The National Arts Centre congratulates Canadian pianist Angela Hewitt who won the JUNO Award for Best Classical Album of the Year (Large Ensemble or Soloist(s) with Large Ensemble Accompaniment) for Mozart’s Piano Concertos Nos. 22 & 24 (Hyperion), recorded with the National Arts Centre Orchestra and conducted by Hannu Lintu.

The recording was captured in July 2013 in Ms. Hewitt’s hometown of Ottawa, as she and the NAC Orchestra performed on the NAC’s Southam Hall stage in front of a live concert audience. The recording was up against stiff competition from other top Canadian orchestras including the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, l’Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal and l’Orchestre Métropolitain. The JUNO Awards took place over the weekend in Hamilton.

“We were delighted to hear that Angela Hewitt was awarded a JUNO,” said NAC Orchestra Managing Director Christopher Deacon. “Angela Hewitt has had a lifelong relationship with the NAC Orchestra and we are so grateful to have been able to work with her and Hannu Lintu on this beautiful recording.” 

ABOUT ANGELA HEWITT

Angela Hewitt is a phenomenal artist who has established herself at the highest level, not least through her award-winning recordings for Hyperion. Her series of all the major keyboard works of Bach has been described as “one of the record glories of our age” (The Sunday Times). Her discography also includes recordings of Beethoven, Chabrier, Couperin, Debussy, Fauré, Granados, Messiaen, Rameau, Ravel, Schumann, the complete Chopin Nocturnes and a cycle of Mozart Concertos. Born in Ottawa, into a musical family, Angela Hewitt began her piano studies at the age of three. At the age of nine, she gave her first recital at Toronto’s Royal Conservatory of Music where she later studied, going on to learn with the French pianist Jean-Paul Sévilla. She won the Viotti Competition in Italy and the Toronto International Bach Competition, and was a top prizewinner in the Bach competitions of Leipzig and Washington DC, as well as the Dino Ciani Competition at La Scala, Milan. She was made an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2000. She was also awarded an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in 2006. She has lived in London since 1985 but also has homes in Canada and Umbria.

ABOUT THE NAC ORCHESTRA

Canada's National Arts Centre Orchestra is noted for the passion and clarity of its performances and recordings, ground-breaking teaching and outreach programs, and nurturing of Canadian creativity. This vibrant orchestra was formed in 1969 at the opening of Canada's National Arts Centre, and gives over 100 performances a year, with world renowned artists. The Orchestra tours Canada and internationally, including China (2013) and the UK (2014), showcasing Canadian composers and musicians as performers and educators.  The Orchestra continually pioneers education work locally, internationally and in indigenous communities in northern Canada.  The Orchestra has made over 40 commercial recordings, including six with Music Director Pinchas Zukerman. This Juno Award winning recording of Mozart Piano Concertos 22 and 24 with Angela Hewitt and Hannu Lintu was released in June 2014 on Hyperion Records.

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FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Carl Martin
Senior Advisor, Communications
National Arts Centre
613 947-7000 x 560