http://www.artsalive.ca/nacotour/ Follow the NAC Orchestra on tour across Alberta and Saskatchewan. http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss en-us Copyright 2005 National Arts Centre artsweb@artsalive.ca artsweb@artsalive.ca Fri, 27 Oct 2006 00:00:00 GMT Fri, 27 Oct 2006 00:00:00 GMT http://www.artsalive.ca/img/mus/tour/2005/podcastBadgeEn.gif http://www.artsalive.ca/ 144 144 NAC New Media Alberta-Saskatchewan Tour 2005 Follow the NAC Orchestra on tour across Alberta and Saskatchewan. nac orchestra tour alberta saskatchewan ottawa canada No National Arts Centre of Canada artsweb@artsalive.ca No http://radio.nac-cna.ca/podcast/naco_absk_20051119_1.mov Tonight the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra performed on stage with the National Arts Centre Orchestra and the results were outstanding! artsweb@artsalive.ca Sat, 19 Nov 2005 00:00:00 GMT Podcast www.artsalive.ca/nacotour-190 http://radio.nac-cna.ca/podcast/naco_absk_20051119.mov The NAC Orchestra has been enjoying fabulous weather in Edmonton. This afternoon the NAC Orchestra rehearsed together with The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra. artsweb@artsalive.ca Sat, 19 Nov 2005 00:00:00 GMT Podcast www.artsalive.ca/nacotour-191 http://radio.nac-cna.ca/podcast/naco_absk_20051118.mov The Ambassador Brass Trio always puts on a great show and today's performance in Edmonton was no exception. artsweb@artsalive.ca Fri, 18 Nov 2005 00:00:00 GMT Podcast www.artsalive.ca/nacotour-189 http://radio.nac-cna.ca/podcast/naco_absk_20051117.mov Former NAC Affiliate Composer Andrew Staniland, a native of Alberta, has written a Canadian Folk Song Suite for 175 students of the Suzuki Charter School in Edmonton and a 7-piece professional ensemble. The world premiere was performed as part of a larger concert programme held at Edmonton City Hall. This concert is the culmination of a Fall study unit at the Suzuki Charter School focused on Canadian music. artsweb@artsalive.ca Thu, 17 Nov 2005 00:00:00 GMT Podcast www.artsalive.ca/nacotour-188 http://radio.nac-cna.ca/podcast/ The following journal was submitted by Claire Speed, NAC Orchestra Director of Music Education. Today was a day off for the musicians but that didn’t stop our two guest composers from keeping on with their scheduled outreach activities. Gary Kulesha was featured guest at a small gathering over lunch of local composers at the University of Calgary hosted by the Canadian Music Centre’s Regional Director for the Prairie provinces, John Reid. Christopher Deacon joined them. Meanwhile, Andrew Staniland, former student of Gary’s and NAC affiliate composer, was in Edmonton for the rehearsals and evening performance of the “Canadian Folk Song Suite” commission project, one of four legacy projects on the AB SK Tour. Andrew wrote “Canadian Folk Song Suite” for students of Edmonton’s Suzuki Charter School and an ensemble of Edmonton Symphony Orchestra musicians. Approximately 125 students on violin, cello, bass, piano, guitar, flute and recorder performed this nearly thirty minute suite in the atrium of Edmonton’s City Hall for a capacity crowd of around 300. Andrew wrote beautifully for this group of talented young Suzuki players. It was a challenging work to keep together, but conductor Peter Dundjerski did an admirable job. This commission for Andrew came out of a discussion I’d had with Grazyna Sobieraj, music director at the Suzuki Charter School, over six months ago. Grazyna, who has done many interesting collaborations with professional ensembles and her students, including with the ESO and former composer in residence Allan Gilliland, came up with the idea to commission a work by Andrew for the students at her school and to build her Fall music curriculum around the study of Canadian music. Hats off to Grazyna for her vision and for her dedication to music teaching, and to Andrew for writing a terrific work for young players that I hope will have repeat performances in the years ahead. Grazyna and Andrew are already talking about their next project together – an opera for Suzuki players that will tour. Onwards…. DAY TWELVE – Friday 18 November: Calgary, Edmonton, Spruce Grove and Stony Plain Another of our busiest days on tour…. The Musicians in the Schools String Quintet stayed behind in Calgary to perform two school concerts while the rest of the orchestra went ahead to Edmonton. The Quintet performed at a French Immersion school in the morning and at a French school in the afternoon. The group performed for 150 students from grades 1-6 at Greenview Elementary School. The music teacher Dan Dornan has been teaching the children about Vivaldi and his music from