With the National Arts Centre Orchestra
Chamber by Medhi Walerski (32 minutes) with the NAC Orchestra
Intermission (20 minutes)
Silent Tides by Medhi Walerski (18 minutes)
Intermission (20 minutes)
BOLERO X by Shahar Binyamini (15 minutes) with the NAC Orchestra
In this remarkable triple bill program, the NAC Orchestra accompanies Chamber, one of artistic director Medhi Walerski’s most acclaimed and elegant ballets,...
A Note from Caroline Ohrt, Executive Producer, NAC Dance
Ballet BC is a Canadian treasure. It’s no coincidence that they are opening our 2024–2025 Ballet Series: I felt it was important to showcase this wonderful company by giving them the opportunity to work with the NAC Orchestra. Tonight, you’ll see two pieces from the repertoire of Ballet BC artistic director Medhi Walerski. Chamber was created in 2012 for NDT 1, and the NAC performances mark its first revival with orchestra since its premiere. Silent Tides, the second work on the program, has toured Europe and is finally coming to our stages. Two works, two worlds, one sublime choreographer.
We have an extraordinary finale in store for you, the culmination of a unique collaborative project involving our teams and 30 young performers from across Canada. I can’t tell you how excited I am finally to see BOLERO X performed on the Southam Hall stage. In this exceptional piece, produced by Ballet BC, the company’s dancers will share the stage with five dancers from Ottawa (The School of Dance), three dancers from Vancouver (Arts Umbrella), and 22 students from Montreal (École supérieure de ballet du Québec and École de danse contemporaine de Montréal). Ten days ago, these young dancers appeared on the stage of Théâtre Maisonneuve at Place des Arts (presented by our partner Danse Danse), and today they are dancing on the national stage here at the National Arts Centre, accompanied by NACO. This is an opportunity for them to live their dream to the power of 10 and to gain unique experience, and for us to watch them perform. I’m very moved, and I hope you will be too.
Caroline Ohrt has held a variety of positions in various cultural organizations, acquiring a solid knowledge of the arts ecosystem, management and governance. She has built strong local, national and international professional network which allowed her to present the highest calibre artists from all over the world at the Place des Arts, Danse Danse’s home. While there, she developed many partnerships. She cultivated opportunities for artists and audiences to meet on multiple platforms, whether at the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal, at the Arsenal art contemporain or virtually. She actively contributed to the growth of the organization and took to heart the support and development of artists, which remains a cornerstone of her work.
She has also held multiple positions in the world of contemporary arts, including with other dance organizations such as Compagnie Marie Chouinard and, more recently, at the Domaine Forget in Saint-Irénée. With a background in art history, Caroline has advised visual arts collectors and carried out assignments at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. She is recognized widely as a person in constant dialogue with the forces that shape contemporary creation.
Recognized for her innovative strategic vision, she is actively involved in the community through her participation on prominent boards and juries. She is vice-president of the Conseil des arts de Montréal and a board member of the École de danse contemporaine de Montréal. Her advice is highly valued for her keen understanding of the cultural milieu and artistic realities.
Le parcours de Caroline Ohrt aura forgé chez elle une solide connaissance de la danse, de l’écosystème des arts, de la gestion et de la gouvernance. Elle a su bâtir un réseau professionnel local, national et international qui lui a permis de présenter des artistes de haut calibre provenant de tous les coins du monde sur les différentes scènes de la Place des Arts.
Son passage à Danse Danse aura été marqué par le développement de partenariats structurants. Elle a cultivé des occasions de rencontres pour les artistes et les publics sur de multiples plateformes, que ce soit au Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal, à l’Arsenal art contemporain, ou de façon virtuelle. Elle a activement contribué à la croissance de l’organisme et a à cœur le soutien et le développement des artistes, pierre angulaire de son travail.
Connue dans le milieu des arts contemporains, elle a occupé de multiples fonctions et accompli des mandats auprès d’autres organismes de danse, notamment à la Compagnie Marie Chouinard et, plus récemment, au Domaine Forget de Saint-Irénée. Forte d’une formation en histoire de l’art, Caroline a aussi conseillé des collectionneurs en arts visuels et accompli des mandats au Musée des beaux-arts de Montréal. Elle est connue pour être une personne en constant dialogue avec les forces vives de la création actuelle.
