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The Young Artists Program: the next generation of orchestral musicians
January 3, 2016Founded by Pinchas Zukerman in 1999, the National Arts Centre's Young Artists Program is an intensive training program for outstanding classical musicians. Alumni include NAC Orchestra musicians Jethro Marks (principal viola), Donnie Deacon (principal second violin), Jessica Linnebach…
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Young Artists Program teaches students to take musical risks
December 14, 2015When 24-year-old flutist Lara Deutsch was accepted into the National Arts Centre (NAC)’s Young Artists Program (YAP), she was thrilled. Already an accomplished musician, Lara, was keen to sharpen her skills by learning hands on experience from the program’s internationally-renowned…
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Passing on a passion for music for years to come
July 13, 2015Claire Watson Fisher grew up in a music-loving family. Her father was instrumental in the founding of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra in 1934. Her mother never missed a Saturday broadcast of the Metropolitan Opera from New York City. “Claire and I were often taken to concerts where our love…
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NAC GALA raises $917,000 for National Youth and Education Trust
October 2, 2014Tonight’s 18th annual National Arts Centre Gala put a shining new face on music education in Canada, raising the second-highest amount in its history and delighting concert-goers with a succession of astonishing performances. The NAC Gala with Pinchas, Itzhak & Friends was sold out, and…
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Donor Profile: Jean Gauthier and Danielle Fortin
July 15, 2014Coming to the National Arts Centre to see the Orchestra play wasn’t always easy in those early years. After all, during the 1980’s, Jean Gauthier and Danielle Fortin were raising four children. “Family expenses were the prime outlay for any funds coming in,” Danielle admits. “But there was…
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The Summer Music Institute: A World of Talent
June 23, 2014On the evening of June 16th, His Excellency Bruce Heyman, U.S. Ambassador to Canada, and his wife Vicki Heyman, hosted a special reception in celebration of the 16th edition of the National Arts Centre’s Summer Music Institute (SMI). The event took place on the grounds of the U.S.…
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How the Summer Music Institute helped set the stage for Jan Lisiecki
June 17, 2014When Jan Lisiecki first performed at the NAC, he was only 10. But there are things about that day he still remembers: the maze-like backstage, how the conductor expressed surprise at his hair, and the helpful, friendly nature of the NAC Orchestra. “They were so kind and professional,”…
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Music and the Brain: Christine Carter on the psychology of practice
June 17, 2014In 1999, the National Arts Centre’s Music Director Pinchas Zukerman founded the Summer Music Institute with just 10 students. Today, the Institute welcomes over 70 students each year and has become a magnet for the best young Canadian and international classical artists, providing…
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The Summer Music Institute: Shaping the artists of tomorrow
May 21, 2014Every summer, more than 70 young people from across Canada and around the globe make their way to the National Arts Centre because of their remarkable talent, their countless hours of incredibly hard work, and their steadfast dream of making music. Welcome to the NAC’s Summer Music…
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In Memory of Marjorie Goodrich
March 12, 2014Kathryn Noel still remembers the first time she ever set foot in the National Arts Centre. She was 10 years old and the NAC had just opened its doors. “My mother took me to see the Count Basie Orchestra. I was wearing a pretty little dress. It was very special,” she recalls. That was the…
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Donor Profile: Susan and David Laister
January 10, 2014Susan Laister remembers it well. When she was a child, her father would go out into the garage and wind-up his old gramophone. “I would go out with him and listen to the music,” she recalls. “That was the start of my love for classical music.” For Susan’s husband, David, his passion for…
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Alumnus Travis Harrison shares his most memorable experiences at the SMI – (Part 3)
June 20, 2013SMI: Congratulations on your appointment with the WSO! Can you give some advice to young musicians about the orchestra audition process? Travis: I think that the most important thing that people need going into an audition is confidence. I’m sure that there are lots of ways to find…
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Alumnus Travis Harrison shares his most memorable experiences at the SMI – (Part 2)
June 15, 2013SMI: What makes this program unique? Travis: There are a number of unique things about the SMI. Most notably, it’s one of the only Canadian summer music programs that takes place in a major city (a beautiful and accessible one at that!), and the program works closely with a leading…
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Alumnus Travis Harrison shares his most memorable experiences at the SMI – Part 1
June 8, 2013We are thrilled to report that SMI alumnus Travis Harrison (2009, 2011 & 2012) recently landed a position with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra! In this three-part interview, Travis talks about his experience at the SMI, finding balance in his practice routine and preparing for orchestra…
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What Makes SMI Unique? SMI faculty share their insight.
April 23, 2013In preparation for SMI 2013, we’ve asked three faculty members – Patty Kopec (violin/viola), Grigory Kalinovsky (violin/viola), and Charles (Chip) Hamann (oboe) – to share some advice with students about preparing for the Young Artist Program (YAP), making the most of their time here, and…