Kids are a big part of every NAC Orchestra tour. In preparation for its October 2014 tour to the United Kingdom commemorating the outbreak of the First World War, the Orchestra asked Canadian composer Abigail Richardson to work with students from Ottawa’s Colonel By Secondary School to help them compose a piece inspired by how they imagined Canada's role in that conflict.
During their early sessions Ms. Richardson and members of the NAC Orchestra encouraged the students to convey different sounds and moods by playing their instruments in unusual ways. Students experimented with tapping the keys of wind instruments, blowing through a disconnected mouthpiece and drawing a bow across a vibraphone bar.
On October 28th, the Colonel By students will play their new composition during a videoconference that will link the NAC in Ottawa and the Brent Youth Concert Band in London, England. The event is called ConneXXions and will feature live performances by the young musicians, discussions about their musical experiences, as well as a special performance by Dame Evelyn Glennie.
