NACOcast: Classical music podcast with Sean Rice

A musical love triangle: Clara Schumann, Robert Schumann and Johannes Brahms. May 05, 2020

NAC Orchestra Music Director Alexander Shelley talks with uOttawa Professor and Clara Schumann expert Julie Pedneault-Deslauriers about the Orchestra's recording project focusing on Clara Schumann, Robert Schumann and Johannes Brahms. The first release, recorded live in Southam Hall at the NAC, can be purchased online.

Celebrating the NAC Orchestra’s 50th anniversary season Mar 03, 2020

In this episode of the NACOcast NAC Orchestra violinist Carissa Klopoushak interviews two founding violinists, Karoly Sziladi and Elaine Klimasko. They are joined by long time orchestra champion Evelyn Greenberg who was also the original harpsichordist and pianist of the orchestra. Together they share many wonderful memories, from first auditions to fifty years of touring and performing across Canada and the world. This episode of the NACOcast will transport you to the very beginning of this beloved orchestral family.

Additional Resources:

NACO at 50: Karoly Szilady’s journey full of musical memories

NACO on Tour: On the road with the happy warrior Elaine Klimasko

Musical memories: Evelyn Greenberg connects NACO and uOttawa

The NAC celebrates our 50th anniversary all year long

Rachel Mercer: NAC Orchestra Principal Cellist Feb 06, 2020

An advocate for Canadian music, Principal Cellist Rachel Mercer speaks with Sean Rice about her activities in and beyond the National Arts Centre Orchestra, including recording, commissioning and playing world premieres. Recorded prior to Rachel's Casual Friday debut with NACO and Alexander Shelley of the world premiere of Canadian pianist and composer Stewart Goodyear's Cello Concerto.

Peter Oundjian on his career in music Jan 10, 2020

In this archival episode of the NACOcast host Sean Rice, NAC Orchestra’s 2nd clarinetist, speaks with conductor Peter Oundjian weeks before his retirement as Music Director of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra in 2018. They discuss Bruckner’s Eighth Symphony and Peter shares memories from his student days at The Juilliard School, his first encounter with Pinchas Zukerman and performing with the National Arts Centre Orchestra.

Carrefour Composer Remy Siu Dec 05, 2019

In this episode of the NACOcast host Sean Rice (Second clarinet, NAC Orchestra) speaks with Remy Siu Carrefour Composer (2017-2019) about his early interest in film as well as his multi-disciplinary studies at Simon Fraser Univeristy that sparked his love for artist collaboration.

In 2015 in collaboration with Western Front, Remy fused his many interests to create Foxconn Frequency (no.2) — for one visibly Chinese performer. Today his work continues to span chamber music, dance, theatre, installations, and audio-visual work. During his residency with the Canada Council for the Arts and the National Arts Centre’s Carrefour Composer program, Remy composed New Notations, a work for two X-box controllers and machine, which will premiere in 2020.

Carrefour Composer Ian Cusson Dec 03, 2019

Sean Rice, NAC Orchestra 2nd clarinet, talks with Toronto-based Carrefour* Composer Ian Cusson. They talk about R. Murray Schaffer, Bulgarian women’s choirs, and unrelated studies at the University of Toronto before delving into his chosen career. During Ian’s two year Carrefour residency with the NAC Orchestra from 2017-2019, he was commissioned for two works which received premieres at that National Gallery of Canada and in Southam Hall: Where There’s a Wall for mezzo-soprano and sextet, which featured poetry by acclaimed Japanese-Canadian poet, Joy Kogawa, and Le Loup de Lafontaine, an orchestral suite based on a story from his home town. During this time, he was also jointly commissioned by the NAC Orchestra and the Canadian Opera Company for Dodo, mon tout petit, an aria for soprano and orchestra, which will be included as part of Harry Somers and Mavor Moore’s opera, Louis Riel. An Associate Composer of the Canadian Music Centre, Ian is currently the Composer-in-Residence for the Canadian Opera Company.

* The Carrefour Composer Program is made possible by the Canada Council for the Arts.

Paul Wells interviews Howard Shore Nov 15, 2019

Journalist and author Paul Wells has a fascinating conversation with composer Howard Shore about his passion for music making and acclaimed career as a composer for film, television and opera. Mr. Shore was at the National Arts Centre for the world premiere of his work The Forest: Concerto for Guitar and Orchestra which was commissioned by NAC Music Director Alexander Shelley with with Miloš Karadaglić playing the guitar.

Elim Chan Jul 25, 2019

Host Sean Rice speaks with conductor Elim Chan who made her NAC main series debut in the 18-19 season. A past fellow in the NAC Orchestra’s Conductor’s Program, the Hong Kong-born musician has made her mark on the classical music circuit with her thoughtful and dynamic performances, imbued with energy and imagination.
Elim and Sean discuss the experiences that shaped her journey into the world of conducting, their shared love of Mendelssohn and the newly commissioned Cello Concerto by Canadian composer Marjan Mozetich.

Timo Andres Aug 02, 2019

In this archival episode from 2016, NACOcast host Sean Rice connects with composer and pianist Timo Andres whose works were performed by members of the NAC Orchestra as part the WolfGANG Sessions.
During their conversation Andres discusses the inspiration and structure of his compositions Early to Rise and Safe Travels and describes himself as a very harmonic composer who is obsessed with compositional craft.
Philip Glass selected Timo Andres as the recipient of The City of Toronto Glenn Gould Protégé Prize in 2016 and calls Andres as “a brilliant compositional mind with a wonderful sense of interpretation of music.”

Blake Pouliot Jul 05, 2019

Sean Rice, NAC Orchestra’s 2nd clarinetist, chats with Canadian violinist Blake Pouliot. At age fourteen Blake attended the NAC’s Young Artist Program and credits that experience for inspiring him to pursue a career in music.
Sean and Blake discuss the pressures of music competitions, his relationship with the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal and Blake’s passion for French composers. Pouliot’s debut album for Analekta Records featuring works by Debussy and Ravel received a 2019 JUNO nomination for Best Classical Album.

NAC Orchestra 50th Anniversary European Tour May 10, 2019

In this episode of the NACOcast Sean Rice speaks with NAC Music Director Alexander Shelley. On the occasion of its 50th Anniversary, the National Arts Centre Orchestra will embark on a European tour in May 2019. CROSSINGS: the NAC Orchestra 50th Anniversary European Tour will feature concerts and collaborative community outreach events in 7 cities and 5 countries: London, Paris, Utrecht, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Gothenburg and Saffron Walden. On this tour, Alexander Shelley and the NAC Orchestra will break new ground for the orchestral experience with an unprecedented representation of Canadian art, artists and stories.

“Crossings is emblematic of what is at the heart of this tour….We are crossing expectations, generations and distances and as we engage with new and diverse audiences, artists and young people to experience music and to make music together.”-Alexander Shelley, NAC Music Director.

Vivian Fung Feb 05, 2019

Sean Rice, NAC Orchestra’s 2nd clarinetist, chats with JUNO Award-winning composer Vivian Fung on the occasion of NACO’s performance of her composition, Earworms. Discover when Sean and Vivian first met, what Vivian has been up to in her career and family life, and her inspiration for Earworms, which was commissioned by the NAC and premiered in Southam Hall, with Alexander Shelley, in March 2018.

“Earworms… musically depicts our diverted attention spans and multi-tasking lives.”

Yosuke Kawasaki and Jessica Linnebach Jan 07, 2019

The NAC Orchestra’s Concertmaster Yosuke Kawasaki and Associate Concertmaster Jessica Linnebach speak with second clarinetist Sean Rice about their lives together, and their collaboration in the NACO’s February 2019 performance of Jocelyn Morlock’s Cobalt which just happens to be taking place on Valentine’s Day. The work is written for violin duet supported by orchestra – perfect for this married couple! Tune in for good stories and a few laughs.

Jocelyn Morlock’s Cobalt was composed in 2009, and was a NAC Orchestra and CBC co-commission. Premiered on April 30th, 2009 in Southam Hall in Ottawa, as part of the NAC's BC Scene, it featured violin soloists Jonathan Crow and Karl Stobbe, with the NAC Orchestra conducted by Alain Trudel.

Charles Hamann speaks with the students of the 2018 Young Artists Program Dec 05, 2018

December marks the start of the application process for the NAC’s annual Young Artist Program (Y.A.P). To highlight this wonderful training program, Charles ‘Chip’ Hamann, Principal Oboe, NAC Orchestra and YAP faculty member guest hosts this episode of the NACOcast. Chip speaks with members of the 2018 YAP Wind Program about their experience being immersed in music playing, masterclasses and networking with exceptional like-minded young artists.