Saluée pour sa vision stratégique novatrice, elle s’implique activement dans la communauté en participant à des conseils d’administration et des jurys de renom. Elle est actuellement vice-présidente du Conseil des arts de Montréal et administratrice de l’École de danse contemporaine de Montréal. Ses conseils sont recherchés pour sa fine compréhension du milieu culturel et des réalités artistiques.
A Note From Medhi Walerski, Artistic Director, Ballet BC
It is wonderful to be here with you this evening. The National Arts Centre holds a special place in Canada’s cultural heart, and Ballet BC is thrilled to return to this beautiful and significant space. Tonight, we are excited to present three diverse works that highlight the depth and versatility of our artists, and the power of human connection.
Chamber, a work I first created in 2013 for the centenary of Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring, is a primal, ritualistic piece that echoes what the music evokes in my imagination.
A work I created as the world emerged from the pandemic, Silent Tides is an intimate duet that explores love, death, eternity, and the connection to ourselves and one another.
In BOLERO X, choreographer Shahar Binyamini unites a remarkable cast of 50 to embody a renowned and monumental piece of music. We’re thrilled to introduce dancers from Ottawa’s The School of Dance, Montreal’s l’École de danse contemporaine de Montréal and École supérieure de ballet du Québec, and Vancouver’s Arts Umbrella Dance who share the stage with us for this epic performance.
My sincere thanks to Caroline Ohrt and the entire NAC team, the NACO and guest conductor Andrew Crust, as well as everyone who made this evening possible—including you. Thank you for being here with us.
Medhi Walerski became Artistic Director of Ballet BC in 2020. Raised in France, Walerski danced at the Paris Opera Ballet and the Ballet du Rhin before joining Nederlands Dans Theater in 2001. For more than a decade he contributed to NDT’s famed innovative style, and was awarded the Dutch dance prize VSCD Zwaan in 2013. Walerski has created with and performed works by Jiří Kylián, William Forsythe, Ohad Naharin, Paul Lightfoot and Sol Leon, Crystal Pite, Johan Inger, and Wayne McGregor among others. Since his choreographic debut in 2008, he has created numerous acclaimed works for NDT and Ballet BC including Petite Cérémonie (2011), Chamber (2012), Romeo and Juliet (2018), Silent Tides (2020), and just BEFORE right AFTER (2022), and Pieces of Tomorrow (2024),as well as works for Bern Ballet, Göteborg Ballet, StaatsBallett Hannover, Charlotte Ballet, and more.
Medhi Walerski assure la direction artistique du Ballet BC depuis 2020. Originaire de France, il s’est produit avec le Ballet de l’Opéra de Paris et le Ballet du Rhin, puis s’est joint au Nederlands Dans Theater (NDT) en 2001. Il a contribué pendant plus de 10 ans au style innovant qui fait la renommée du NDT et a reçu le prix de danse néerlandais VSCD Zwaan en 2013. Il a collaboré, tour à tour en tant que chorégraphe et qu’interprète, avec Jiří Kylián, William Forsythe, Ohad Naharin, Paul Lightfoot et Sol Leon, Crystal Pite, Johan Inger et Wayne McGregor, entre autres. Depuis ses débuts de chorégraphe en 2008, il a créé plusieurs pièces saluées par la critique pour le NDT et le Ballet BC, dont Petite Cérémonie (2011), Chamber (2012), Romeo + Juliet (2018), Silent Tides (2020) et just BEFORE right AFTER (2022), et Pieces of Tomorrow (2024) ainsi que des spectacles pour le Ballet de Berne, le Ballet de Göteborg, le StaatBallet de Hanovre, le Charlotte Ballet et bien d’autres.
One of Ballet BC Artistic Director Medhi Walerski’s most acclaimed works to date, Chamber is a visually rich echo of what Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring provokes in the choreographer’s imagination. Danced by a large ensemble to a stunning score by Joby Talbot, the work is a primal, ritualistic piece which seeks to balance order and chaos—ultimately underlining the duality between the collective and the individual nature of humankind.
