OTTAWA—Canada’s National Arts Centre Orchestra led by Norwegian Guest Conductor Arild Remmereit will perform two concerts in Whitehorse featuring superstar Canadian violinist James Ehnes. During the tour musicians from the NAC will engage in music education activities with the community as part of the Orchestra’s Northern Canada Tour (October 26 to November 4). GE Canada is the Presenting Partner of the Northern Canada Tour.

“On behalf of the Government of Yukon, I am pleased to extend a warm welcome to the members of the National Arts Centre Orchestra, who will engage Yukoners in performances and educational opportunities,” Yukon Premier Darrell Pasloski said. “I also look forward to the spring’s Northern Scene festival in Ottawa where artists from Yukon and other areas of the North will have an opportunity to showcase their talents to a national audience.”

NORTHERN SCENE

In the Spring of 2013, from April 25 to May 4, the NAC will be inviting 250 artists from Yukon, the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Nunavik, and Nunatsiavut to be presented on stages and in galleries in the nation’s capital during Northern Scene, a major festival that includes Music, Theatre, Dance, Visual and Media Arts, Film, Storytelling, Food and Fashion. TransCanada Corporation is the Presenting Partner of Northern Scene.

“We’re calling it the NAC’s year of the North,” said NAC President and CEO Peter Herrndorf. “We are thrilled to be celebrating the artistry and heritage of the extraordinary talent of Northern Canada by touring the North with the Orchestra in the Fall and by staging the biggest showcase of Northern artists Canada has ever seen in the Spring during Northern Scene.”

THE TOUR OF THE NAC ORCHESTRA TO YUKON

On Saturday, November 3 at 2 p.m. the “Vivaldi and the Four Seasons” family concert at the Yukon Arts Centre will feature soloist James Ehnes in Vivaldi’s famous piece. The matinee will also showcase actor John Doucet as Vivaldi, the Fiddleheads Yukon, and throat singers Evie Mark and Akinisie Sivuarapik.  The program will include  an excerpt from Take the Dog Sled, an original piece of music inspired by Canadian composer Alexina Louie’s travels to the north, Northern Medley by Canadian composer Alain Trudel, and a film and original music created and composed by students from Inuksuk High School in Iqaluit.

Then at 8 p.m., the Orchestra will perform an evening concert, also at the Yukon Arts Centre. The program includes Concertino for Horn and String Orchestra by Larsson, the Holberg Suite by Grieg,Tchaikovsky’s Serenade in C Minor and Take the Dog Sled by Canadian composer Alexina Louie, who will give a pre-performance chat  facilitated by Whitehorse Concerts manager Danette Readman from 6 to 7 p.m. A local youth choir will also give a pre-concert performance from 6:45 to 7:15 p.m.

The concert will also feature 12 visual art works from the Yukon Permanent Art Collection curated to complement the performance of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons. The featured works include: My Yukon by Ted Harrison, Five Finger Rapids on Yukon River by Maurice Haycock, North Canol Road by Jim Vest, Eagle and Salmon by Eugene Alfred, Summer Heat by Jackie Ziehe, Forget Me Not Mukluks by Mary Deguerre, April Fool by Michelle Melvin, Spring Leaves, Fox Lake Burn, Towering Cumulus by Nicole Bauberger, Close to the Thirtymile by Janet Moore, Whiteout by Lillian Loponen, Stormy Wind Wiggle by Daphne Mennell, and Glacial Magic by Rosemary Scanlon.

NAC ORCHESTRA EDUCATION ACTIVITIES IN WHITEHORSE

Music education with young artists, young audiences and the community are a centerpiece of every NAC Orchestra Tour. Some of the 15 events in Whitehorse include:

Thursday November 1

• A throat singing workshop at the Northern Cultural Expressions Society with Evie Mark and Akinsie Sivuaraapik. A totem pole to commemorate the Truth and Reconciliation Commision’s work will be raised. Workshop from 4:30-5:30 p.m.