Shostakovich’s Violin Concert No1 and Rachmaninoff’s Symphony No3 Nov 16, 2018

Kelly Rice, Director of Development and Lars Lih, Musicologist from McGill’s Schulich School of Music visited the NAC in January 2018 to hear John Storgårds conduct the NAC Orchestra and violinist Guy Braunstein perform two iconic works: Shostakovich’s 1st Violin Concerto and Rachmaninoff’s 3rd Symphony.

Both composers were Russian, but had different experiences of Russia in the 20th century. Kelly gets Lars to tell us about the contrast between the two composers and how they were perceived in their time. Was Rachmaninoff a propagandist? Did Shostakovich take the wrong path? Ask yourself that next time you listen to these great works.

Jessica Holmes Oct 31, 2018

Sean Rice, second clarinetist of the NAC Orchestra, and Jessica Holmes, Postdoctoral Scholar of Musicology, University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) met in September 2018, in the middle of the 2018 Festival Focus which saw the NAC Orchestra perform all nine of Beethoven’s symphonies. Jessica, formerly a cello performance student, has spent the last few years focusing on music history, and her specialty is now Music and Disability, with a unique expertise in music and deafness. Very appropriate for a Beethoven festival, and for the current times. Jessica is working on a book tentatively titled Music and the Margins of Sense. Find out more in this fascinating podcast conversation!

Doo Wop Project and Jack Everly Oct 15, 2018

Sean Rice talks with NACO Principal Pops conductor Jack Everly about his perspectives on music and upcoming NAC Orchestra Pops concerts. Find out some interesting details about Maestro Everly’s career path (“one thing leads to the next”) and discover some of the wonderful artists with whom he’s had the pleasure to work.

Beethoven's Seventh, Eighth, and Ninth Symphonies Oct 02, 2018

Sean Rice, NAC Orchestra’s 2nd clarinetist, and NAC Music Director Alexander Shelley complete their three-episode series on Beethoven’s nine symphonies for the 2018 Beethoven Focus Festival. The seventh symphony’s funeral march starts off the conversation. The 1813 premiere of the work featured an encore of the funeral march. What made it so significant? The eighth symphony was “much better” in Beethoven’s opinion than the seventh. The harmonic architecture of its first movement is rather unusual for the day, while the next two movements are very classical. The short, quick and witty fourth movement harks back to the first movement. But the ninth… The ninth symphony is of a scale that he had never before undertaken. Sean Rice and Alexander Shelley discuss this marvelous work beginning by its last movement, and lay out the political climate in Vienna at the time, making a connection between the ninth and Beethoven’s influences. “Be embraced, you millions: this kiss is for the whole world”.

Beethoven's Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Symphonies Sep 19, 2018

Sean Rice and Alexander Shelley continue their three-episode series about the Beethoven Symphonies on the occasion of the NAC Orchestra’s Festival Focus 2018.
Symphonies 4, 5 and 6 were running in Beethoven’s head concurrently. He was a master of making a huge work out of just a scrap of a musical idea. These three symphonies are excellent examples of this methodology.

Symphonies 5 and 6, forming in his mind before the fourth, were premiered on December 22, 1808. Discover how that evening unravelled, and hear Sean and Alexander rave about Beethoven’s accomplishments and contributions to the world.

Beethoven's First Three Symphonies Sep 11, 2018

Sean Rice, 2nd clarinetist of the NAC Orchestra, and Alexander Shelley, NAC Music Director, discuss Ludwig van Beethoven’s first three symphonies, putting them in context with Mozart’s and Haydn’s large volume of works. Why are Beethoven’s symphonies so significant and important? The 2018 Festival Focus is the perfect opportunity for this discussion.
The first symphony is deeply rooted in classical form, quite heavily influenced by Haydn’s teachings and Mozart’s works, with four movements mirroring the expected model and a few extra instruments. The chosen key structure is quite unique and signals Beethoven’s intention of veering off the standard course.
The second symphony, written in the spa town of Heilegenstadt, came at the cathartic moment when Beethoven was showing signs of losing his hearing.
The third symphony, “Eroica”, dedicated to Napoleon Bonaparte, was an important statement about the common man. Beethoven composed from the last movement to the first, outlining the journey towards a celebration of humanity.

Sean and Alexander unravel some historic and musical stories within each of these symphonies, as we begin an exploration of the development of Beethoven through his nine symphonies.

Karina Canellakis Jul 04, 2018

Karina Canellakis is the newly appointed Chief Conductor of the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra in
Amsterdam, beginning in the 19/20 season.

Winner of the 2016 Sir Georg Solti Conducting Award, Karina is internationally acclaimed for her emotionally charged
performances, technical command and interpretive depth. She made her European conducting debut in 2015 with the
Chamber Orchestra of Europe in Graz, Austria, replacing the late Nikolaus Harnoncourt, returning the following June to
conduct Concentus Musicus Wien in four symphonies of a Beethoven Cycle. She first made headlines in 2014 filling in at
the last-minute for Jaap van Zweden in Shostakovich Symphony No. 8 with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, where she
held the position of Assistant Conductor for two seasons.

The Man with the Violin May 04, 2018

“Every time a child passed through the station, the child wanted to stop, and every time, the adult with them pulled them along on their way.” Sean Rice interviews author Kathy Stinson, illustrator Dušan Petričić and composer Anne Dudley who all had a hand in creating the music performed by the NAC Orchestra’s telling of The Man With The Violin in December 2017. The book and the music were inspired by the real-life story of world-renown violinist Joshua Bell and the National Post's experiment on a January morning in Washington’s subway station.

\n\n

The Man with the Violin: Suite for Violin and Orchestra is a co-commission with the National Arts Centre Orchestra and the National Symphony Orchestra. The work was premiered at the Kennedy Center, Washington D.C. in February 2017.

Natasha Gauthier with Alice Sara Ott and Eivind Gullberg Jensen Apr 10, 2018

Natasha Gauthier of Artsfile.ca interviews pianist Alice Sara Ott and conductor Eivind Gullberg Jensen who performed the Grieg Piano Concerto together with the NAC Orchestra, at the NAC, in January 2018. Join them as they talk about personal firsts, world travels, and the whirlwind life of a musician.

Institute for Orchestral Studies Mar 06, 2018

Sean Rice, second clarinetist of the NAC Orchestra, interviews the five apprentices who participated in the NAC's annual Institute for Orchestral Studies in the fall of 2017. They were:

Alexander Volkov, violin
Gabrielle Bouchard, violin
Alisa Klebanov, viola
Grace Sommer, cello
Talia Hatcher, double bass

The Institute for Orchestral Studies (IOS) is an apprenticeship program designed to prepare highly talented young musicians towards successful orchestral careers. It was established in 2006 under the guidance of former Music Director Pinchas Zukerman, and is funded by the National Arts Centre Foundation through the National Youth and Education Trust. Apprentices take a seat in regular NAC Orchestra rehearsals and performances, and get private lessons, coaching and mentorship throughout their apprenticeship.

Joana Carneiro, NACO and the Tanztheater Wuppertal – Pina Bausch dance company Feb 05, 2018

Portuguese conductor Joana Carneiro, a well-travelled artist, talks with Sean Rice about her first time with the Pina Bausch dance company and with the NAC Orchestra, all in the same week in September 2017.

Chip Hamann's new CD, Canadian Works for Oboe & Piano Dec 06, 2017

Sean Rice interviewed the NAC Orchestra’s principal oboe Chip Hamann about his new album, a two-disc album that was released in June 2017. It was the first classical recording at the Isabel Bader Centre in Kingston. What a fantastic and incredible hall to record!

The double-cd set is called Canadian Works for Oboe and Piano, a collaboration with Ottawa pianist Fred Lacroix. It all started with John Burge’s Sonata Breve No. 4 for oboe and piano, composed in 2012. Fred Lacroix was also rather instrumental in the creation of this recording. Chip outlines several ideas that contributed to his CD which is available on the Canadian Music Centre’s website.

…
Sean Rice a interviewé Chip Hamann, hautbois solo de l’Orchestre du CAN, au sujet de son nouvel album, un album à deux disques qui a été publié en juin 2017. Ce fut le premier enregistrement de musique classique au centre Isabel Bader à Kingston. Quelle salle fantastique et incroyable pour un tel enregistrement!

L’ensemble s’intitule Canadian Works for Oboe and Piano, et est une collaboration avec le pianist d’Ottawa Frédéric Lacroix. Le tout a commencé avec la Sonate Breve no 4 pour hautbois et piano de John Burge, composée en 2012. Frédéric Lacroix à eglaement joué un rôle important dans la création de cet enregistrement. Chip souligne plusieurs idées qui ont contribué à son CD, œuvre disponible sur le site web du Centre de musique canadienne.