the NAC Resource Kit that was mailed to the school this Fall. The school has had live band performances but never a concert by a string ensemble. Jan Amsel introduced the group to the children in her double capacity as a member of the Calgary Philharmonic and as an Alberta Teaching Musician for the NAC Music Ambassador Program. This is what Jan had to say following the Quintet’s performance: “The quintet performed a wonderful variety of music, all very well received, and enthusiastically talked about different aspects of their instruments and about music. The children listened very carefully, participated well with excellent questions and comments and thoroughly enjoyed the entire performance. For the finale, a group of recorder students accompanied the quintet with the harmony part of Winter (2nd movt), even though they had only started recorders 3 weeks ago! I felt that it was an extremely successful performance and felt privileged to introduce the quintet and to observe their demo. Thank you for inviting me…I am full of ideas of how to bring "Vivaldi to Vulcan", as the Calgary Herald stated.” The Quintet played for 150 students in grades 1-9 at their afternoon performance at Ecole La Source. Approximately 100 students were from La Source, plus 10 from the only French school in nearby Okotoks and 35 from the only French school in Airdrie. This was the first such in-school performance that these French schools had ever had. A second broadband event on the AB SK Tour linking schools through music teaching and learning took place Friday morning at the Victoria School of Performing and Visual Arts in Edmonton. This was an exciting “reconnexions” event that linked back to Burnaby, BC where a number of educational events had taken place on the 2004 BC Tour. NACO violinist Elaine Klimasko and cellist Margaret Munro Tobolowska, both of whom are also on the Junior Strings faculty of the NAC Summer Music Institute, led a coaching session for two string orchestras of the Edmonton Public Schools Music Enrichment Program – “Orchestra A” directed by Miriam Lewis and “Singing Strings” led by Olivia Walsh. The orchestras were joined in the second of this three hour session by a violinist, cellist and oboe player from Moscrop Secondary School in Burnaby using a broadband connection. Over the course of the one hour broadband connection, students in both locations performed together excerpts from the Corelli Concerto Grosso, Op 6 No7. With her usual hands-on approach to teaching, Elaine moved about the combined orchestras at Victoria School loosening up shoulders and giving encouraging comments. Margaret suggested that the students put more “emotion” into their playing by asking them how the music made them feel and then suggesting that they play that way. This very informative and engaging session ended with the musicians offering to keep in contact with the students. We will find a way to make this happen, perhaps in a year from now during the orchestra’s Quebec tour if we can find a way to connect the students at Victoria School to string students at F.A.C.E., a performing arts school in Montreal. Thanks to Jeremy Meharg in Burnaby and to Rob Wallace at the Victoria School for connecting the two school sites via broadband. Comments back about the session from the two orchestra directors Miriam Lewis and Olivia Walsh include “fabulous opportunity to hear professional musicians teach and play” and “it [was] a chance to try new techniques, to be pushed a bit out of our comfort zone and to really learn something”. Christy Harris accompanied Peter Smith, Larry Vine, Ken Simpson and Tom Annand to two high schools in Spruce Grove and Stony Plain, each about a 45 minute drive outside of Edmonton. The City of Spruce Grove’s Horizon Stage requested and provided partial funding for four musician-led coaching sessions for band and choir students at St Thomas Aquinas Catholic School in Spruce Grove and Stony Plain Memorial Composite High School in Stony Plain. Each of the four musicians led clinics on the basics of choral or instrumental band technique. Tom Annand led clinics for students taking choir at Stony Plain in the morning and at St Thomas Aquinas in the afternoon. Instrumental clinics were held at St Thomas Aquinas in the morning and at Stony Plain in the afternoon led by Peter Smith (winds), Colin Traquair (lower brass) and Ken Simpson (percussion). There were about 30 band students and 15 choral students who took part from St Thomas Aquinas and about 10 band students and 20 choral students who took part from Stony Plain Memorial. Most of the musicians commented on the enthusiasm of the students, but that they lacked the basics