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Artists
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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)
Praised for his welcoming personality, trustworthiness and attention to detail, Frédéric-Alexandre Michaud (FAM) is a versatile artist nationally recognized as a hardworking and talented conductor, violinist, radio cultural commentator, soundman, booking agent, manager, teacher and chamber musician.
He is currently pursuing a second Master’s degree in Orchestral Conducting, studying with Guillaume Bourgogne and Alain Cazes, at McGill University where he also completed in May 2019 a Master’s degree in Violin Performance with professors Mark Fewer and Alexander Read. In October 2019, he had the privilege of participating in an inspiring conducting masterclass with the internationally acclaimed French maestro François-Xavier Roth through a partnership between McGill University and the Montreal Symphony Orchestra.
A proactive and benevolent leader, Frédéric has been serving as President of his Student’s Association, the Music Graduate Students’ Society (MGSS), since 2019. In addition to his school responsibilities, he serves as Artistic Director of the Orchestre symphonique des jeunes de Joliette (OSJJ) and of his own ensemble, the Brownies Concerto Orchestra (BCO), as well as the violinist of The Élan Trio. Over the years, he had the opportunity to conduct many renowned artists including Philip Chiu, Pierre Beaudry, Alexander Read, Kerson Leong, Jinjoo Cho, Ali Kian Yazdanfar, Il volo, as well as rising pop star Klô Pelgag.
Since March 2020, to share his passion for music, Frédéric developed in collaboration with his brother Benjamin Michaud a community-focused online project called “FAM, a confined maestro” in which he conducts recordings in livestreams accessible on his Facebook page. So far, there have been 29 episodes of these concerts including two special events, the first presenting all the Beethoven symphonies and the second presenting all the Brahms symphonies. In addition, during the summer of 2020, he enjoys the opportunity of educating the public about classical music as the host of the weekly segment “Chronique musique avec Maestro FAM” on the Radio-Canada (CBC) radio stations in Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine and Bas-St-Laurent. Frédéric is a versatile violinist who has performance experiences across multiple genres including baroque, classical, popular and improvised music.
For four years, he performed with the McGill Baroque Orchestra conducted by Hank Knox on period instruments and was the manager, soundman, booking agent and violinist of the pop-folk band SHYRE between 2014 and 2019. During their five years of existence, SHYRE performed in more than 150 public performances throughout Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland.
In 2017, he received a scholarship by the Gérard D. Lévesque Foundation and, in the same year, he participated in the Business and Career Development Program for Aspiring International Musicians organized by a partnership between the Père Lindsay Foundation and HEC Montreal. In 2016, he appeared on CBC Music’s list of “30 Hot Classical Musicians Under 30” and in 2013, at the end of his journey in Rimouski, he was awarded the Lieutenant Governor’s Youth Medal as a recognition for his excellent grades and exceptional commitment to the community.
Montreal native Charles-Eric Fontaine is an active conductor and oboist. He completed his masters in conducting with Alain Cazes at McGill University, and holds a bachelor of oboe performance from the same institution. During his time at McGill, he worked closely with conductors Guillaume Bourgogne, Alexis Hauser, and Lorraine Vaillancourt.
Charles-Eric regularly conducts new music. He has premiered various works with the McGill Association of Student Composers (MASC). Outside the academic community, he has collaborated with the Paramirabo sextet and has conducted at a Le Vivier production. Charles-Eric’s upcoming projects include a collaboration with the research program ACTOR (Analysis, Creation and Teaching of Orchestration Project) and the establishment of an interdisciplinary artistic collective of which he is a founding member.