Robert Chafe, lyricist for "Heirloom" co-produced with Larysa Kuzmenko Oct 31, 2017

Robert Chafe is a 2010 Governor General Award recipient for his play, Afterimage. His extensive body of work also includes such plays as Place of First Light, Charismatic Death Scenes, Belly Up, Emptygirl, Oil and Water, Butler's Marsh, and Tempting Providence. Butler's Marsh and Tempting Providence also earned Robert a 2004 Governor General Award nomination. Robert is Artistic Director for the company, Artistic Fraud, based in St. John's, and he collaborates quite frequently with our head of English Theatre here at the NAC, fellow Newfoundlander, Jillian Keiley. We are incredibly fortunate that Robert is able to join us today to talk about his work, Heirloom.

The NAC Orchestra and Shallaway Youth Choir performed "Heirloom" by Larysa Kuzmenko and Robert Chafe (based on Brahms Intermezzo, Op. 118, No. 2) on April 27, 2017.

Joel Quarrington and his new album: Schubert "An Die Musik" Sep 20, 2017

Principal Bassist, Joel Quarrington, joins us to talk about his brand new solo album, Schubert: An die Musik, that he recorded with Canadian pianist, David Jalbert. We discuss his love of the music that he recorded and his album release at this year's Double Bass Convention in Ithaca, NY.

Ideas of North Aug 31, 2017

Maestro Alexander Shelley shares his thoughts on the National Arts Centre Orchestra's 2017-18 opening festival of music, Ideas of North - featuring an array of Scandinavian composers and performers, including many of Sibelius' symphonies and tone poems. Principal Guest Conductor, John Storgårds, will perform Kaiji Saariaho's Violin Concerto and Guest Conductor Hannu Lintu joins Maestros Shelley and Storgårds on the podium for the series of concerts.

ENCOUNT3RS - Creation and Colaboration May 19, 2017

In this bilingual panel discussion on Creation and Collaboration that preceded the world premiere of ENCOUNT3RS (April 20-22, 2017), animator Catherine Clark speaks with the six Canadian artists involved in this historic NAC dance-music commission celebrating Canada 150. Following a discussion between Executive Producer of Dance Cathy Levy and Music Director Alexander Shelley in 2015, choreographer Jean Grand-Maître (Alberta Ballet) and composer Andrew Staniland; choreographer Emily Molnar (Ballet BC) and composer Nicole Lizée; and choreographer Guillaume Côté (The National Ballet of Canada) and composer Kevin Lau were invited to create three new one-act ballets and three original orchestral scores to be performed by the NAC Orchestra under Alexander’s baton. The outcome was an extraordinary dance and music triple bill. The panel conversation centred on the genesis and creative process for each collaboration; the choreographer-composer relationship; the ground-breaking nature of this project; the impact this rare opportunity had on the creators and performers; the role art plays in helping us better understand the world we live in and in bringing us closer together; and the legacy of ENCOUNT3RS. In closing, the artists praised the NAC for commissioning a project of such magnitude and for its unrelenting urge to see it through.

Soul Stirring Music Mar 15, 2017

Sean Rice and Alexander Shelley talk about the "Soul Stirring Music" coming up in the 2017-2018 season of the NAC Orchestra.

"I am full of anticipation for the NAC Orchestra season ahead and the glorious music that awaits us. We will host some of the finest performers in the world - artists like Itzhak Perlman, Emanuel Ax, Lang Lang, Angela Hewitt, Stephen Hough, Pinchas Zukerman and John Storgards."

- Alexander Shelley

A Night of Classical Collisions #TheKiss Dec 12, 2016

In celebration of Beethoven and Schumann – two highly expressive and innovative composers, the NAC Orchestra created an eclectic evening of music, dance and art called Classical Collisions. Fine art inspired graffiti artists while classical music mixed with DJ scratching - and everybody danced.

Artist Anita Kunz, who was commissioned to create the illustration of Beethoven and Schumann in a fraternal kiss loved the concept. “It’s a lovely, warm idea of brotherhood between these two great composers.”

For Music Director Alexander Shelley it was an opportunity to welcome a diverse community of artists to collaborate and create. "It’s absolutely appropriate that we should have other improvisers in the building showing what they do with these themes." explained Shelley.

Classical Collisions was a 21st century interpretation of the free spirited romantic era. And it was a party I’m sure both Beethoven and Schumann would have loved.

Joel Quarrington and Peter Paul Koprowski's Concertante for Double Bass, Strings and Percussion Dec 07, 2016

November 16 & 17 was the world-premiere of Peter Paul Koprowski's Concertante for Double Bass, Strings and Percussion, written for and performed by the NAC Orchestra’s own world-class, mega-talented principal double bass Joel Quarrington. Sean talks with Joel about his roots, his training and his career as a double bass player.

Excerpts of Peter Paul Koprowski's Concertante for Double Bass, Strings and Percussion from the NAC Orchestra concert in Southam Hall on November 17, 2016.

Canadian Brass Nov 23, 2016

Did you know the Canadian Brass shares founding members with the National Arts Centre Orchestra!? Join Sean Rice in a conversation about the history and future of Canadian Brass with founding member Chuck Daellenbach and newest member Caleb Hudson. Chuck shares stories like filling in with the NAC Orchestra, getting to Carnegie Hall by way of children's concerts, and Caleb talks about possibly the most difficult audition in history.

Musical excerpts are from their spectacular concerts with the NAC Orchestra from November 3-5, 2016.

Is Classical Music Really Dead? May 17, 2016

The death knell for classical music has been ringing for decades.
Yet many say the music is not only alive, it’s kicking!

Join us for a fascinating, up-close-and-personal conversation with two highly original voices – Alexander Shelley, Music Director of the NAC Orchestra, and Andrew Potter, Editor of the Ottawa Citizen. With special guest Nadia Sirota ,violist and host of WQXR's Q2 Music Meet the Composer podcast.

Sean Rice chats with Nadia Sirota before the Canadian premiere of Nico Muhly’s Electrifying Viola Concerto Apr 26, 2016

Vanguards of the New York indie classical scene, composer Nico Muhly and violist Nadia Sirota embody the meaning of "classical reincarnated" in an electrifying concert.

Nadia Sirota joins Alexander Shelley in the Canadian premiere of Nico Muhly’s Electrifying Viola Concerto. This much anticipated work was commissioned by an international consortium of orchestras and organisations made up of Orquesta Nacionales de España, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Festival of Saint Denis and National Arts Centre Orchestra.

Nadia Sirota’s debut album, First Things First (New Amsterdam Records), was a New York Times 2009 record of the year, and she can also be heard on albums by Grizzly Bear, yMusic (a new music ensemble who commission Sufjan Stevens, Son Lux, and other young American composers),Jonsi, the National, Ratatat, Doveman, My Brightest Diamond, and Arcade Fire’s Grammy-winning The Suburbs.

Exploring the works of Richard Strauss with Alexander Shelley Mar 23, 2016

Nick talks to Alexander Shelley about his plan to perform, over the next several seasons, the works of one of his favourite composers, Richard Strauss. The orchestra begins next week with performances of Don Juan and Death and Transfiguration.

Sean Rice takes you inside the music of the All-Canadian Wolfgang Session Number 5 Jan 15, 2016

Sean Rice is back with another special “all-Canadian WolfGANG” edition of the NACOcast! This time, Sean interviews Canadian composer Andrew Staniland in advance of the world premiere of the NAC-commissioned arrangement of his work The Beauty of Reason for bass clarinet and harp. The rest of the program features music by composers from the Great White North including Marjan Mozetich and Vivian Fung, whose music is inspired by music from other parts of the world, as well as music from Elizabeth Raum and Montrealer Samy Moussa. You’ll be amazed by the talent in this country.

Humour in Music Dec 08, 2015

Looking at the lighter side of the classics, with selections from Mozart, Rossini and others. Elisabeth Schwarzkopf appears for the first time on the same playbill as Spike Jones.

Special Edition: Sean Rice, 2nd clarinetist with the NAC orchestra, interviews Bryce Dessner Nov 19, 2015

WolfGANG is back! He’s got a new bowtie, and he’s ready to get his groove on. Come to the Mercury Lounge to hear works by the great Philip Glass, Montrealer Analia Llugdar, and Bryce Dessner (you might know him from The National). This music is sure to take the chill out of the air.
Presented with Mercury Lounge, in partnership with the Arboretum Festival, The WolfGANG Sessions push classical music out of its comfort zone. The music mixes contemporary and indie classical with exciting collaborations between NAC Orchestra musicians, video projection artists and DJs. Get ready to hear “classical music” at Mercury Lounge in a whole new way. It’s music with a wild side.