“The power of the work saturates the space with a sense of danger and menace, a feeling that grows and recedes but never quite leaves. And when it’s over you desperately want to see it all again.”- Dance Europe
• Named one of LA Times’ top dance performances of 2013
• Broadcast to more than 600 cinemas worldwide through Pathé Live
• Original production co-commissioned by Nederlands Dans Theater, Carolina Performing Arts at the University of North Carolina, Den Norske Opera & Ballett Oslo, and the MUSIC CENTER / Performing Arts Center of Los Angeles for the 100th anniversary of Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring
Silent Tides
Choreographed by Medhi Walerski
“There is a delight to the way the movements are almost never-ending, unfurling into something new.” – The Luxembourg Times
Silent Tides is an intimate work for two dancers that reflects our relationship to one another and to ourselves—the infinite gates where our bodies receive nourishment and otherness, vibration and energy. Touch, time, eternity, love, death, infinity, low tides, high tides.
BOLERO X
Choreographed by Shahar Binyamini
“Exhilarating and unforgettable” - Stir Vancouver
In this new take on Maurice Ravel’s iconic work, choreographer Shahar Binyamini explores the power of repetition and the new meanings that emerge from the connection between the music written in 1928 and the choreography performed today. Fifty performers on stage seek to express the great natural forces of which we are made—the force that separates us as unique individuals as well as that which unites us together as a group. BOLERO X is a pure celebration of the power of dance.
A remarkable tour de force
To elevate this group performance, 30 dancers from four professional training institutions across Canada join the company’s core dancers on stage. Pre-professional dancers from The School of Dance (Ottawa), l’École de danse contemporaine de Montréal (Montreal), l’École supérieure de ballet du Québec (Montreal), and Arts Umbrella Dance (Vancouver) have been invited to perform alongside the Ballet BC when BOLERO X is performed in Ottawa (NAC) and Montreal (Danse Danse).
This special mentorship initiative is a collaboration between NAC Dance, Danse Danse and Ballet BC. Special thanks to Emily Chessa and Isabelle Poirier for their impeccable rehearsal direction, and to Sylvie Desrosiers, Lisa Davis and Anik Bissonnette, Artistic Directors of the three professional training institutions.
The School of Dance (Ottawa)
Miriam Benoy, Myrielle Bernier-Acuna, Simone Brown, Alexander Sen, Haley Ticknor
L’École de danse contemporaine de Montréal
Clara Biernacki, Iban Bourgoin, Olivier Dion, Ludovic Germain-Thivierge, Ezra Guerrier, Alice Larrière, Michelle Lucero Moris, Kate Manns, Jane Millette, Apolline Saulnier, Hortense Sierka, Clara Truong, Clara Urquhart
L’École supérieure de ballet du Québec
Anaelle Carette, Éloïse Chénier, Ève Dupuis, Sophie Houle, Clara Kocollari, Katrina Lungu, Arnaud Mongeon, Tao Stone Leduc, Ariane Pejot-Charrost
Arts Umbrella Dance (Vancouver)
Troy Atamanuk, Zoe Jameson, Taryn Miller
Medhi Walerski became Artistic Director of Ballet BC in 2020. Raised in France, Walerski danced at the Paris Opera Ballet and the Ballet du Rhin before joining Nederlands Dans Theater in 2001. For more than a decade he contributed to NDT’s famed innovative style, and was awarded the Dutch dance prize VSCD Zwaan in 2013. Walerski has created with and performed works by Jiří Kylián, William Forsythe, Ohad Naharin, Paul Lightfoot and Sol Leon, Crystal Pite, Johan Inger, and Wayne McGregor among others. Since his choreographic debut in 2008, he has created numerous acclaimed works for NDT and Ballet BC including Petite Cérémonie (2011), Chamber (2012), Romeo and Juliet (2018), Silent Tides (2020), and just BEFORE right AFTER (2022), and Pieces of Tomorrow (2024),as well as works for Bern Ballet, Göteborg Ballet, StaatsBallett Hannover, Charlotte Ballet, and more.
