Ottawa (Canada) – More than 10,000 of the country’s most outstanding young musicians from every corner of Canada are on their way to Ottawa for the 40th annual MusicFest Canada, North America's largest festival dedicated to developing musical talent.   

TheMusicFest Nationals will bring together more than 10,000 of Canada's finest young musicians aged 12-19 in 300 ensembles who will perform for national recognition.

The Nationals take place from May 14-19 at the National Arts Centre, at Dominion-Chalmers United Church and the Lord Elgin Hotel. For more detailed schedule information, please visit www.musicfest.ca.

Students from the elementary to high school levels are invited to attend MusicFest Canada Nationals after securing top adjudications at the regional level in concert band, orchestra, choral, vocal jazz or instrumental jazz categories. The NAC has hosted the band and orchestra performances during the national week-long music festival every second year since 2006.

In honour of the 40^th anniversary, MusicFest Canada has put together some incredible concerts featuring jazz greats from home and abroad:

• The 40th Anniversary Celebration Concert, hosted by former Blood, Sweat and Tears vocalist David Clayton-Thomas that will feature the Humber College Faculty Band, Pearl Drummer Horacio "El Negro" Hernandez of Santana, Yamaha pianist Oliver Jones, Jazz Vocalist Ranee Lee with Music Director Denny Christianson (Friday, May 18, 8 p.m. Southam Hall).
• The 40th Anniversary Alumni Jazz Concert featuring the Nepean All-City Jazz Band directed by Neil Yorke-Slader, with Alex Dean, Kirk MacDonald, Daniel Ko, Matthew Chalmers, Lucas Haneman and the National Youth Jazz Combo (Monday, May 14, 8 p.m. Southam Hall)
• Vertical Voices Live from  Los Angeles (Thursday, May 17, 7:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. Dominion-Chalmers United Church)

FREE CONCERTS

The following performances, featuring some of the best young musicians from every corner of Canada, are free and open to the public.  Members of the public can pick up free day passes at the MusicFest Registration Office in the Foyer of the NAC. Please note that seating is limited.

• The 40th Anniversary Awards Presentation hosted by Andrew Craig and featuring the National Youth Jazz Combo (Saturday, May 19, 2 p.m., Southam Hall).

 

• The Yamaha All-Star Band featuring Cam Ryga on saxophone (Saturday, May 19, 3 p.m., Southam Hall)

 

• The Denis Wick Canadian Wind Orchestra directed by Dr. Mark Hopkins and Dr. Gillian MacKay featuring Dr. James Lebens on Trombone, including the world premiere of Andrew Staniland's Four Horsemen, a piece co-commissioned by MusicFest Canada and the NAC in honour of Musicfest’s 40th anniversary. (Saturday May 19, 8 p.m., Southam Hall).

 All adjudicated performances are also open to the public:

• Concert Bands/Orchestras: May 14-19 at the NAC Studio Theatre
• Choral: May 16-18 at Dominion-Chalmers United Church
• Jazz Combos & Ensembles: May 14-17 at the Lord Elgin Hotel Ontario Room
• Jazz Combos & Ensembles (Friday only): May 18 at NAC Fourth Stage

MusicFest Canada and its sponsors will be giving out approximately $100,000 in scholarships and awards at the festival, including two NAC Awards at $1,000 each for the best brass and string musicians, and $1,000 from the Friends of the NAC Orchestra for the outstanding wind player of the festival.

MUSICFEST CANADA

The objectives of MusicFest Canada are:

• To provide an opportunity for students and educators from across Canada and elsewhere to meet and to demonstrate and to share their musical achievements and creativity.
• To evaluate and reflect on musical achievement and creativity in a constructive and educationally focused way.
• To encourage the study and performance of music written and arranged by Canadian composers.
• To complement and enhance the teaching, learning and growing process.
• To foster and promote a lifelong interest in music as a basic human experience.

Staged in a major Canadian city each year, MusicFest Canada is the ultimate experience in combining music and education and is a moving force in the cultural life of Canada's youth. These young musicians perform in hundreds of ensembles and attend showcase concerts, clinics, feature cabarets and workshops for an intense, non-stop six days.

NAC YOUTH AND EDUCATION
The NAC is a proud partner of MusicFest Canada and delighted to be hosting the Nationals. The NAC holds “youth and education” as a key priority of the NAC’s strategic vision, and reaches out to young people across the country in order to help strengthen arts education, support young artists and build young audiences.

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For more information:

Mary Gordon Communications Advisor (613) 947-7000,  ext. 849

Kim Vrieling Production Manager, MusicFest Canada (613) 882-5210