Philip Glass: String Quartet No. 5
Analia Lludgar: Luz for violin and cello
Johannes Maria Staud: Black Moon for bass clarinet
Bryce Dessner: Aheym for string quartet

Sound the Trumpet Nov 16, 2015

Nick asks: What does it take to play in an orchestral trumpet section? NACO trumpeters Karen Donnelly and Steven Van Gulik explain.

Canadian Voices Oct 13, 2015

Canadian voices. Nick takes a look at three iconic Canadian singers from the past: Lois Marshall, Leopold Simoneau and James Milligan, all of whom deserve a place in the pantheon of vocal art.

CANADIAN-VOICES.pdf

Who's Afraid of Anton Bruckner? Jun 08, 2015

Nick, Carissa Klopoushak and Sean Rice discuss the music of this frequently under-appreciated composer, as the NAC Orchestra prepares a performance of Bruckner's Ninth Symphony.

Green and Pleasant Land Mar 23, 2015

Nick presents some of his favourite pieces of music inspired by the English countryside. Music by Vaughan-Williams, Britten, Stanford and others, including a performance by Pinchas Zukerman of The Lark Ascending.

Eric Friesen Presents his talk "Orchestral Schmorgesborg" Mar 10, 2015

Eric Friesen presents "Orchestral Schmorgesborg", a preconcert talk about the February 19 - 20, 2015 NAC Orchestra Concert "Søndergård Conducts Sibelius".

Major works by Sibelius and Beethoven anchor this concert: Thomas Søndergård’s interpretation of Sibelius’s symphonic masterpiece will enthrall you with its Nordic grandeur; and Beethoven’s high-spirited Second, though composed at a time of deep despair over his increasing deafness, already foreshadows the energy and originality we think of as quintessential Beethoven.

Argentinian pianist Ingrid Fliter (“a remarkable talent” ~ Chicago Classical Review) joins the NAC Orchestra as soloist in Haydn’s jaunty D Major Concerto.

Alexander Shelley and the 2015/2016 NAC Orchestra Season Feb 24, 2015

Nick speaks with Alexander Shelley, Music Director, about the 2015/2016 NAC Orchestra Season.

Alexander Shelley was appointed Music Director-designate of Canada's National Arts Centre Orchestra in October 2013 and will take up the position of Music Director in September 2015. In 2015 he enters his seventh year as Chief Conductor of the Nuremberg Symphony Orchestra where he has transformed the orchestra’s playing, education work and touring activities which have included tours to Italy, Belgium, China and a re-invitation to the Musikverein in Vienna. In January 2015 Shelley was named Principal Associate Conductor of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra with whom he will curate and perform a series of concerts at Cadogan Hall each season.

Born in the UK in 1979, Alexander first gained widespread attention when he was unanimously awarded first prize at the 2005 Leeds Conductors Competition and was described as "the most exciting and gifted young conductor to have taken this highly prestigious award. His conducting technique is immaculate, everything crystal clear and a tool to his inborn musicality."

Since then he has been in demand from orchestras around the world including the Philharmonia, City of Birmingham Symphony, Rotterdam Philharmonic, Stockholm Philharmonic, Mozarteum Orchester Salzburg, Konzerthausorchester Berlin, DSO Berlin, Leipzig Gewandhaus, Simon Bolivar, Seattle and Houston Symphony Orchestras. Further afield Alexander is a regular guest with the top Asian and Australasian orchestras. Recent press has singled him out as "a musician of considerable gifts and extraordinarily impressive interpretative qualities" (Strauss, Elgar and Sibelius in London), a conductor with "exceptional artistic authority" (Brahms with DSO Berlin) and described his Verdi Requiem in Salzburg as an "original, intelligent, thoroughly convincing and well-crafted interpretation".

Alexander’s operatic engagements have included The Merry Widow and Gounod’s Romeo and Juliet for Royal Danish Opera; La Bohème for Opera Lyra at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa, Iolanta with the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, Cosi fan tutte in Montpellier and a new production of The Marriage of Figaro for Opera North in 2015.

Alongside his regular appearances in London, Ottawa and Nuremberg, the 2014/15 season and beyond includes return visits to, among others, the DSO Berlin, Gothenburg Symphony, Konzerthausorchester Berlin, Leipzig Gewandhaus, Melbourne Symphony and NDR Radio Philharmonic as well as his debuts with Camerata Salzburg, Czech Philharmonic, Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Orchestre Philharmonique de Luxembourg and Oslo Philharmonic. His first recording for Deutsche Grammophon, an album with Daniel Hope and the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic, was released in September 2014.

In Germany Alexander enjoys a close relationship with the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, with whom he performs regularly both in subscriptions in Bremen, and around Germany, and in October 2013 he took the orchestra on tour to Italy with a signature programme of Strauss, Wagner and Brahms. He is artistic director of their Zukunftslabor project - an award-winning series which aims to build a lasting relationship between the orchestra and a new generation of concert-goers through grass-roots engagement and which uses music as a source for social cohesion and integration.

The son of professional musicians, inspiring future generations of musicians and audiences has always been central to Alexander’s work. In Spring 2014 he conducted an extended tour of Germany with the Bundesjugendorchester and Bundesjugendballett which included a collaborative concert at the Baden-Baden Easter Festival with Sir Simon Rattle and members of the Berliner Philharmoniker. In 2001, during his cello and conducting studies in Dusseldorf, he founded the Schumann Camerata with whom he created "440Hz", an innovative concert series involving prominent German television, stage and musical personalities, conceived by him as a major initiative to attract young adults to the concert hall.

https://nac-cna.ca/en/orchestra/reincarnated

WolfGANG: Ryan Lott (Son Lux) Feb 13, 2015

In this Special Edition of the NACOcast, guest host Sean Rice interviews Ryan Lott (Son Lux) for the February 14, 2015 WolfGANG show at the Mercury lounge.

Elisabeth Schwarzkopf: A retrospective view Jan 19, 2015

Elisabeth Schwarzkopf: A retrospective view. Nick traces the career of one of his favourite singers, born a hundred years ago, in works by Mozart, Schubert, Strauss and others.

Handel's Messiah with Christopher Millard Dec 16, 2014

The NACOcast's perennial holiday favourite is back! Curl up by the fireplace with a mug of hot chocolate and enjoy Christopher Millard's thirty minute guided tour of Handel's Messiah.

Read more about Handel at https://c.nac.ca/1wCrwox and listen to entire pieces for free at https://nacmusicbox.ca

Nick speaks with conductor, Michael Francis, and National Youth Orchestra director Barbara Smith Dec 01, 2014

Nick's guest this week is conductor, Michael Francis, in town to conduct the NAC Orchestra. Michael will be leading the National Youth Orchestra of Canada next summer. NYOC director Barbara Smith joins the conversation.

The Great War and Canada: An Interview with Margaret MacMillan Oct 21, 2014

As a prelude to the NAC Orchestra's UK Tour -- a tour of commemoration and remembrance -- Nick speaks with renowned historian Margaret MacMillan about Canada and its role in the First World War.

Prof MacMillan, is an historian and professor at the University of Oxford, where she is Warden of St Antony's College. She is former provost of Trinity College, professor of history at the University of Toronto and Ryerson University. A leading expert on history and international relations, MacMillan is a frequent commentator in the media. [wikipedia.org]

WW I: A Personal Journey Sep 15, 2014

Nick shares his impressions of the First World War through his own family memories, interspersed with some of the popular music of the time.
The Regimental March of the PPCLI is performed by the Central Band of the Canadian Armed Forces.

Musical Excerpts:

Regimental March - Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry
Roses of Picardy - Wood-Weatherly
Keep the Home Fires Burning - Novello
Keep Right on to the End of the Road - Harry Lauder
The Parable of the Old Man and the Young - Wilfred Owen

Shakespeare, Stravinsky and Alexander Shelley Jul 07, 2014

In this final NACOcast episode of the season, Nick talks to NAC Orchestra Music Director Designate Alexander Shelley about the two programmes he is conducting next season. [Music excerpt: Carlo Maria Giulini - Chicago Symphony Orchestra - Stravinsky - The Firebird (Suite, 1919 version), Finale - Angel SFO-36039] See you in September!