on how to play their instruments. The Ambassador Brass Trio visited Ecole Notre Dame on Friday morning in Edmonton and presented a concert for 180 well behaved students in Kindergarten through grade 6. Edmonton Symphony Orchestra trumpet player Bill Dimmer, who often hosts family and student concerts for the ESO, introduced the Ambassador Trio to the students and Don Renshaw, NACO principal trombone and one of the three musicians in the Trio, hosted the hour-long performance in French. A few students sang to the excerpt from Vivaldi’s Winter Concert of the Four Seasons along with the Trio. Rosemarie Siever, one of the Alberta Teaching Musicians for the NAC Music Ambassador Program, attended the performance. Gary Kulesha led a masterclass and public lecture at the University of Alberta in Edmonton hosted by professor of composition Howard Bashaw. The students were composing at the highest level he’s seen on tour, and Gary decided to spend most of the two-hour session looking at the students’ work. There were about 25 people who attended his public lecture. Andrew Staniland, who attended Gary’s session in the morning, led his own session with composition students at Grant MacEwan College in Edmonton from where he had graduated as a guitar major. Twelve students along with head of composition Allan Gilliland, former ESO composer-in-residence, listened to works by Andrew including a short piece for orchestra that was premiered by the Vancouver Symphony in May 2005. This short work is part of a 5-work commission of Canadian composers by the VSO in connection with the upcoming winter Olympics. The composition students asked informed, intelligent questions about the process of composing and what it takes to “make it” as a composer. The day ended with back-to-back masterclasses at the University of Alberta in Edmonton. The Department of Music hosted a brass quintet masterclass led by the Rideau Lakes Brass Quintet whose five musicians are members of the NAC Orchestra, followed by a trombone masterclass led by Douglas Burden. About 25 people attended both masterclasses including William Street (saxophone), head of winds and Wendy Grasdahl (trumpet), visiting assistant professor. The chair of the music department, Leonard Ratzlaff, attended part of the brass quintet session. DAY 13 – Saturday 19 November: Edmonton The final concert by NACO on tour was preceded in the lobby of the Winspear Centre by a choral showcase featuring the exceptionally talented Edmonton-based Kokopelli Youth Choir conducted by Scott Leithead. For 45 minutes, the choir entertained and engaged the capacity crowd arriving for the NAC Orchestra’s final concert on tour. From a first floor balcony decorated with fresh poinsettas, this choir of 30 or so young people from junior and senior high schools in Edmonton filled the atrium of the Winspear Centre with heavenly sounds. At times they moved to the rhythmic beat of the music of South Africa. This choir, founded by Scott Leithead, has traveled widely in Canada and abroad. In addition to leading this choir, Scott conducts a Kokopelli Alumni Choir and the Braile Tones, a choir for the blind. DAY 14 & 15 – Sunday 20 and Monday 21 November: Calgary Karen Donnelly, NACO principal trumpet, remains behind as the Orchestra heads home to Ottawa. She’ll travel to Calgary from Edmonton to lead masterclasses and individual lessons for trumpet students at Mount Royal College Conservatory on Sunday and the University of Calgary on Monday, as requested by faculty members Linda Brown and Howard Engstrom, respectively. Karen, who is usually one of the busiest musicians on tour, passed over much of the teaching this tour to Manon Lafrance because of the demands of the Kulesha commissioned work “The Boughs of Music” that features Karen as soloist. Manon was on tour replacing NACO second trumpet, Eric Rupp. Calgary trumpet students have received a lot of coaching this past week from the “trumpets of NACO” including Karen, Manon and as well Douglas (Pace) Sturdevant, former NACO principal trumpet who was in Calgary to help out with Music Connexions and in Banff for the New Music Concert. Pace led trumpet clinics for Calgary students and led a broadband teaching session to students in St John’s NL where he regularly teaches using a broadband connection. And so ends this marathon Performance & Education Tour of Alberta and Saskatchewan by Pinchas Zukerman, the musicians of NACO, Boris Brott, Gary Kulesha, Andrew Staniland and guest artists. We have established important new relationships within the four major orchestras, post-secondary institutions, the ministries of education, school boards and schools in both provinces. The