Medhi Walerski assure la direction artistique du Ballet BC depuis 2020. Originaire de France, il s’est produit avec le Ballet de l’Opéra de Paris et le Ballet du Rhin, puis s’est joint au Nederlands Dans Theater (NDT) en 2001. Il a contribué pendant plus de 10 ans au style innovant qui fait la renommée du NDT et a reçu le prix de danse néerlandais VSCD Zwaan en 2013. Il a collaboré, tour à tour en tant que chorégraphe et qu’interprète, avec Jiří Kylián, William Forsythe, Ohad Naharin, Paul Lightfoot et Sol Leon, Crystal Pite, Johan Inger et Wayne McGregor, entre autres. Depuis ses débuts de chorégraphe en 2008, il a créé plusieurs pièces saluées par la critique pour le NDT et le Ballet BC, dont Petite Cérémonie (2011), Chamber (2012), Romeo + Juliet (2018), Silent Tides (2020) et just BEFORE right AFTER (2022), et Pieces of Tomorrow (2024) ainsi que des spectacles pour le Ballet de Berne, le Ballet de Göteborg, le StaatBallet de Hanovre, le Charlotte Ballet et bien d’autres.
Shahar Binyamini is a choreographer and performer from Israel. He danced with Batsheva Dance Company from 2006 to 2013, where he performed extensively the repertoire of choreographers Ohad Naharin and Sharon Eyal. During those years in the company, Binyamini began his activity as a Gaga movement language teacher. He acted as the artistic director of the Gaga intensive courses in Tel Aviv, Italy, Los Angeles, New York and in Japan. As a choreographic assistant to Ohad Naharin, Binyamini was working with dance companies around the world, including Paris Opera Ballet, Ballet BC, Nederlands Dans Theater, Compañía Nacional de Danza, Finnish National Opera, GöteborgsOperans Danskompani and Bordeaux National Ballet. After leaving Batsheva Dance Company, Binyamini started his international choreographic path in 2016 in Singapore, where he created FLAT for Frontier DanceLand. In recent years, Binyamini has been commissioned by various dance companies and institutions around the world to create new works.
Shahar Binyamini est un chorégraphe et interprète originaire d’Israël. Il a dansé avec la Batsheva Dance Company de 2006 à 2013, où il s’est abondamment produit dans des chorégraphies du répertoire d’Ohad Naharin et de Sharon Eyal. Au sein de la compagnie, il a commencé à enseigner le langage corporel Gaga, puis a été directeur artistique de cours intensifs de Gaga à Tel Aviv, en Italie, à Los Angeles, à New York et au Japon. Assistant chorégraphe d’Ohad Naharin, Shahar Binyamini a collaboré avec des compagnies de danse du monde entier, dont le Ballet de l’Opéra de Paris, le Ballet BC, le Nederlands Dans Theater, la Compañía Nacional de Danza, l’Opéra national de Finlande, la compagnie de danse de l’Opéra de Göteborg et le Ballet de l’Opéra National de Bordeaux. Après son départ de la Batsheva Dance Company, il a poursuivi son parcours de chorégraphe à l’international en 2016 à Singapour, où il a créé FLAT pour Frontier DanceLand. Plus récemment, il a travaillé à la création de nouvelles pièces commandées par plusieurs compagnies et établissements de danse des quatre coins du monde.
Founded in 1986 by David Y.H. Lui, Jean Orr, and Sheila Begg, Ballet BC is Canada's leading contemporary dance company. Based in Vancouver and led by Artistic Director Medhi Walerski, the company performs at venues throughout British Columbia and on the world's best stages. Ballet BC dancers are a group of open-minded and curious artists, each unique for their exceptional artistry while sharing an intuitive passion for movement. Deeply committed to new creation in addition to presenting masterworks from today's most sought-after voices in dance, Ballet BC's diverse repertoire includes works by choreographers such as Crystal Pite, Johan Inger, Sharon Eyal and Gai Behar, Medhi Walerski, Out Innerspace, Imre and Marne van Opstal, Roy Assaf, and Micaela Taylor. The company offers a variety of professional development and educational opportunities in the community, aiming to bring the power of dance to the widest audience possible.
More info: balletbc.com.