Jon Kimura Parker on Mendelssohn Jul 04, 2014

Guest host Frank Dans, Interim Artistic Administrator for the NAC Orchestra, interviews Jon Kimura Parker for the "Parker Plays Mendelssohn" concerts from February 5-6, 2014. Inspired by his sunny sojourn in Italy (and a brief infatuation with a young pianist), Mendelssohn composed an equally unclouded piano concerto, brimming with free-flowing lyrical lines and opportunities for displays of virtuosity by NAC Orchestra favourite Jon Kimura Parker. Schumann presented his Fourth Symphony to his beloved wife on her 22nd birthday, saying it contained her portrait in a melody he called the “Clara” theme. Listen for it, woven like a shimmering thread throughout the work. To begin the concert, re-enter Canadian composer R. Murray Schafer’s evocative musical landscape.

Schumann’s Symphony No. 4 with Eric Friesen Jun 13, 2014

Guest host Eric Friesen, writer and broadcaster, presents his pre-concert chat entitled, "Schumann’s Fourth Symphony: From Darkness to Light”.

The NAC Orchestra's Institute for Orchestral Studies May 28, 2014

The four apprentices in the NAC Orchestra's Institute for Orchestral Studies — violinist Sunny Shi, violist Kayleigh Miller, cellist Zhou Fang and bassist Nate Martin, plus former apprentice Emily Westell — were the guests for the pre-concert talk of November 14. The young musicians spoke about their experiences in the IOS, NACO's tour of China, and they performed movements from Mozart's “Divertimento" and Vivian Fung’s “Pizzicato".

"Fate Lurks, but Tunes Triumph" with guest host Eric Friesen Apr 28, 2014

In this episode, guest host Eric Friesen, writer and broadcaster, presents his pre-concert chat entitled, "Fate Lurks, but Tunes Triumph”.

Brahms Between Yesterday and Tomorrow, with guest host Paul Wells Apr 07, 2014

Guest host Paul Wells, political editor of Maclean's magazine, presents a program entitled, "Brahms Between Yesterday and Tomorrow."

Drums along the Rideau Mar 31, 2014

Percussion playing is not just a matter of indiscriminate crashing and banging. NAC Orchestra percussionists Jon Wade and Ken Simpson explain the finer points of playing in an orchestral percussion section. It's MUCH more complicated than you think!

Tchaikovsky - 4th Symphony
Rimsky-Korssakoff - Capriccio espagnol Op. 34
Arturo Sandoval - Conga
Leonard Bernstein - Mambo
Tchaikovsky - Marché Slav Op. 31

Operatic Athletes (Part 2) Mar 19, 2014

Nick continues his discussion of some of the great "gold medal" singers of the past.

Operatic Athletes (Part 1) Jan 27, 2014

On the eve of the 2014 Olympic winter games, Nick shares his enthusiasm for some of the great singers of the past.

The Oboe - Beyond the 'A' Dec 16, 2013

Beyond the 'A' : Everything you need to know about the oboe, with Charles 'Chip' Hamman and Anna Peterson Sterns.

Shostakovich and music in Soviet Russia Dec 09, 2013

Recorded on location in Toronto as the Orchestra makes its annual appearance at Roy Thomson Hall, Nick talks to NAC Orchestra violinist Lev Berenshteyn about Shostakovich's 10th Symphony and music composed in the shadow of Stalin.

China Tour Remembered Nov 15, 2013

Nick gives an insider's view of the NAC Orchestra's recent China tour, which included a performance in a giant egg and a walk along the Great Wall.

Spanish Music Oct 01, 2013

In this first episode of a new season of NACOcasts, host Nick Atkinson examines some of the influences on Spanish music as it has developed and travelled around the world.

The Slavic Bass Jul 10, 2013

In this last edition of this season of the NACOcast, Nick gives us the lowdown on Eastern Europe with The Slavic Bass … He explores the curious fact that Slavic countries tend to produce excellent tenors.

Music in this episode:

Epistle to the Romans - Liturgical Music from the Russian Cathedral
Dinev: The Judicious Villain - Music from the Slavonic Orthodox Liturgy
Borodin: Khan Konchak's Aria - Chaliapin: Great Scenes from Boris Godunov
Rimsky-Korsakov: Song of the Viking Guest - Chaliapin: Great Scenes from Boris Godunov
Mozart: Don Giovanni, Madamina! il catalogo è questo - Boris Christoff: Opera Arias
Ariodante: Al sen ti stringo e parto - Alexander Kipnis
Mozart: La Flûte Enchantée, acte 2: In diesen heiligen Hallen - Alexander Kipnis
Brahms: Sapphische Ode, Op. 94, No. 4 - Alexander Kipnis
Brahms: Vier Ernste Gesaenge, Op. 121 No. 3, Oh Tod, o Tod, wie bitter bist du - Alexander Kipnis

Maestro Mario Bernardi remembered (2006 Interview) Jun 04, 2013

The National Arts Centre mourns the loss of Maestro Mario Bernardi, the founding conductor of the NAC Orchestra. Maestro Bernardi passed away peacefully in Toronto on June 2. In this episode of the NACOcast we pay tribute to the great music director by reprising a previous edition of the NACOcast featuring an interview conducted by Christopher Millard at the maestro's home in Toronto in 2006.

A conductor, and accomplished pianist, Mario Bernardi was born in Kirkland Lake, Ontario in 1930. He moved to Italy when he was six years old with his mother, living in the small city of Treviso, near Venice, where they remained throughout the war.

He studied at the Venice Conservatory and excelled in the keyboard instruments of piano and harpsichord. A man of many musical talents, he was considered among the best of Canada’s promising young musicians emerging in the postwar period—a group that included Glenn Gould.

He began his professional career with the Royal Conservatory Opera School in Toronto. He first began to conduct in his mid-twenties at the Canadian Opera Company. In 1963, he moved to London, England where he was recruited by the Sadler’s Wells Opera Company (now the English National Opera). He served as Music Director of Sadler’s Wells before being enticed back to Canada to become the founding conductor of the National Arts Centre Orchestra of Canada from 1968-1982.

From the original podcast show notes: As a tribute to Walter Prystawski, the NAC Orchestra's founding concertmaster who is retiring after 37 years at the first desk, Christopher talks to founding NACO music director Mario Bernardi as well as three of Walter's original orchestra colleagues. The conversations touch on the core classical repertoire of the orchestra, NACO's signature sound and the critical role Walter Prystawski played in shaping that sound.

The Noble Trombone May 30, 2013

Nick talks to National Arts Centre Orchestra principal trombone player Don Renshaw about the various musical roles played by the orchestral trombonist.

The Strange Case of Antonio Salieri with author Ian Kyer (free ebook included) Apr 08, 2013

Antonio Salieri was a successful composer, who wrote about forty operas; he was an excellent teacher, whose students included Beethoven, Schubert and Liszt, and he was, for a time, the most powerful musician at the Vienna court of the Habsburgs. He lived from 1750-1825 – not bad going if you think of Mozart, Schubert, Chopin and Mendelssohn, all of whom died young, but not so impressive if you consider the enduring fame of the composers who lived only half as long. Salieri, if he is remembered at all nowadays, is best known for his association with Mozart, and, most especially, as a suspect in Mozart’s death.

In this edition of the NACOcast, Nick talks to Ian Kyer, whose book on Salieri shows that the oft-maligned composer deserves a lot more respect! And as a very special bonus for NACOcast listeners, Ian Kyer has graciously allowed us to make available the full text of his novel as a downloadable PDF. Get it here:

PDF: https://radio.nac-cna.ca/podcast/NACOcast/NACOcast_Salieri-DamagingWinds.pdf
ePub: https://radio.nac-cna.ca/podcast/NACOcast/NACOcast_Salieri-DamagingWinds.epub

Music is this edition of the NACOcast:

Armida: Aria of Armida: "Tremo, dell'idol mio"
Artist: Chen Reiss, L'arte Del Mondo, Werner Ehrhardt
Album: Liasions
Composer: Antonio Salieri
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/liasions/id473691865

La Fiera Di Venezia - Vi Sono Sposa E Amante
Artist: Cecilia Bartoli; Adám Fischer: Orchestra Of The Age Of Enlightenment
Album: The Salieri Album
Composer: Antonio Salieri
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/cecilia-bartoli-salieri-album/id79134963

Les Danaïdes - Act 2: Par Les Larmes Dont Votre Fille
Artist: Mojca Erdmann; Andrea Marcon: La Cetra
Album: Mozart's Garden
Composer: Antonio Salieri
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/mozarts-garden/id467451230

Scottish Folk Songs, Haydn, Beethoven and Robbie Burns Feb 04, 2013

Inspired by Robert Burns's Birthday on January 25, Nick presents a selection of Scottish folk songs in arrangements by Haydn, Beethoven and others.

