passion et la clarté de son jeu, ses programmes d’apprentissage et de médiation culturelle visionnaires et son soutien indéfectible à la créativité canadienne. Situé à Ottawa, la capitale nationale, il est devenu depuis sa fondation en 1969 l’un des ensembles les plus encensés et les plus dynamiques du pays. Sous la gouverne du directeur musical Alexander Shelley, l’Orchestre du CNA reflète le tissu social et les valeurs du Canada, nouant des liens avec des communautés de tout le pays grâce à sa programmation inclusive, ses récits puissants et ses partenariats innovants.

Alexander Shelley a façonné la vision artistique de l’Orchestre depuis qu’il en a pris les rênes en 2015, poursuivant sur la lancée de son prédécesseur, Pinchas Zukerman, qui a dirigé l’ensemble pendant 16 saisons. Le maestro Shelley jouit par ailleurs d’une belle renommée qui s’étend bien au-delà des murs du CNA, étant également premier chef d’orchestre associé de l’Orchestre philharmonique royal au Royaume-Uni ainsi que directeur artistique et musical d’Artis—Naples et de l’Orchestre philharmonique de Naples aux États-Unis. Au CNA, Alexander Shelley est épaulé dans son rôle de leader par le premier chef invité John Storgårds et par le premier chef des concerts jeunesse Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser. En 2024, l’Orchestre a ouvert un nouveau chapitre avec la nomination d’Henry Kennedy au nouveau poste de chef d’orchestre en résidence.

Au fil des ans, l’Orchestre a noué de nombreux partenariats avec des artistes de renom comme James Ehnes, Angela Hewitt, Renée Fleming, Hilary Hahn, Jeremy Dutcher, Jan Lisiecki, Ray Chen et Yeol Eum Son, assoyant ainsi sa réputation d’incontournable pour les talents du monde entier. L’ensemble se distingue à l’échelle internationale par son approche accessible, inclusive et collaborative, misant sur le langage universel de la musique pour communiquer des émotions profondes et nous faire vivre des expériences communes qui nous rapprochent.

Depuis sa fondation en 1969, l’Orchestre du CNA fait la part belle aux tournées nationales et internationales. Il a joué dans toutes les provinces et tous les territoires du Canada et a reçu de nombreuses invitations pour se produire à l’étranger. Avec ces tournées, l’ensemble braque les projecteurs sur les artistes et les compositeurs et compositrices du Canada, faisant retentir leur musique sur les scènes de l’Amérique du Nord, du Royaume-Uni, de l’Europe et de l’Asie.
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Co-host Marie-Ève Fontaine
Co-host
Marie-Ève Fontaine

A versatile theatre artist, Marie-Ève Fontaine works across Canada as an actor, puppeteer, and animator. Her theatre credits include roles in Les Zaventures de Zozotte for Théâtre de Dehors, Les fourberies de Scapin for Fâcheux Théâtre, and Le dire de Di by Michel Ouellette for Théâtre Catapulte and Théâtre français de Toronto. Marie-Ève also shares her passion for stories through puppetry and storytelling workshops. In addition to her work as an artist, Marie-Ève is involved in various cultural activities, notably as an advisor to the young ambassadors of the BIG BANG Festival at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa.

Artiste de théâtre polyvalente, Marie-Ève Fontaine travaille partout au Canada tant comme comédienne, marionnettiste, qu’animatrice. Au théâtre, elle a joué dans bien des spectacles, dont Les Zaventures de Zozotte du Théâtre de Dehors, Les fourberies de Scapin du Fâcheux Théâtre et Le dire de Di de Michel Ouellette pour le Théâtre Catapulte et le Théâtre français de Toronto. C’est aussi par l’animation d’ateliers de marionnette et de conte que Marie-Ève transmet sa passion pour les histoires. Mis à part son travail d’artiste, Marie-Ève s’implique dans toutes sortes d’activités culturelles, notamment en tant qu’accompagnatrice des jeunes ambassadeurs du Festival Big Bang au Centre national des arts à Ottawa.
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Financial assistance

Arts Alive has limited financial assistance available to support schools who would not otherwise be able to participate in our school programming due to economic barriers. Schools in need may request financial assistance directly through the registration form, to help cover the cost of tickets to student matinees or applicable workshops offered by the NAC. Learn more

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Your donations through the NAC's National Youth and Education Trust help the NAC provide learning and engagement opportunities for all — from young children in the classroom, to artists, to the lifelong learner.

Support the Program

Learning and engagement at Canada’s National Arts Centre is made possible through the support of many generous individuals and organizations from across the country. Arts Alive is generously supported by the Azrieli Foundation, the Government of Nunavut, Canadian North, Calm Air, The River Philip Foundation, The Turnbull Family Community Building Foundation, and The Thomas Sill Foundation. Thank you also to Grant and Alice Burton, Canada Life, A Donor-Advised Fund at the Community Foundation of Ottawa, Friends of the NAC Orchestra, Donors to the NAC Foundation's Future Fund, The Janice and Earle O’Born Fund for Artistic Excellence, and the donors and sponsors of the NAC’s National Youth and Education Trust, the primary resource for youth and education funding at the National Arts Centre.

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