educational work on the tour promises to have a long lasting impact on students and teachers. Of the teachers involved in the Prince Albert Grand Council and Music Connexions tour legacy projects, several have indicated their desire to continue recorder teaching with their students. The webcast student concert that was watched by over 8,000 students in Grande Prairie and in elementary schools across Alberta has opened up possibilities for providing even greater access to classical music for young audiences. Six teaching musicians will visit over 300 schools and leading 30 teacher clinics over the next 3 years in mainly rural schools as part of the NAC Music Ambassador Program that is set to begin in January 2006. The webpages found on artsalive.ca/music that have so brilliantly and creatively chronicled the AB SK Tour from before Day One will continue to provide enjoyment and information to its readers and viewers, young and old, for years to come. And the list goes on.... There are many, many people to recognize and thank for their tremendous work on tour and support from home base at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa. For fear of omitting a name, I congratulate all of you for what has been perhaps the most successful NAC Orchestra tour to date. Bravo, one and all…. Claire Claire Speed Director, Music Education artsweb@artsalive.ca Thu, 17 Nov 2005 00:00:00 GMT Podcast www.artsalive.ca/nacotour-198 http://radio.nac-cna.ca/podcast/naco_absk_20051116.mp3 We spoke with NAC Orchestra musicians and tour staff about the trials and tribulations of touring. artsweb@artsalive.ca Wed, 16 Nov 2005 00:00:00 GMT Podcast www.artsalive.ca/nacotour-192 http://radio.nac-cna.ca/podcast/naco_absk_20051116.mov Today NAC Orchestra musicians conducted a series of outstanding masterclasses for students at the University of Calgary. artsweb@artsalive.ca Wed, 16 Nov 2005 00:00:00 GMT Podcast www.artsalive.ca/nacotour-185 http://radio.nac-cna.ca/podcast/naco_absk_20051115.mov Last night the orchestra travelled from Grande Prairie to Calgary while members of the New Music Ensemble continued on from Calgary to Banff. The performance at the Rolston Recital Hall included compositions by Gary Kulesha, Alexina Louie as well as Hindemith and Shostakovich. artsweb@artsalive.ca Tue, 15 Nov 2005 00:00:00 GMT Podcast www.artsalive.ca/nacotour-184 http://radio.nac-cna.ca/podcast/ The following journal was submitted by Claire Speed, NAC Orchestra Director of Music Education. Today the NAC launched the much anticipated Music Ambassador Program from elementary schools in Saskatoon and Calgary. Mary Gordon, Erin Barnhardt and I welcomed invited guests and members of the media to Mr Shurman’s grade 4-5 classroom at St Frances School in Saskatoon at 9am before giving the floor to Sally Cochrane, one of our three Saskatchewan Teaching Musicians. Sally, a flutist who performs regularly with the Saskatoon Symphony, demonstrated on her instrument and then invited the children to improvise on a set of bongo drums in response to a rhythm she clapped. This short music class gave the audience a taste of what the Music Ambassador Program will bring to 1000s of children in Saskatchewan schools over the next 3 years. Sally was then properly introduced along with the two other Teaching Musicians for Saskatchewan, Lisa Simmermon who is principal timpanist with the Regina Symphony and Brian Johnson who is principal second violin also with the RSO. Douglas Sanford, music director of the Saskatoon Symphony then said a few words on behalf of the orchestra and made the exciting announcement that the SSO has plans to develop an education program within a year. George Charpentier, coordinator of arts education with the Saskatoon Catholic School Board was next to endorse the Music Ambassador Program. Janie Fries, a music educator from Moosejaw, was also introduced as the author of a set of pre- and post-visit lesson plans that will be mailed to the teachers who will receive visits from the Saskatchewan Teaching Musicians. As the children, teachers and guests talked over cookies and juice we packed up our gear and bounded out the door to catch our flight to Calgary and on to the second launch… By the 1:30pm start time for the second press launch of the day the Fine Arts Room at Belfast School in Calgary was close to overflowing. Print, television and radio media were well represented, as were the National Arts Centre and Calgary’s public and catholic school boards. Samantha (Sam) Whelan started off with a 20 minute music demonstration with the children of Mrs. Giamnettei’s Grade 4-5 class. Sam, one of three Alberta Teaching Musicians, is a trumpet