Featured music in this episode:

Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau - Maggy Lauder
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau - O köstliche Zeit
Lois Marshall - The Bonnie Banks O' Loch Lomond
Lois Marshall - The Cockle Gatherer
Isobel Baillie & Kathleen Ferrier - Comin' through the rye
Kathleen Ferrier - Ca' the yowes
Kenneth McKellar - Afton Water
Kenneth McKellar - Ae fond kiss
Kenneth McKellar - My love is like a red, red rose

Around the Horn Jan 28, 2013

Nick talks about how French horn playing has developed over the years with his colleagues in the horn section of the NAC Orchestra.

Paul Wells Interviews Alexina Louie Jan 15, 2013

Paul Wells speaks with Canadian Composer Alexina Louie about her work, "Take The Dogsled", and touring Canada's North with the NAC Orchestra.

George Gershwin, with Jack Everly Nov 27, 2012

Fascinating Rhythm: Nick talks to Principal Pops Conductor Jack Everly about the works of George Gershwin and his role in the development of American music.

Eric Friesen and Pinchas Zukerman on Elgar's Violin Concerto Nov 15, 2012

Eric Friesen, acclaimed author, speaker and broadcaster sits down with Maestro Pinchas Zukerman to discuss playing Elgar's Violin Concerto.

Touring and Inuit Throat Singing in Canada's Arctic Nov 01, 2012

In this edition of the NACOcast, founding host, Chris Millard reprises his role with the NACOcast while on tour with the National Arts Centre Orchestra in Cananda’s North. Chris is joined by Inuit throat singers Evie Mark and Akinisie Sivuarapik. They discuss throat singing history and technique ... and its intersection with Western classical music in Canadian composer Alexina’s work, “Take the Dog Sled”, currently being performed by the NAC Orchestra in Nunuvat, the Northwest Territories and the the Yukon.

The Art of Tito Schipa: A Vocal Approach to Brass Playing Oct 22, 2012

Nick's back with a brand new episode. In this edition of the NACOcast, Nick explores what brass players and singers have in common. He uses one of the great turn-of-the-century opera singers, Tito Schipa, to show how vocal techniques can be applied to playing brass instruments.

Robert Harris on "Beethoven The Revolutionary" Oct 09, 2012

Guest host Robert Harris, author and CBC host, speaks on "Beethoven The Revolutionary".

Paul Kennedy: "What was Beethoven thinking?" Oct 01, 2012

"Two Fifths": Paul Kennedy, host of CBC's Ideas, looks at Beethoven's Fifth Piano Concerto and Fifth Symphony and asks, "What was Beethoven thinking?"

Robert Harris on "Brahms The Progressive" Sep 27, 2012

Guest host Robert Harris, author and CBC host, speaks on "Brahms The Progressive".

La Bohème with Alexander Shelley Sep 17, 2012

Nick sits down with Alexander Shelley to discuss the state of opera, in particular, La Bohème by Giacomo Puccini, Shelley's youth and inspiration to become an opera conductor.

In Memoriam: Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau Sep 04, 2012

In Memoriam: Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau. Nick pays tribute to the great German baritone, who died earlier this year.

"Low Notes" Jun 05, 2012

Nick sits down with Joel Quarrington (double bass), Chris Millard (bassoon), and Jonathan Wade (timpani) to discuss the bass sections of the orchestra. They discuss the importance of the "low notes" in balancing out the melody and giving body to the works.

The Leading Note Foundation and El Sistema May 24, 2012

Nick Atkinson talks to Margaret Munro Tobolowska and Tina Fedeski about The Leading Note Foundation, a music education program in Ottawa based on Venezuela's El Sistema

"The English Parlour Song Revisited" Apr 09, 2012

In a program entitled, "Come into the Garden, Maud", host Nick Atkinson revisits the English parlour song.

"From Band to Orchestra" Mar 19, 2012

Host Nick Atkinson (tuba) talks with his NAC Orchestra colleagues Karen Donnelly (trumpet) and Doug Burden (trombone) about musicians who make the transition from bands to orchestras.

Chris hands off to Nick Mar 03, 2012

After more than 60 episodes over 5 seasons, NACOcast founding host, Christopher Millard officially hands over the hosting duties for the NAC's premiere podcast series to Nicholas Atkinson, NAC Orchestra principal tuba, avid record collector and opera buff. Join us in thanking Christopher for 5 stellar years as host and welcoming Nick to his first NACOcast episode.

Maestro Trevor Pinnock Feb 29, 2012

Guest host Charles "Chip" Hamann, NAC Orchestra Principal Oboe, in conversation with Maestro Trevor Pinnock, on the occasion of his latest visit to the National Arts Centre.

Jean-Jacques van Vlasselaer on "Happiness" in music Feb 02, 2012

In contrast to his defiant First Symphony, Brahms turned to an overall feeling of cheerfulness for his Symphony No. 2, a subtle work that displays the brilliance of the master composer. With lilting melodies and uplifting harmonies, Brahms’s work will remain with you days after the performance. After a stunning NAC debut in fall 2010, young Finnish pianist Juho Pohjonen is back by popular demand, joining the NAC Orchestra for Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 21, a work often referred to as the Elvira Madigan Concerto after its limpid sounds were used in the popular 1967 Swedish film of the same title.

Trevor Pinnock interviewed by Eric Friesen Jan 12, 2012

In this first of two interviews with Trevor Pinnock, writer and broadcaster Eric Friesen speaks with Maestro Pinnock about Handel's Messiah.

Susan Knight, from St. John's NL Nov 29, 2011

Christopher, on tour with the NAC Orchestra in St. John's, interviews Susan Knight, founding director of Newfoundland's world-renowned Shallaway choir. Among the many themes explored in this edition of the NACOcast is the fundamental importance of music education.

Paul Wells and Thomas Dausgaard explore Sibelius No. 1 Jun 20, 2011

Canadian journalist Paul Wells explores Sibelius' Symphony No 1 in conversation with acclaimed conductor Maestro Thomas Dausgaard.

William Littler Jun 17, 2011

Italy was the programatic theme of the NACO concerts and pre-concert talks of October 6 & 7. "Capriccio Italien" was the title of talks which paired William Littler, the erudite music critic of the Toronto Star, with the ebullient theatre expert and classical music buff Paul Lefebvre. It was a most enjoyable romp through the musical landscape of Italy guided by this virtuoso duo.

"The Trumpet Shall Sound" May 02, 2011

A talented student trumpet player suffers a serious lip injury. In this edition of the NACOcast, Christopher follows the struggle to recover and explores the dangers facing eager young virtuosi.

Rob Kapilow Mar 29, 2011

This week, Marjolaine Fournier caught up with conductor, composer, commentator and broadcaster, Rob Kapilow in his dressing room at the NAC. They talked about what makes music great, and what makes for great music.

Jonathan Biss, Pinchas Zukerman - Beethoven's Spring Sonata Mar 03, 2011

It may still be winter in Ottawa, but as the days get longer Christopher gets more hopeful. A little Beethoven always helps! Jonathan Biss visits the NAC's Hexagon studio to discuss the Spring Sonata. The show concludes with a complete performance of this sunny masterpiece with Pinchas Zukerman and Jonathan Biss recorded live in the bitter cold of February.

On Antonio Salieri with Ian Kyer Jan 17, 2011

We all remember Antonio Salieri as portrayed by F. Murray Abraham in Peter Shaffer's Oscar-winning film, Amadeus. Was the historical Salieri obsessively envious of Mozart? Did he kill him? In this edition of the NACOcast, Christopher speaks with Ian Kyer on the music, life, and mythology of Antonio Salieri.

Guest host: Robert Harris Nov 11, 2010

The CBC’s Robert Harris began his career in broadcasting in Ottawa many years ago, and we were very happy to bring him ‘home’ as a guest speaker during the Mozart-Haydn Festival. Robert literally took a page from his book "How to Listen to Mozart" in his pre-concert talk of the same title. It was standing room only in the NAC’s Salon on September 29th as Robert guided patrons through the lexicon of Mozart’s style and development in his short life.

Guest host: Paul Kennedy Nov 05, 2010

For those many faithful listeners of CBC's Ideas, you know producer and host Paul Kennedy to be as entertaining as he is enlightening. And he was every bit of that in his pre-concert talk of September 24th at the NAC. His theme was “Amadeus: Fiction, Art and Truth”. I think you’ll enjoy his debunking the many myths of Mozart’s life, and you just might learn something new about Mr. Mozart as well.

Guest host: Paul Wells Oct 21, 2010

Author and Maclean's magazine columnist Paul Wells was invited to open the NAC Orchestra's Mozart-Haydn Festival on September 22nd on its Musically-Speaking Series of pre-concerts talks.