Fondé en 1986 par David Y.H. Lui, Jean Orr et Sheila Begg, le Ballet BC est la principale compagnie de danse contemporaine au Canada. Basée à Vancouver, elle est placée sous la direction artistique de Medhi Walerski et se produit partout en Colombie-Britannique et sur les plus grandes scènes internationales. Les interprètes du Ballet BC forment un groupe d’artistes à l’esprit ouvert et curieux, se distinguant par un talent artistique éminemment personnel, que réunit une passion intuitive commune pour le mouvement. En plus de présenter des chefs-d’œuvre des voix les plus prisées de la danse contemporaine, le Ballet BC est résolument engagé à encourager les nouvelles créations. Son répertoire varié puise dans les pièces de chorégraphes comme Crystal Pite, Johan Inger, Sharon Eyal et Gai Behar, Medhi Walerski, Out Innerspace, Imre et Marne van Opstal, Roy Assaf et Micaela Taylor. La compagnie offre un vaste éventail d’activités de perfectionnement professionnel et de formation en vue d’initier le plus grand nombre au pouvoir de la danse.
Pour en savoir plus : balletbc.com (en anglais)
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 U.K. and Artistic and Music Director of Artis—Naples and the Naples Philharmonic in the U.S. Shelley’s leadership is complemented by Principal Guest Conductor John Storgårds and Principal Youth Conductor Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser. 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 U.K., 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.
Music Director:
Vermont Symphony Orchestra
Lima Symphony Orchestra
American/Canadian conductor Andrew Crust has developed a versatile international career as a conductor of orchestral, opera, ballet, film and pops programs.
In his second season as Music Director of the Vermont Symphony Orchestra, Andrew programs and conducts a diverse array of performances throughout the state, collaborates with world-class soloists such as Sir Stephen Hough, Béla Fleck, Bella Hristova, Simone Porter, Joshua Roman and Adam Tendler, and conducted the world premiere of Nico Muhly's new piano concerto “Sounding” in May of 2024. Andrew also led efforts to create a new Pops series, and revitalized the Young Person’s Concert programming, and continues to pursue collaborations with various arts organizations in Vermont.
In his fifth season as Music Director of the Lima Symphony Orchestra, Andrew programs and conducts the Grand Series, Pops and Educational series and has led collaborations with soloists such as Charles Yang, Amit Peled, Tracy Silverman, Sandeep Das, Awadagin Pratt and Laquita Mitchell. Under his leadership the orchestra has enjoyed its most diverse programming to date, engaged in new recording projects, commissioned new works, and during the difficult pandemic seasons, the orchestra was able to record a number and broadcast classical and educational programs. Andrew is committed to diversity and representation in the concert hall. Under his leadership, LSO programming of BIPOC and female composers has increased by over 35% during his tenure.
Andrew is a 2020 winner of the Solti Foundation US Career Assistance Award. In 2021 he was awarded “Prémio a la Proyección” at the Llíria City of Music International Conducting Competition. In 2017 he was awarded first prize at the Accademia Chigiana by Daniele Gatti. He was a semifinalist for the Nestlé/Salzburg Festival’s Young Conductors Award competition, and was selected by members of the Vienna Philharmonic as a winner of the Ansbacher Fellowship, including residency at the Salzburger Festspiele. Andrew served as the Associate Conductor of the Vancouver Symphony in Canada from 2019-2022, where he led around forty-five performances with the VSO each season, and made dozens of recordings released on theconcerthall.ca. Andrew returns frequently to the VSO as a guest conductor.
Andrew is dedicated to exploring new ways of bringing the classical music experience into the 21st century through innovative programming and marketing, creating community-oriented and socially-sensitive concert experiences, and performing unique venues. Andrew is a firm believer in meaningful music education, having produced and written a number of original educational programs with orchestras. As an arranger/orchestrator, Andrew partnered with Schirmer to make orchestrations of a set of Florence Price’s art songs, premiered in February 2022, and has orchestrated works by Alma Mahler and Prokofiev, as well as many popular and educational selections.
Read full bio here
Directeur musical :
Vermont Symphony Orchestra
Lima Symphony Orchestra
Le chef d’orchestre américano-canadien Andrew Crust mène une carrière internationale polyvalente, dirigeant tour à tour des programmes d’orchestre, d’opéra, de ballet et de musique pop ou de films.
