The NAC Orchestra, the Orchestre symphonique de Québec, and the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir join forces on a new recording of Jacques Hétu’s final work 

Canada’s National Arts Centre (NAC) Orchestra is thrilled to announce the release of Two Orchestras, One Symphony. This groundbreaking album, produced in collaboration with the Orchestre symphonique de Québec (OSQ) and the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, is a grand-scale interpretation of the late Quebec composer Jacques Hétu’s monumental Symphony No. 5. Led by NAC Orchestra Music Director Alexander Shelley, the project captures a remarkable fusion of Canadian orchestral and choral excellence. 

Symphony No. 5 was Hétu’s final and most profoundly personal composition. Inspired by Paul Éluard’s Second World War poem Liberté, Hétu weaves themes of freedom and hope into one of his most significant achievements. Comprised of four movements, it begins with a joyful prologue set in Paris before the devastation and destruction brought on the city by the Second World War, followed by movements depicting the invasion and ultimate occupation by the Nazis. First commissioned by the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and premiered posthumously in 2010, the symphony is an emotional exploration of Éluard’s poem, which Hétu set to music in the final movement. 

After guest conducting the Quebec City-based ensemble three times, Alexander Shelley suggested the NAC Orchestra join forces with the OSQ, Canada’s oldest orchestra, to bring Hétu’s masterwork to life. Featuring over 100 musicians from the NAC Orchestra and the OSQ and 114 singers from the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, this recording, captured in Southam Hall at the National Arts Centre in March 2024, is a celebration of Canadian artistic talent and a legendary Canadian composer. 

“It’s not often that you get to hear two superb orchestras plus a full choir combining their unique sounds and styles to create something new,” says Alexander Shelley. “Learning Hétu’s music was a delight — his refined craftsmanship has profound beauty in and of itself. Performing and recording his Symphony No. 5 with the combined forces of Canada’s National Arts Centre Orchestra, the Orchestre symphonique de Québec, and the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir gave all of us enormous pleasure and fulfillment.” 

The album follows a critically acclaimed 2024 tour which saw the mega ensemble perform Hétu’s Fifth live at three of Canada’s most iconic concert halls: Le Grand Théâtre de Québec in Quebec City, Roy Thomson Hall in Toronto, and Southam Hall in Ottawa. 

“We are immensely proud to bring Canada’s oldest and largest choir to this project, sharing Hétu’s final work with audiences across the country and, through this album, with listeners worldwide,” says Toronto Mendelssohn Choir Artistic Director Jean-Sébastien Vallée. “The opportunity for the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir to collaborate with two great orchestras not only strengthened our connections within the Canadian arts community but honoured Jacques Hétu’s immense contributions to Quebec and Canadian orchestral and choral music.” 

“I would like to acknowledge the warm and remarkable collaboration between the National Arts Centre Orchestra, the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, and the Orchestre symphonique de Québec, gathered under the visionary direction of Alexander Shelley to perform the poignant Symphony No. 5 by the late Quebec composer Jacques Hétu,” adds OSQ President and CEO Astrid Chouinard. “My thoughts are with the composer’s widow in particular, but also with all those who, from near and far, have made this adventure possible. In these troubled times for humanity, may Jacques Hétu’s work be a source of inspiration and comfort.” 

The NAC Orchestra’s collaboration with Jacques Hétu began in 1977 when it commissioned Antinomie, which it performed under its former music director, Mario Bernardi. This enduring relationship continued under former NAC Orchestra music director Pinchas Zukerman, who chose works by Hétu to showcase as part of the Orchestra’s European tour in 1990 and its Quebec tour in 2006. The National Arts Centre previously commissioned another major new work from Hétu, which he never completed due to his sudden death in 2010. Hétu’s Symphony No. 5 marks a powerful conclusion to this artistic journey, solidifying his legacy as one of the great composers in Canadian music history. 

Two Orchestras, One Symphony is available for streaming and purchase worldwide on the Analekta music label as of November 15, 2024.

ABOUT CANADA’S NATIONAL ARTS CENTRE ORCHESTRA 

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.  