player in the Red Deer Symphony who often plays with the Calgary Philharmonic. Jan Amsel is in the first violin section of the CPO and Rosemarie Siever is a sax player who regularly plays with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra. Dr. Robert de Frece, a professor of music education at the University of Alberta, who was unable to attend the launch, authored the pre- and post-visit lesson plans for the teachers who will be lucky enough to be selected for visits by the Alberta Teaching Musicians. Endorsing the program from the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra and the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra were education managers Vanessa Goymour and Monica Dear, respectively. Sherry Martens, Fine Arts specialist with the Calgary Board of Education, then got up to speak. Thanks go to Laura Weber, Mary Gordon and Nicole Milne of NAC Communications for organizing these two terrific launches of the NAC Music Ambassador Program. There were a large number of masterclasses at the University of Calgary for two hours in the afternoon, led by Joanna G’froerer, flute, Lawrence Vine, horn, Manon Lafrance, trumpet, Doug Burden, trombone and Ken Simpson, percussion. According to Nelson McDougall who was the staff member on duty there were about a dozen people who attended four of the five classes. About 20 people turned up for the class led by Joanna G’froerer. Also at the University of Calgary was Gary Kulesha who led a masterclass for 17 composition students in the Department of Music followed by a public lecture on his work for an audience of approximately 25. I forgot to mention in my last dispatch that Gary led intermission talks at the NACO concerts in Medicine Hat (Nov 12) and Grande Prairie (Nov 13). Between 50 and 60 audience members attended his talk at The Esplanade Arts and Heritage Centre in Medicine Hat and between 20 and 30 audience members attended his talk at the Grande Prairie Regional College. While the classes were going on at the University of Calgary, across the city at Mount Royal College Conservatory, Tom Annand led an organ masterclass for 9 students of Neil Cockburn, head of organ studies. Tom was very positive about the class and complimentary of the high level of playing by the students. Elaine Klimasko led not one but two sets of masterclasses at Mount Royal College Conservatory. The first 2-hour session was for older students at the Conservatory and the second class was for younger students, all of whom had attended the Junior Strings Program of the NAC Summer Music Institute in Ottawa. It was a reunion of sorts, as Elaine had taught all four students last summer, so it was wonderful to see and hear the students again and for them to continue to get input from Elaine on their performance technique. The Calgary Girls Choir led by Elaine Quilichini performed in the lobby of Jack Singer Hall prior to the NAC Orchestra concert. This choir is recognized nationally and internationally, with awards and credits to its name. NAC Orchestra Manager Chris Dearlove reported following the concert: “…the Calgary Girls Choir .. were set up on the Duet Stage in the Jack Singer lobby, which gave them a lot more visibility than some of the choirs on tour. They sang from 7:00 to 7:50 pm, and the audience was quite attentive and respectful. I spoke to the conductor and the manager, and they both seemed really happy with having the opportunity to perform.” Claire Claire Speed Director, Music Education artsweb@artsalive.ca Tue, 15 Nov 2005 00:00:00 GMT Podcast www.artsalive.ca/nacotour-196 http://radio.nac-cna.ca/podcast/ The following journal was submitted by Claire Speed, NAC Orchestra Director of Music Education. This was a particularly busy education day on tour. The strings were in Grande Prairie performing two student matinees while individual NACO players were teaching in Calgary, Red Deer and Lethbridge. The highlight of today’s events was the highly successful webcast of a student matinee concert conducted by NAC Youth and Family Conductor Boris Brott at the Grande Prairie Regional College Theatre. The concert program was very similar to the previous performance in Prince Albert. Replacing John Jaques, the young bassist from Saskatoon who was showcased at the Prince Albert student matinee on November 8th were two young violinists from Calgary, Maria van der Sloot and Meghan Nenninger who performed the first movement of the Bach Double Concerto brilliantly, accompanied by the strings of the NAC Orchestra. Both Maria and Meghan were participants in the Junior Strings Program of the NAC Summer Music Institute in 2005. In addition to a capacity audience in Grande