En 2023–2024, lors de sa première saison en tant que directeur musical de l’Orchestre symphonique du Vermont, il a programmé et dirigé un vaste éventail de spectacles aux quatre coins de l’État et a collaboré avec des solistes, des compositrices et des compositeurs de renommée mondiale.
En 2020, il a obtenu un prix d’aide à la carrière de la Fondation Solti (États-Unis), et en 2021, il a reçu le « Prémio a la Proyección » (prix de rayonnement) au concours international de direction d’orchestre de Llíria, ville de musique de l’UNESCO. En 2017, Daniele Gatti lui avait remis le premier prix de l’Accademia Chigiana. Il a par ailleurs été demi-finaliste au concours des jeunes chefs d’orchestre du Festival de Salzbourg/Nestlé et choisi par des membres de l’Orchestre philharmonique de Vienne pour recevoir une bourse Ansbacher, qui comprenait une résidence dans ce même festival.
De 2019 à 2022, Andrew Crust a été chef d’orchestre associé à l’Orchestre symphonique de Vancouver (VSO), où il a dirigé environ 45 concerts chaque saison, et réalisé des dizaines d’enregistrements consultables en ligne (theconcerthall.ca). Il revient régulièrement au VSO à titre de chef d’orchestre invité.
Andrew Crust s’emploie à explorer de nouvelles façons d’adapter la musique classique au 21e siècle grâce à une programmation et des campagnes marketing innovantes, des expériences de concert axées sur les communautés selon une approche sensible aux considérations sociales ou encore des spectacles dans des lieux uniques. Il croit fermement à une éducation musicale authentique et a lui-même produit et élaboré plusieurs programmes pédagogiques avec des orchestres. Comme arrangeur et orchestrateur, il s’est associé à Schirmer pour orchestrer un ensemble de mélodies de Florence Price, présentées pour la première fois en février 2022. Il a également orchestré des pièces d’Alma Mahler et de Prokofiev, ainsi que de nombreuses autres œuvres populaires et pédagogiques.
Medhi Walerski became Artistic Director of Ballet BC in 2020. Raised in France, Walerski danced at the Paris Opera Ballet and the Ballet du Rhin before joining Nederlands Dans Theater in 2001. For more than a decade he contributed to NDT’s famed innovative style, and was awarded the Dutch dance prize VSCD Zwaan in 2013. Walerski has created with and performed works by Jiří Kylián, William Forsythe, Ohad Naharin, Paul Lightfoot and Sol Leon, Crystal Pite, Johan Inger, and Wayne McGregor among others. Since his choreographic debut in 2008, he has created numerous acclaimed works for NDT and Ballet BC including Petite Cérémonie (2011), Chamber (2012), Romeo and Juliet (2018), Silent Tides (2020), and just BEFORE right AFTER (2022), and Pieces of Tomorrow (2024),as well as works for Bern Ballet, Göteborg Ballet, StaatsBallett Hannover, Charlotte Ballet, and more.
Choreography Shahar Binyamini
Shahar Binyamini is a choreographer and performer from Israel. He danced with Batsheva Dance Company from 2006 to 2013, where he performed extensively the repertoire of choreographers Ohad Naharin and Sharon Eyal. During those years in the company, Binyamini began his activity as a Gaga movement language teacher. He acted as the artistic director of the Gaga intensive courses in Tel Aviv, Italy, Los Angeles, New York and in Japan. As a choreographic assistant to Ohad Naharin, Binyamini was working with dance companies around the world, including Paris Opera Ballet, Ballet BC, Nederlands Dans Theater, Compañía Nacional de Danza, Finnish National Opera, GöteborgsOperans Danskompani and Bordeaux National Ballet. After leaving Batsheva Dance Company, Binyamini started his international choreographic path in 2016 in Singapore, where he created FLAT for Frontier DanceLand. In recent years, Binyamini has been commissioned by various dance companies and institutions around the world to create new works.
