Ottawa (Canada)— Jean-Philippe Tremblay, one of the rising stars amongst Canadian conductors, and Pinchas Zukerman protégé, will lead the NAC Orchestra during its most important fundraising concert in September. The NAC Gala, which takes place on September 21, 2013, raises money for the National Youth and Education Trust, and provides funding for the NAC’s wide array of artistic programming and educational initiatives benefitting young artists, young audiences and schools across Canada. Last year alone, more than 100,000 young people participated in student matinées at the NAC, dance workshops, and master classes in music, dance and theatre; all activities made possible by gifts to the Trust.

Since its inception in 1997, the NAC Gala has featured young performers, or rising talent in the classical music field. Maestro Tremblay, an alumni of the NAC’s annual Summer Music Institute, was mentored by Pinchas Zukerman from 2001 to 2003, when he served as Maestro Zukerman’s apprentice conductor. Mr. Tremblay has, in turn, supported young artists by conducting works of emerging composers at the NAC’s Summer Music Institute for more than a decade.

At the age of 35, conductor and violist Jean-Philippe Tremblay has developed an impressive international career. He is the founder and musical director of the Montreal-based, Orchestre de la Francophonie.  Under his leadership, the orchestra has given more than 250 concerts across Canada, China and the United States. Mr. Tremblay has also produced many acclaimed recordings with the Orchestre de la Francophonie.

In recent seasons, Mr.Tremblay has led prestigious European ensembles including the Orchestre National de France, the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, the Vienna Chamber Orchestra, the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the Spanish National Orchestra, and radio orchestras in Prague, Dresden and Budapest.

In North America, he led the symphony orchestras of Montreal, Quebec, Winnipeg, Washington, and the Tanglewood Music Center, the Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas, as well as the National Arts Centre Orchestra.

Tremblay will lead the NAC Orchestra during the first half of the September 21^st Gala performance.  During the second half, Ottawa-native Paul Anka will perform some of his most memorable music with his band, including “Diana”, “Put Your Head on My Shoulder” and “Havin’ My Baby”.

This fundraising event supports a wide range of programs such as masterclasses, internships, and training programs for emerging artists, as well as student matinees, open rehearsals, and subsidized tickets to build young audiences. It also helps provide key resources to teachers, including resource kits, online tools such as ArtsAlive.ca, as well as support for dozens of educational activities across Canada, such as during last season’s NAC Orchestra tour of the Arctic.

The NAC Orchestra is one of Canada’s leading teaching orchestras and is an international leader in the use of broadband distance learning technology as a means to teach young people around the world. NAC Musicians are teaching in person, or remotely through high-definition videoconference technology to students in cities and communities as diverse as Iqaluit, Beijing, Tel-Aviv and St. John’s, Newfoundland.

Mrs. Laureen Harper, the NAC Gala’s Honorary Chair, is leading a team of volunteers including Committee Chair, Carol Devenny, and Vice Chair Patrick Kennedy, to raise funds for the NAC’s National Youth and Education Trust.

The NAC Gala takes place on:

Saturday, September 21, 2013
5:30 p.m. Pre-concert reception in the foyer
6:30 p.m. Gala concert in Southam Hall

The 2013 National Arts Centre Gala is Presented by CIBC. Associate Sponsor is Shaw Communications Inc. Major Sponsors include A&E Television Networks, SNC-Lavalin Inc. and Vale. Event partners include Emond Harnden LLP, Quebecor Media Inc., St-Laurent Volvo, Suncor Energy Inc.,TransCanada Corporation and Wind Mobile. Media Partners include The Ottawa Citizen and Le Droit.

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For more information please contact:

Carl Martin
Communications Advisor
National Arts Centre
(613) 947-7000, ext. 560