Redirecting you to the event page
Nous vous dirigeons vers la page d’événement
Alexander Shelley succeeded Pinchas Zukerman as Music Director of Canada’s NAC Orchestra in September 2015. The ensemble has since been praised as being “transformed... hungry, bold, and unleashed” (Ottawa Citizen) and Shelley’s programming credited for turning the orchestra into “one of the more audacious in North America” (Maclean’s).
Shelley is a champion of Canadian creation; recent hallmarks include the multimedia projects Life Reflected and UNDISRUPTED, and three major new ballets in partnership with NAC Dance for Encount3rs. He is passionate about arts education and nurturing the next generation of musicians. He is an Ambassador for Ottawa’s OrKidstra, a charitable social development program that teaches children life skills through making music together.
Alexander Shelley is also the Principal Associate Conductor of London’s Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and, starting with the 2024–2025 season, Artistic and Music Director of Artis-Naples and the Naples Philharmonic in Florida, USA. In the spring of 2019, he led the NAC Orchestra on its critically acclaimed 50th Anniversary European tour, and in 2017, he led the Orchestra in a tour across Canada, celebrating Canada’s 150th anniversary. Most recently, he led the Orchestra in its first performance at New York’s Carnegie Hall in 30 years.
He has made eight recordings with the NAC Orchestra, including the Juno-nominated New Worlds, Life Reflected, ENCOUNT3RS, The Bounds of Our Dreams, and the acclaimed Clara, Robert, Johannes four-album series, all with Canadian label Analekta.
The Music Director role is supported by Elinor Gill Ratcliffe, C.M., O.N.L., LL.D. (hc)
Jennifer Liu is a freelance journalist with roots in Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa’s cultural scenes. She holds piano performance degrees from the universities of Montreal and Toronto, and became interested in languages and world cultures alongside her music studies.
Jennifer also moonlights as a Master of Journalism candidate at Carleton University. Her research focus is on the rise of Indigenous performing artists from Yukon and the role of art in the era of Indigenous reconciliation in Canada.
An area of particular interest to Jennifer is the bridging of music and current affairs. Her writing and video credits vary from the JUNO Awards, to PTSD in music, to Angela Hewitt for outlets like Banff InStudio, The WholeNote Magazine and Ludwig Van (formerly Musical Toronto).