Friday November 2

• Musicians in the Schools performance, Porter Creek Secondary School, from 10:00 a.m.-10:45 a.m. 1405 Hickory Street, Whitehorse. Contact (867) 667-8044
• Community Mime Workshop with NAC actor John Doucet from 1:00-3:00 p.m. MAD Student Drama Program, Wood Street School Centre, 411 Wood Street, Whitehorse. Contact (867) 335-4071
• NAC Concerts in Care with NAC String Quintet from 3:30-4:30 p.m. at two locations: Macaulay Lodge, 2 Klondike Road, Whitehorse. Contact (867) 393-7111 and NACO Concerts in Care at the Thomson Centre, 6 Hospital Road, Whitehorse. Contact (867) 393-8625

Saturday November 3

• NAC Orchestra Family Concert at 2:00 p.m. (tickets still available) Yukon Arts Centre. Contact (867) 335-7825
• Pre-concert chat with composer Alexina Louie. Studio Theatre, Yukon Arts Centre from 7:00 p.m.-7:30 p.m.
• Performance by the Fiddleheads Yukon from 7:15 p.m.-7:45 p.m. at the Yukon Arts Centre in Whitehorse.
• Performance of the NAC Orchestra at 8:00 p.m. (tickets still available)  at the Yukon Arts Centre.

 

THE NAC IN THE NORTH

The NAC Orchestra’s Northern Canada Tour will see the Orchestra perform six concerts in Iqaluit, Yellowknife and Whitehorse, and engage in 50 educational events in those cities, as well as in Pangnirtung, and Rankin Inlet—communities that have enjoyed a longstanding NAC relationship through its Music Alive Program. These educational events, created in collaboration with local partners, centre on five principles: music education for children and youth; music making in the community; building capacity among educators and musicians as creators; preserving and celebrating local culture; and showcasing Northern artists.

The Northern Tour  builds on the wonderful relationship the NAC’s Music Education Department has established over the past three years through The Music Alive Program.. Through that program NAC teaching musicians have worked with local educators, musicians, elders and community leaders to support local music-making, arts, culture and language through school music programs and education initiatives. The NAC’s Music Alive Program is supported by the RBC Foundation and Travel Partner First Air.

ABOUT THE NAC ORCHESTRA

Reaching out to Canadian communities through touring is a central pillar of the NAC Orchestra. Over its 41-year history, the Orchestra has performed for audiences in hundreds of venues around the world, including 118 cities and communities in Canada and 124 cities internationally.

FOLLOW THE TOUR

Always at the forefront of technology and arts education, the award-winning NAC New Media department will make the NAC Orchestra’s Northern Canada Tour accessible to all Canadians, who are invited to follow the tour online at http://www.nacotour.ca for blogs, videos, podcasts, photos and more. Updates will also be posted on Twitter at #nacotour #tourneeocna and on the NAC’s Facebook page.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS NORTHERN CANADA TOUR

The National Arts Centre wishes to thank the Government of Canada for its support of the NAC Orchestra during the Northern Canada Tour.

The National Arts Centre Foundation gratefully acknowledges support for the Northern Canada Tour from presenting partner GE Canada, Supporting Partners Gail Asper, Q.C., O.M., and Michael Paterson, NCC Investment Group Inc. and Agnico-Eagle Mines Ltd. The Tour Travel Partner is First Air and theMajor Media Partner is CBC North.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS NORTHERN SCENE 

The National Arts Centre and Northern Scene wish to thank the Government of Canada, Government of the Northwest Territories, Government of Nunavut, Government of the Yukon and the Canada Council for the Arts for its support of Northern Scene.

The National Arts Centre Foundation wishes to thank Presenting Partner TransCanada Corporation, Special Partners John and Bonnie Buhler, Community Partner TD and Major Partner Enbridge Inc. for its support. Northern Scene’s Supporting Partners are NCC Investment Group Inc., and The Banff Centre.  The Major Media Partner is CBC North with the Ottawa Citizen as Media Partner. The Travel Partner is First Air.

TICKET INFORMATION

Tickets  are available in person or online at the Yukon Arts Centre for the NAC Orchestra concerts on Saturday, November 3, 2012 at 2 p.m. and again at 8 p.m. Please contact the Box Office or online at http://www.yukonartscentre.com

- 30 -

For more information:

Rosemary Thompson
Director of Communications
National Arts Centre
Tel. (613) 947-7000, ext. 260
Cell: (613) 762-4118
rosemary.thompson@nac-cna.ca
 

Andrea Hossack
Communications Officer
NAC Orchestra
Tel. (613) 947-7000, ext. 335
Cell. (613) 220-5487
andrea.hossack@nac-cna.ca

Carl Martin
Communications Advisor 
National Arts Centre
Tel. (613) 947-7000, ext. 560
Cell : (613) 291-8880
carl.martin@nac-cna.ca