FeaturingBallet BC
Founded in 1986 by David Y.H. Lui, Jean Orr, and Sheila Begg, Ballet BC is Canada's leading contemporary dance company. Based in Vancouver and led by Artistic Director Medhi Walerski, the company performs at venues throughout British Columbia and on the world's best stages. Ballet BC dancers are a group of open-minded and curious artists, each unique for their exceptional artistry while sharing an intuitive passion for movement. Deeply committed to new creation in addition to presenting masterworks from today's most sought-after voices in dance, Ballet BC's diverse repertoire includes works by choreographers such as Crystal Pite, Johan Inger, Sharon Eyal and Gai Behar, Medhi Walerski, Out Innerspace, Imre and Marne van Opstal, Roy Assaf, and Micaela Taylor. The company offers a variety of professional development and educational opportunities in the community, aiming to bring the power of dance to the widest audience possible.
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 U.K. and Artistic and Music Director of Artis—Naples and the Naples Philharmonic in the U.S. Shelley’s leadership is complemented by Principal Guest Conductor John Storgårds and Principal Youth Conductor Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser. 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 U.K., Europe, and Asia.
ConductorAndrew Crust
Music Director:
Vermont Symphony Orchestra
Lima Symphony Orchestra
American/Canadian conductor Andrew Crust has developed a versatile international career as a conductor of orchestral, opera, ballet, film and pops programs.
In his second season as Music Director of the Vermont Symphony Orchestra, Andrew programs and conducts a diverse array of performances throughout the state, collaborates with world-class soloists such as Sir Stephen Hough, Béla Fleck, Bella Hristova, Simone Porter, Joshua Roman and Adam Tendler, and conducted the world premiere of Nico Muhly's new piano concerto “Sounding” in May of 2024. Andrew also led efforts to create a new Pops series, and revitalized the Young Person’s Concert programming, and continues to pursue collaborations with various arts organizations in Vermont.
In his fifth season as Music Director of the Lima Symphony Orchestra, Andrew programs and conducts the Grand Series, Pops and Educational series and has led collaborations with soloists such as Charles Yang, Amit Peled, Tracy Silverman, Sandeep Das, Awadagin Pratt and Laquita Mitchell. Under his leadership the orchestra has enjoyed its most diverse programming to date, engaged in new recording projects, commissioned new works, and during the difficult pandemic seasons, the orchestra was able to record a number and broadcast classical and educational programs. Andrew is committed to diversity and representation in the concert hall. Under his leadership, LSO programming of BIPOC and female composers has increased by over 35% during his tenure.
Andrew is a 2020 winner of the Solti Foundation US Career Assistance Award. In 2021 he was awarded “Prémio a la Proyección” at the Llíria City of Music International Conducting Competition. In 2017 he was awarded first prize at the Accademia Chigiana by Daniele Gatti. He was a semifinalist for the Nestlé/Salzburg Festival’s Young Conductors Award competition, and was selected by members of the Vienna Philharmonic as a winner of the Ansbacher Fellowship, including residency at the Salzburger Festspiele. Andrew served as the Associate Conductor of the Vancouver Symphony in Canada from 2019-2022, where he led around forty-five performances with the VSO each season, and made dozens of recordings released on theconcerthall.ca. Andrew returns frequently to the VSO as a guest conductor.
Andrew is dedicated to exploring new ways of bringing the classical music experience into the 21st century through innovative programming and marketing, creating community-oriented and socially-sensitive concert experiences, and performing unique venues. Andrew is a firm believer in meaningful music education, having produced and written a number of original educational programs with orchestras. As an arranger/orchestrator, Andrew partnered with Schirmer to make orchestrations of a set of Florence Price’s art songs, premiered in February 2022, and has orchestrated works by Alma Mahler and Prokofiev, as well as many popular and educational selections.
Music
Chamber Symphony
Chamber Symphony by Joby Talbot presented under license from G. Schirmer Inc. and Associated Music Publishers, copyright owners.