"Hijacked!!" Oct 01, 2010

The show is taken over by some of Christopher's students in this fun and informative edition of the NACOcast

"To Repeat, or not to Repeat" (with Leonard Slatkin) May 03, 2010

Christopher speaks with the distinguished conductor Leonard Slatkin about the problem of repeats in Schubert.
The conversation focuses on his Ninth Symphony, The Great C Major, with a careful examination of the exquisite Andante Con Moto.

"On The Spot" Mar 01, 2010

Two conductors, twenty questions. In this episode, Christopher puts conductors Andrew Grams and James Gaffigan to the test with some challenging questions for aspiring maestros.

"Practice Makes Perfect" Feb 08, 2010

In this episode, Christopher ponders the concept of deep practice and how successful musicians use intelligent repetition to build their skills.

"Measuring Time" Nov 04, 2009

Christopher has been thinking about metronomes. Here he discusses the history of that irritating but essential device, and talks with NACO guest conductor Alexander Shelley about Maelzel, Beethoven and the challenges of the metronome for modern conductors.

Dvořàk (reprise) Oct 06, 2009

In preparation for our new season of NACOcasts ... and to celebrate the the National Art Centre's 40th anniversary this week. We offer you this reprise edition of the very first NACOcast from February 20, 2006, featuring, as the Orchestra did 40 years ago, Dvořàk.

NAC Orchestra 2009/10 Season Preview Jun 02, 2009

Christopher takes you on an hour-long exploration of the NAC Orchestra's recently announced 2009-2010 season, complete with musical excerpts from the NAC Orchestra audio archives and Naxos Canada.

Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin Mar 31, 2009

Bringing Onegin to Life. With insights from philosopher Isaiah Berlin and a wide ranging conversation with tenor Richard Troxell and stage manager Joseph Bascetta, this episode explores Tchaikovsky's opera Eugene Onegin. Opera Lyra Ottawa's production of Tchaikovsky's masterpiece opens April 4.

NACO Artistic Administrator, Daphne Burt Mar 11, 2009

In this second in a series of podcasts which will look at the business and administration of symphony orchestras, NACOcast host Christopher Millard talks with Daphne Burt, artistic administrator of the NAC Orchestra.

NACO librarians, Margo and Greg Hodgson Jan 07, 2013

In this first in a series of podcasts which will look at the business and administration of symphony orchestras, NACOcast host Christopher Millard talks with husband-and-wife team Margo and Greg Hodgson, principal librarian and assistant principal librarian of the NAC Orchestra, about the complexities of their profession, and their life together in music.

James Gaffigan and Beethoven Symphony no. 1 Nov 24, 2008

This week's episode of the NACOcast looks at Beethoven's First Symphony. American conductor James Gaffigan is Christopher's guest. Chris and James analyze the harmonies employed in the introduction of the first movement and continue with a discussion of the sonata form.

"Do we need Conductors?" (reprise) Nov 13, 2008

While the NAC Orchestra is on tour in Western Canada (NACOtour.ca) we offer you, by popular demand, a repeat of one of our most downloaded NACOcast editions to date: "Do we need Conductors?" Ever wonder about the role of the conductor? This week we bring you a presentation made by Chris Millard to members of the NAC Orchestra Association as part of the "Behind the Music" discussion series.

NACOcast LIVE! The Violin and The Voice Oct 22, 2008

Live from Southam Hall at Canada's National Arts Centre, Christopher talks with Pinchas Zukerman and Arianna Zukerman about the voice as instrument, and the instrument as voice.

"Figuring Out Figaro" Sep 12, 2008

In this episode, Christopher speaks with Opera Lyra Ottawa's Artistic Director Tyrone Paterson, Conductor Christoph Campestrini and mezzo-soprano Marion Newman about the new production of Mozart's opera The Marriage of Figaro. The conversation focuses on the personalities of each of the principal characters, their place in the social strata of their time and how Mozart's music so brilliantly captures their individual human experience.

On Hearing Jul 08, 2008

Christopher explores hearing, and the loss thereof, as it relates to orchestral musicians and audiences in general.

"A Prophetic Conversation" Jun 09, 2008

Beethoven's Pastoral Symphony is one of the great works of programmatic music in the orchestral repertoire. Christopher examines the thoughtful insights of musicologist Owen Jander in a study of the second movement, Scene by the Brook.

"Clown of the Orchestra" May 14, 2008

Christopher discusses primates, brontosauri and other musical influences in a wide ranging examination of his favourite orchestral instrument.

Andrew Litton (encore) May 09, 2008

Conductor Andrew Litton returns to lead the NAC Orchestra on May 14-15. Here is an encore presentation of the wide-ranging chat that NACOcast host Christopher Millard had with the Grammy Award-winning conductor on his last visit to the NAC in January 2007.

NAC Orchestra 2008/09 Season Preview Mar 27, 2008

Christopher takes you on an hour-long exploration of the NAC Orchestra's recently announced 2008-2009 season, complete with musical excerpts from the NAC Orchestra audio archives and Naxos Canada.

Strauss Oboe Concerto with Charles Hamann Jan 18, 2008

In this first NACOcast of 2008, Christopher focuses on Richard Strauss' Oboe Concerto with special guest Charles Hamann, principal oboe, National Arts Centre Orchestra.

Beethoven's "Emperor" Concerto with Jon Kimura Parker Dec 14, 2007

Christopher's guest is the ebullient Canadian pianist Jon Kimura Parker, a virtuoso star who is also known for his outgoing personality and cheerful sense of humour. Jackie and Christopher discuss Beethoven's "Emperor" Piano Concerto No. 5.

A Messiah Reprise Dec 07, 2007

By popular demand ... In this very special NACOcast presentation, Christopher takes us on a 30-minute guided tour of that holiday perennial, Handel's Messiah.

The World Orchestra for Peace Nov 07, 2007

As Remembrance Day approaches here in Canada, Christopher looks at The World Orchestra for Peace in a programme that first aired on CBC Radio in 2003. "The World Orchestra for Peace is an expression of harmony on all levels. It was founded in 1995 by Sir Georg Solti to reaffirm, in his words, 'the unique strength of music as an ambassador for peace'. Its players come from orchestras all over the world, many of them concert masters and section leaders in their own right, and the orchestra has no existence outside the very special occasions that call it into being."

NACOcast Live with Pinchas Zukerman and Measha Brueggergosman Oct 18, 2007

Beethoven Symphony no. 9 is the subject, and Pinchas Zukerman and Measha Brueggergosman are Christopher's guests on this live edition of the NACOcast.

Beethoven Symphony No. 2 Sep 15, 2007

To mark the beginning of the NAC Orchestra's Beethoven Festival, Christopher offers up a guided tour of the complete 2nd Symphony. Featured in this week's podcast is the NAC Orchestra's CBC Records recording of Beethoven's Symphony No. 2 under the the baton of Music Director Pinchas Zukerman.

Susan Platts Aug 31, 2007

Canadian mezzo-soprano Susan Platts is Christopher's guest on this edition of the NACOcast. The two discuss vocal sound production and repertoire. Musical excerpts include Verdi's Requiem and Brahm's "Gestillte Sehnsucht".

The National Orchestral Institute Aug 15, 2007

This week we continue our look at training for young orchestral players -- In Washington DC, Christopher talks with 3 participants in the National Orchestral Institute programme and we hear several excerpts of Richard Strauss' Eine Alpensinfonie played by the NOI under the baton of James Ross on June 16 of this year.

NACO's Institute for Orchestral Studies Aug 01, 2007

Back from our summer hiatus, Christopher talks with three young and dynamic music students -- the first participants in the NAC's new Institute for Orchestral Studies -- about the opportunity to play in the NAC Orchestra, their studies, their instruments ( ... and even tuning in fifths).

NACOcast Live with Gary Kulesha (2/2) Jun 05, 2007

Composer Gary Kulesha joins Christopher for the second part of a two part discussion recorded following the NAC Orchestra's world premiere of Kulesha's 3rd Symphony. Among other topics, Christopher and Gary discuss teaching composition and making a living as a composer.

NACOcast Live with Gary Kulesha (1/2) May 21, 2007

Composer Gary Kulesha is Christopher's guest in this first part of two special NACOcast Live sessions recorded following the NAC Orchestra's world premiere of Kulesha's 3rd Symphony.

James Ehnes Apr 16, 2007

In this very special edition of the NACOcast, Christopher discusses the beauty and mystery of Stradivari instruments with one of the world's foremost violin players, Canadian James Ehnes. Music samples include Ehnes's recent recordings of the Bach's Sonatas and Partitas for Violin and Walton's Violin Concerto.

