Eric Friesen Presents the NAC Orchestra

English
13 Episodes

About the podcast

How did the National Art Centre Orchestra become the world class organization it is today? In this podcast series, veteran broadcaster and writer Eric Friesen chronicles the unfolding drama ofthe NAC Orchestra from its earliest days in 1969 to the present time. With his charming personality and a host of probing questions, he interviews conductors, orchestral musicians, guest artists and administrators about the Orchestra’s beginnings, the challenges it faced, the tours it made all over Canada and to many foreign lands, and the kind of individuals it took to mold the Orchestra into what it is today.

About the host

  • Writer, Broadcaster Eric Friesen

  • In With the New: a Golden Age of creativity

     English Oct 04, 2019 45:14

    With a revived commitment to commissioning and performing new music and particularly new Canadian music the NAC Orchestra is more creatively active than ever. All the forces are working in...

  • Beyond Ottawa: Touring, Recording, Broadcasting, Digital Engagement

     English Oct 03, 2019 39:24

    NAC Administrators and music lovers answer the question "Why is it important to have a national orchestra?" The NAC recognizes people are listening to music outside of the concert hall...

  • The players speak: Backstage with the NAC Orchestra musicians

     English Oct 02, 2019 43:38

    Eric speaks with the players themselves about this decade of transition, the 5th decade of the NAC Orchestra. Musicians share what brought them to Ottawa and why they continue...

  • The fifth decade: A new musical vision for the orchestra

     English Oct 01, 2019 45:54

    The fifth decade of the NAC Orchestra would see Pinchas Zukerman finish up his 16 year tenure as Music Director and give way to a new leader, Alexander Shelley. ...

  • The 2009 NAC Award Winners: Up Close and Personal

     English Jul 09, 2009 1:04:26

    Meet the second group of three Canadian composers given the prestigious NAC Awards: Peter Paul Kaprowski, Anna Sokolovic and John Estacio. Two are immigrants to Canada from Eastern Europe and...

  • The Post War Years: Canadian Composers Come of Age

     English Jul 08, 2009 1:08:42

    This is the story of the composers from the last two decades of the 20th century. These are men and women who are confident of their place in Canadian culture...

  • The Post War Years: Canadian Composers Come of Age

     English Jul 07, 2009 1:11:44

    As World War 2 ended, there was a great flowering in contemporary music making in Canada. For the first time, men and women declared themselves professional composers. Listen to the...

  • Beyond Ottawa: NACO and the World!

     English Jul 06, 2009 1:06:47

    The NAC Orchestra has from its very early years been known outside the boundaries of Canada. In its third year of life, it made a triumphant debut in New York...

  • Beyond Ottawa: The National Mandate of NACO

     English Jul 05, 2009 1:05:22

    The National Arts Centre Orchestra has, from its conception, had a mandate beyond Ottawa, a mandate to serve all Canadians from coast to coast to coast. The key national stages...

  • The Golden Years with Pinchas Zukerman

     English Jul 04, 2009 56:45

    The return of the NAC Orchestra to stability and health coincides with the arrival of a superstar violinist/conductor, and a man with a huge vision for expansion and education. ...

  • The Pinnock Years and a Memorable Principal Guest Conductor

     English Jul 03, 2009 57:02

    Through much of the 1990’s, the NAC Orchestra was led by the baroque and classical specialist from England, Trevor Pinnock. This was a time of continued financial challenges for...

  • The Eighties: Mannino and Chmura

     English Jul 02, 2009 57:37

    After 13 years under Bernardi, the NAC Orchestra’s new leader was another Italian: Franco Mannino. Where Bernardi had been all northern Italy - cold blue light, Mannino was all...

  • An Orchestra is born: The Bernardi Years

     English Jul 01, 2009 1:00:01

    The National Arts Centre Orchestra was born in the cultural euphoria of the 1960’s, an off shoot of a bold Centennial Year project for our nation’s capital. Not only...