Lighting Design
Jordan Tuinman
Costume Design
Medhi Walerski
Staging
Sarah Reynolds
Silent Tides
World Premiere: September 17, 2020, Nederlands Dans Theater I
Ballet BC Premiere: November 3, 2022
Choreographer
Medhi Walerski
Music
Composition by Adrien Cronet
Violin concerto in A minor, BWV 1041: Andante, by Johann Sebastian Bach
Performed by Joji Hattori and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra
Courtesy of 1997 Conifer Records Limited
Licensed by Sony Music Entertainment (Canada)
Lighting Design
Pierre Pontvianne and Lisette van der Linden
Lighting Consultant
Tom Visser
Set Design
Medhi Walerski
Costume Design
Medhi Walerski
BOLERO X
World Premiere: November 2, 2023, Ballet BC
Choreography
Shahar Binyamini
Music
Boléro M. 81, by Maurice Ravel
Lighting Design
Shahar Binyamini
Associate Lighting Design
Matthew Piton
Costume Design
Shahar Binyamini
Associate Costume Design
Kate Burrows
The creation of BOLERO X was made possible through the generous support of The Azrieli Foundation, Josh Pekarsky and Marla Guralnick in honour of Arlene Gladstone; Karen James; Trudy and Dan Pekarsky; Arlene James; The Oasis Foundation; Shirley Barnett; Roberta Beiser; and Jeanie Wexler.
This touring production of BOLERO X was made possible through the generous support of The Azrieli Foundation.
Second violins
Emily Kruspe (principal)
Emily Westell
Jessy Kim
Leah Roseman
Frédéric Moisan
Mark Friedman
**Winston Webber
Edvard Skerjanc
Karoly Sziladi
*Heather Schnarr
*Erica Miller
Violas
Jethro Marks (principal)
David Marks (associate principal)
David Thies-Thompson
David Goldblatt (assistant principal)
Paul Casey
*Brenna Hardy-Kavanagh
**Tovin Allers
Cellos
Rachel Mercer (principal)
Julia MacLaine (assistant principal)
Leah Wyber
Timothy McCoy
Marc-André Riberdy
*Karen Kang
Double basses
**Max Cardilli (assistant principal)
Sam Loeck (principal / solo)
Vincent Gendron
*Paul Mach
**Marjolaine Fournier
*Talia Hatcher
Trumpets/Trompettes
Karen Donnelly (principal)
Steven van Gulik
*Amy Horvey
*Curtis Dietz
Trombones
*Charles Benaroya
*Nate Fanning
Bass Trombone
Zachary Bond
Tubas
Chris Lee (principal)
Timpani
*Paul Philbert
Percussion
Jonathan Wade
Andrew Johnson
*Andrew Harris
*Kris Maddigan
*Louis Pino
Harp
*Angela Schwarzkopf
Saxophone
* Mike Tremblay
Saxophone
* Jeffrey Leung
Piano
* Frederic Lacroix
Principal Librarian
Nancy Elbeck
Assistant Librarian
Corey Rempel
Personnel Manager
Meiko Lydall
Assistant Personnel Manager
Laurie Shannon
*Additional musicians
**On Leave
NAC Dance Team
Executive Producer
Caroline Ohrt
Senior Producer
Tina Legari
Special Projects Coordinator and Assistant to the Executive Producer
Mireille Nicholas
Company Manager
Sophie Anka
Education Associate and Teaching Artist
Siôned Watkins
Technical Director
Brian Britton
Communications Strategist
Alexandra Campeau
Marketing Strategist
Marie-Chantale Labbé-Jacques
Production Team, Southam Hall
Head Carpenter
James Reynolds
Head Electrician
Shane Learmonth
Assistant Electrician
Fred Malpass
Property Master
Timothy Shannon
Head Sound Engineer
Dan Holmes
Assistant Sound Engineer
Thomas Stubinski
Head Flyman
Ross Brayne
Electronic Services
Head
Michael St. Onge
Assistant
Michael Blanchard
Warehouse
Head
Kevin Kenny
Projectionist
Head
David Milliard
Official Hotel Partner
International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees
Recognizing your support and passion
Every season, thousands of individuals, corporations, and foundations express their passion for the performing arts in Canada by making a gift to the National Arts Centre. Your donations help to bring breathtaking performance to Canada’s stage, inspire new creation and provide life-changing learning opportunities for young people.
Our loyal supporters deserve to be recognized for the starring role you play. Please give yourselves a round of applause.
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