The NAC Orchestra has also established a rich discography, including many of the over 80 orchestral works it has commissioned over the years. These include:  

• The 2024 album Truth in Our Time, including the premiere recording of Philip Glass’s Symphony No. 13, commissioned by the NAC Orchestra. 
• Clara - Robert - Johannes: a multi-year, multi-album exploration of the music of Clara Schumann, Robert Schumann, and Johannes Brahms, featuring pianists Angela Hewitt, Stewart Goodyear, and Gabriela Montero.  
• The groundbreaking Life Reflected, which includes “My Name is Amanda Todd” by the late Jocelyn Morlock (winner of the 2018 JUNO for Classical Composition of the Year).  
• Ana Sokolović’s “Golden Slumbers Kiss Your Eyes,” 2019 JUNO winner for Classical Composition of the Year (from the 2019 JUNO-nominated New Worlds). 
• The 2020 JUNO-nominated The Bounds of Our Dreams, featuring pianist Alain Lefèvre.  
• Angela Hewitt’s 2015 JUNO Award-winning album of Mozart Piano Concertos.

ABOUT THE ORCHESTRE SYMPHONIQUE DE QUÉBEC 

Founded in 1902, the Orchestre symphonique de Québec (OSQ) is Canada’s oldest symphony orchestra. A key player in the provincial capital’s music scene, it has always been closely linked to the city’s history. Among other events, it participated in the celebrations of Quebec City’s tercentenary in 1908, the Sommet de la francophonie in 1987, and the 400th anniversary of Quebec City in 2008, when the Orchestra performed Mahler’s monumental Symphony of a Thousand. It also shared the stage with Plácido Domingo before an audience of 100,000, a highlight in its history. 

In addition to the major works of the symphonic repertoire, the OSQ performs many works by composers from Quebec, Canada, and abroad.

A leader in arts education and outreach, it contributes to the popularization of symphonic music through innovative projects such as the Zoo musical and the digital educational platform La galerie symphonique. Music education has been a key component of the Orchestra’s mission since 1936, and its Matinées symphoniques and Concerts famille enable young people to discover classical music, both in schools and at public performances. The OSQ also supports the next generation of musicians through its association with the Conservatoire de musique de Québec and the Laval University Faculty of Music.

Under the direction of renowned conductors, the OSQ has won numerous awards and produced 26 albums, several of which have won awards. The Orchestra continues to enrich Quebec’s cultural life with a broad and diverse program. Clemens Schuldt is the OSQ’s 12th music director. 

ABOUT THE TORONTO MENDELSSOHN CHOIR 

The Toronto Mendelssohn Choir (TMChoir) is proud to be one of Canada’s oldest, largest, and best-known choral organizations. The choir presented its first concert on January 15, 1895, as part of Massey Hall’s inaugural season and has been a leader in choral music in Canada ever since, commissioning works by Canadian composers and presenting world and Canadian premieres. The choir also regularly performs and records with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. In May 2021, Jean-Sébastien Vallée was named Artistic Director, only the eighth conductor in TMChoir’s 130-year history.

Through its performances, educational programs, and community engagement, TMChoir aspires to introduce its audiences to choral masterworks from the past and present—and make both renowned and lesser-known pieces available, accessible, and inspirational to all.

The TMChoir includes a core of professional singers and more than 130 auditioned and experienced volunteer choristers. The smaller professional ensemble, the Toronto Mendelssohn Singers, was created to deliver a more intimate repertoire in a variety of non-traditional venues. This 130th anniversary season includes a commercial recording, Remember: 130 Years of Canadian Choral Music, released on October 4, 2024, by ATMA Classique, and a recording with Canada’s National Arts Centre Orchestra and the Orchestre symphonique de Québec celebrating the late composer Jacques Hétu.

ABOUT THE NATIONAL ARTS CENTRE 

The National Arts Centre is Canada’s bilingual, multi-disciplinary home for the performing arts. The NAC presents, creates, produces, and co-produces performing arts programming in various streams — the NAC Orchestra, Dance, English Theatre, French Theatre, Indigenous Theatre, and Popular Music and Variety — and nurtures the next generation of audiences and artists from across Canada. The NAC is located in the National Capital Region on the unceded territory of the Anishinabe Algonquin Nation.   

-30- 

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Noah Richardson 
Communications Strategist, NAC Orchestra 
noah.richardson@nac-cna.ca 
(613) 415-5208