Oliver Knussen Mar 26, 2007

The distinguished British composer and conductor Oliver Knussen is Christopher's guest on this week's edition of the NACOcast. NAC Orchestra audiences know Oliver Knussen from his appearances with the NAC Orchestra in 2001 when he conducted his own Second Symphony, and from 2004 when he conducted the Canadian premiere of his Violin Concerto with its dedicatee Pinchas Zukerman as soloist.

"Sliding Angels" Feb 27, 2007

Douglas Burden, bass trombonist with the National Arts Centre Orchestra, is Christopher's guest on this edition of the NACOcast. The two discuss everything 'trombone'; from the instrument's origins, repertoire and its role in today's orchestra. This edition of the NACOcast includes a sampling of the NAC Orchestra performing Hector Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique.

Gustavo Dudamel Feb 12, 2007

Gustavo Dudamel, the 26 year-old Venezuelan conducting phenom visits the NACOcast studios to discuss "El Sistema", Beethoven's Symphony No. 5, and his mentors Jose Antonio Abreu, Claudio Abbado and Simon Rattle.

Andrew Litton Jan 22, 2007

Christopher chats with American conductor Andrew Litton. Litton’s more than 60 recordings include the Grammy winning Walton's Belshazzar's Feast with Bryn Terfel and the Bournemouth Symphony.

A "Messiah" Digest Dec 18, 2006

In this very special NACOcast presentation, Christopher takes us on a 30-minute guided tour of that holiday perennial, Handel's Messiah.

Charles "Chip" Hamann Nov 22, 2006

Christopher discusses the art of reed making with NAC Orchestra prinicpal oboe Chip Hamann with archival musical excerpts from Strauss's Don Quixote and Mozart's Oboe Concerto as performed by Chip Hamann and the National Arts Centre Orchestra

The Canadian Brass Nov 14, 2006

Canadian Brass members, Charles Daellenbach and Eugene Watts, are Christopher's guests on this special edition of the NACOcast

"The Protean Tuba" Oct 30, 2006

On this week's NACOcast ... the Protean Tuba. Christopher speaks with NACO Principal Tuba Nick Atkinson about the variable identity of this big bugle and about life at the bottom of the orchestra. An informative discussion of the history of the tuba, its acoustic principles and a survey of its use in the orchestra.

"Hungarian Celebration" Oct 16, 2006

Hungarian Celebration - The NAC Orchestra celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Hungarian revolution this week with a programme of Bartok, Kodaly and Brahms. Christopher welcomes NACO's Karoly Sziladi to talk about his personal experiences during and after the 1956 uprising, and the music of his native Hungary.

Joel Quarrington Oct 04, 2006

A Fifth of Quarrington -- In this week's NACOcast, Christopher speaks with the National Arts Centre Orchestra's remarkable Principal Bass, Joel Quarrington. Canada's foremost virtuoso of the double bass, Joel is the only great modern bassist who tunes his bass like a cello. Find out how this came about as Joel discusses the history, evolution and current state of double bass playing.

Brahms Sep 19, 2006

In this first episode of the 2006-2007 NACOcast season, Christopher focuses on Brahm's Piano Concerto no. 1 in D minor, Opus 15 and Brahms' Symphony No. 2. This week's podcast includes archival recordings of the NAC Orchestra under the baton of Maestro Pinchas Zukerman.

"It's a Living" Jul 18, 2006

In this last episode of the 2005-2006 season, Christopher looks at the work life of the professional orchestra musician and how symphony orchestras are organized. Also in this edition, a sampling of the NAC Orchestra's recording of Beethoven's Symphony No. 2, under the direction of Pinchas Zukerman. The NACOcast returns for a new season of podcasts in mid-September.

Patinka Kopec Jun 27, 2006

This week on the NACOcast, Christopher talks with Patinka Kopec, director of the NAC's Young Artist Programme. Chris and Patti discuss her formative days in New York with gifted contemporaries, Pinchas Zukerman and Itzhak Perlman, and highlight the gifted young artists at this year's YAP. The podcast includes a special musical selection: Mozart's String Quintet in G minor, K. 516, Allegro, performed by the Zukerman Players.

Maestro Mario Bernardi and concertmaster Walter Prystawski Jun 13, 2006

As a tribute to Walter Prystawski, the NAC Orchestra's founding concertmaster who is retiring after 37 years at the first desk, Christopher talks to founding NACO music director Mario Bernardi as well as three of Walter's original orchestra colleagues. The conversations touch on the core classical repertoire of the orchestra, NACO's signature sound and the critical role Walter Prystawski played in shaping that sound.

Jack Everly Jun 05, 2006

POPS! goes the NACOcast -- This week an interview with NAC Orchestra principal pops conductor Jack Everly. Christopher talks with Jack about his distinguished career and the world of symphonic popular music.

Pinchas Zukerman (Pt.2) May 30, 2006

Part 2 of a conversation with Maestro Pinchas Zukerman on the mechanics of making music with the violin. Join Chris and Pinchas as they discuss bowing techniques and the music of J.S. Bach.

Pinchas Zukerman (Pt.1) May 23, 2006

Special guest Maestro Pinchas Zukerman joins Chris Millard to discuss the mechanics of making music with the violin. Join Chris and Pinchas in this first of two interviews -- They discuss bowing and vibrato techniques and the divergent approaches of European and North American orchestras to string playing.

Eric Friesen May 15, 2006

The musician interviews the broadcaster. Veteran CBC radio host and champion of classical music, Eric Friesen joins Chris Millard this week on the NACOcast. The two discuss Eric's passion for radio and music.

Do we need Conductors? May 08, 2006

Ever wonder about the role of the conductor? This week we bring you a presentation made by Chris Millard to members of the NAC Orchestra Association as part of the "Behind the Music" discussion series.

On Music and Pain May 02, 2006

In response to a listener question, Christopher assembles a panel of colleagues to discuss instrument-related injuries and the various treatments, techniques and training programs used to avoid them. Joining Chris this week are bassist Marjolaine Laroche, violist Nancy Sturdevant, oboist Chip Hamann, and violinist Susan Rupp.

Boris Brott Apr 23, 2006

This week on the NACOcast, Christopher Millard is in conversation Maestro Boris Brott, Principal Youth and Family Conductor, National Arts Centre Orchestra. Boris Brott is one of the most internationally recognized Canadian Conductors, holding major posts as music director in Canada and the United States. He enjoys an international career as guest conductor, educator, motivational speaker and cultural ambassador. In May 2004, he was named to the newly created position of Principal Youth and Family Conductor of the National Arts Centre Orchestra, where for over 20 years he has regularly been conducting student matinees and Young People’s Concerts. In this edition of the NACOcast, Christopher and Boris discuss, among other topics, the legacy of Leonard Bernstein and the challenges that today's orchestra face connecting and engaging young audiences.

Jessica Linnebach Apr 16, 2006

This week on the NACOcast, Christopher Millard is in conversation with Jessica Linnebach. Jessica was only 10 years old when she was accepted to the prestigious Curtis Institute of Music and only 19 when she received her Master's degree from Manhattan School of Music where she studied with Pinchas Zukerman. Join Christopher and Jessica as they talk about the formidable Glazunov Violin Concerto.

Ty Paterson Apr 03, 2006

It's all about opera this week as Christopher Millard talks with Ty Paterson, artistic director and principal conductor of Opera Lyra Ottawa -- Listen in as they discuss Verdi's Falstaff and the making of opera.

Stravinski's Pulcinella Suite and Brahm's Piano concerto No. 2 Mar 27, 2006

Stravinski's Pulcinella Suite and Brahm's Piano concerto No. 2 in B-flat major are featured in this week's edition of the NACOcast, hosted by Christopher Millard.

Michael Torke Mar 20, 2006

Composer Michael Torke discusses the genesis of the ballet score for An Italian Straw Hat and the influences of Rossini and Mozart on the work. With excerpts from the CD, "An Italian Straw Hat" on Ecstatic Records (www.michaeltorke.com).

Laurence Ewashko Mar 06, 2006

This week Christopher Millard discusses the history and theology behind Bach's B Minor Mass with choral director Laurence Ewashko.

Karen Donnelly and the music of Hayley Westenra Feb 27, 2006

This week's NACOcast features the music of New Zealand's Hayley Westenra, a look at the Pops programmes of Jack Everly, principal Pops conductor at the NAC, and an interview with special guest Karen Donnelly, principal trumpet of the NAC Orchestra. Send your feedback to NACOcast@gmail.com

Antonín Dvořák Feb 20, 2006

Chris Millard looks ahead to NAC Orchestra performances of Mozart, Dvořàk and Canadian composer Alexina Louie. Musical excerpt from Dvořàk Symphony no. 7; (NAC Orchestra under the direction of Pinchas Zukerman).

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

NACOcast: Classical music podcast with Sean Rice

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected