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In-person event
- Bilingual
- Ages 14+
- ≈ 2 hours and 30 minutes
| Performance options | Start time | Language | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wednesday, April 9, 2025 | 10:00 am | bilingual | sold out |
This open rehearsal may cover the following repertoire:
- JESSICA HUNT Climb (Canadian Premiere)
- RICHARD STRAUSS Oboe Concerto
- JOHANNES BRAHMS Symphony No. 2
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Student Open Rehearsals are a unique opportunity to hear the National Arts Centre Orchestra at work in rehearsal with some of the world’s finest conductors and soloists. They are exclusively reserved for students in Grade 9 (ages 14+) through to University level.
Typically held on Wednesday or Thursday mornings, these rehearsals provide a behind-the-scenes look at the Orchestra’s preparation for that week’s concerts. Attendees are welcome to stay for the full rehearsal or leave at intermission. As a courtesy to the musicians who are focused on their work, please minimize noise and avoid talking during the session.
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This rehearsal will combine a contemporary piece with traditional classics, led by masterful guest conductor Lina Gonzalez-Granados. Hailing from Cali, Colombia, she is recognized internationally for her “raw power” (LA Times) and was listed in Bloomberg Línea's "Influential Latinos of 2022.”
Jessica Hunt’s Climb opens a musical window into life with a disability, offering a view “into what it feels like to live in a chronically ill body.” Inspired by the letters of Ludwig van Beethoven, Climb honours the universality of feelings, from fear to joy, experienced by anyone who lives with a disability. The title refers to her own experience with the simple act of climbing stairs.
Richard Strauss’s oboe concerto is a soaring, bold, and beautiful work that barely gives the oboe soloist any time to breathe. Featured oboist Charles Hamann, who has been the NAC Orchestra’s own Principal Oboe since 1993, carries it with style and ease.
Johannes Brahms was a man with a sense of humour, and his Symphony No. 2 is cheery and bright, a sunny-with-chance-of-showers symphony. Listen in the first movement for pieces of his famous children’s lullaby, and in the opening notes of the second movement for one of the most beautiful melodies he ever wrote.
Student Open Rehearsals are subject to change or cancellation at any time.
When requesting more than one rehearsal, priority will be given to first-time attendees for the current NAC Orchestra season.
Duration and itinerary
| 60 minutes before rehearsal start | Groups begin arriving through the NAC Canal Lobby. School buses drop off and pick up students at the Canal Entrance, accessed through Freiman Lane. |
| 15 minutes before rehearsal start | All groups have arrived. Doors open, and groups are seated in Southam Hall for the rehearsal. |
| Rehearsal start time | The first part of the rehearsal begins. |
| Approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes after rehearsal start time | End of the first part of the rehearsal. The audience must remain seated until the Orchestra rises to take a break. |
| 20-minute break | Groups who must leave before the end of the rehearsal can do so at this point. |
| Approximately 1 hour and 35 minutes after rehearsal start time | The second part of the rehearsal begins. |
| Approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes after rehearsal start time | End of the rehearsal. Please note that the rehearsal may end earlier; this decision is up to the conductor. |