And the Award Goes to…

Jack Everly is the Principal Pops Conductor of the Indianapolis and Baltimore Symphony Orchestras, Naples Philharmonic Orchestra and the National Arts Centre Orchestra.  He has conducted the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl, The New York Pops at Carnegie Hall, the San Francisco Symphony and numerous appearances with The Cleveland Orchestra at Blossom Music Center. Maestro Everly conducts over 90 performances in more than 22 North American cities every season.

Celebrating his 10th anniversary as Music Director of the National Memorial Day Concert and A Capitol Fourth on PBS, Maestro Everly proudly leads the National Symphony Orchestra (USA) in these patriotic celebrations on the National Mall.  These concerts attract hundreds of thousands attendees on the lawn and the broadcasts reach millions of viewers and are some of the very highest rated programming on PBS television.

Mr. Everly is the also Music Director of IPL Yuletide Celebration, now a 30+ year tradition. He led the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra in its first Pops recording, Yuletide Celebration, Volume One, that included three of his own orchestrations, Some of his other recordings include In The Presence featuring the Czech Philharmonic and Daniel Rodriguez, Sandi Patty’s Broadway Stories, the soundtrack to Disney's The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and Everything's Coming Up Roses: The Complete Overtures Of Jule Styne.

Originally appointed by Mikhail Baryshnikov, Mr. Everly was conductor of the American Ballet Theatre for 14 years, where he served as Music Director. In addition to his ABT tenure, he teamed with Marvin Hamlisch on Broadway shows that Mr. Hamlisch scored.  He conducted Carol Channing hundreds of times in Hello, Dolly! in two separate Broadway productions.

Maestro Everly, a graduate of the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University, is a recipient of the 2015 Indiana Historical Society Living Legends Award and holds an Honorary Doctorate of Arts from Franklin College in his home state of Indiana. He is a proud resident of the Indianapolis community and when not on the podium you can find Maestro Everly at home with his family.

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Since its debut in 1969, the National Arts Centre (NAC) Orchestra has been praised for the passion and clarity of its performances, its visionary educational programs, and its prominent role in nurturing Canadian creativity. Under the leadership of Music Director Alexander Shelley, the NAC Orchestra reflects the fabric and values of Canada, reaching and representing the diverse communities we live in with daring programming, powerful storytelling, inspiring artistry, and innovative partnerships.

Alexander Shelley began his tenure as Music Director in 2015, following Pinchas Zukerman’s 16 seasons at the helm. Principal Associate Conductor of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and former Chief Conductor of the Nuremberg Symphony Orchestra (2009–2017), he has been in demand around the world, conducting the Rotterdam Philharmonic, DSO Berlin, Leipzig Gewandhaus, and Stockholm Philharmonic, among others, and maintains a regular relationship with the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie and the German National Youth Orchestra.

Each season, the NAC Orchestra features world-class artists such as the newly appointed Artist-in-Residence James Ehnes, Angela Hewitt, Joshua Bell, Xian Zhang, Gabriela Montero, Stewart Goodyear, Jan Lisiecki, and Principal Guest Conductor John Storgårds. 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.

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Annick’s love of performing blossomed at a very early age when she would force her family members and her parents’ invited dinner guests to watch her many theatrical productions. She grew up in Ottawa where she began her professional career in the industry 20 years ago. Since then she has loved to work and live in many cities including Montreal, Toronto, Halifax, London (UK) and New York City, where she graduated from the conservatory program at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. Annick is passionate about stories and how they connect us - and spreading invisible illness awareness. She feels truly lucky every time she gets to step under the lights at the NAC since it is in this very theatre that she first fell in love with the stage. Annick is currently living in Toronto where she continues to dream and to thrive in her work as a filmmaker, producer & storyteller.