Prairie Regional Theater, another 7,750 students and teachers were expected to watch the webcast concert over Alberta Supernet from 147 Alberta elementary schools. The Minister of Education for Alberta, Gene Zwozdesky, watched the webcast from an Edmonton school and was very pleased with the results. Kim Shulha, associate director of government relations with Bell Canada, was at Delwood Elementary with the Minister and remarked afterwards to NAC staff who had worked on the project: “I just wanted to congratulate all of you on a wonderful event yesterday- the students could not have been more excited and engaged! I met Minister Zwozdesky at the school, who was very appreciative of the opportunity we were creating for Alberta students. I really enjoyed this event, and working with you- congratulations again!” Kelly Abercrombie, who worked on contract for the NAC and deserves credit for the high number of Alberta schools who logged on for the webcast concert, tracked comments from teachers who signed on to participate. Here are a select few that show just how much this webcast invitation was appreciated and anticipated: “We are a K-9 school with 74 students well off the central corridor in Alberta, so this presents an unparalleled opportunity for our limited music program.” Brett Caukill, principal, Elnora School, Chinook’s Edge School Division No 7, Eckville AB “What an awesome opportunity!! I would love to give this opportunity to my students. They are in grade three but we do listen to music composers weekly during music in the afternoon. Thanks for such a great opportunity.”Kim Desmarais, grade 3 teacher, Our Lady of the Snows School, Christ the Redeemer Catholic Schools, Canmore AB “Thanks so much for making this possible, my students have loved learning about Vivaldi the past few weeks and are currently writing their essay for the contest.”Christina Fielden, grade 5 teacher, Edmonton Catholic Separate School Division No 7, St. Brendan Elementary School, Edmonton, AB “We have 64 grade four students who would enjoy seeing and hearing the November 14th webcast performance by the NAC Orchestra. About twenty percent of our students are First Nations and Metis children, who, I’m sure, would be inspired by Joseph Naytowhow’s playing and storytelling. We also have grade 1, 2, and 3 students (another 180 kids) that would get something from this concert.” Fred Churchman, principal, Springfield Elementary School, Peace River School Division No 10, Peace River, AB “This is very exciting and too good to be true! I will be waiting for the login info!” Walter Ogrodiuk, principal, Duclos School, Northern Lights School Division No 69, Bonnyville, AB And this one, that came in to Kelly’s mailbox while the concert was underway: “We are in the middle of watching the concert and the children love it. Thank you for the invitation, Kelly.”Nicole Campbell, teacher, St Stephen’s Catholic School, Holy Family C.R.D. No 37, Valleyview AB Boris Brott deserves credit for producing such a successful concert program along with assistant director of music education Daniel Desjardins. New media producer Maurizio Ortolani should take a bow for his superb supervision of the webcast. Bravo to members of the NAC Orchestra, the soloists, all NAC staff and crew involved in the preparations and the crew and administration at the Grande Prairie Regional College for a terrific event! And of course, thank you to Bell for providing funding and technical support. This first-ever live webcast performance for the NAC Orchestra has opened up a world of possibilities… NACO bass trombonist Douglas Burden drove the wide open and windy 2.5 hour drive to Lethbridge from Calgary on a bone-chilling day to lead a low brass masterclass at the University of Lethbridge. Five students in total played for him over a 2-hour session performing on euphonium, alto, tenor and bass trombone. Dressed in suits and ties, these 5 eager students ranging from first through third year performance majors were very well prepared. Where the level of playing was generally quite high, Doug was particularly impressed with the playing of the alto trombonist. Over 60 music students from the department of music attended the class. The department requires that all music students attend masterclasses. Faculty members very complimentary of the quality of the Doug’s masterclass noting that it was one of the best teaching sessions they’ve offered their students. Ron Garnett, bass trombonist with the Lethbridge Symphony and a full-time physician, made the initial approach to Doug that was then followed up in detail by Ken Rogers who in addition to teaching low brass at the University of Lethbridge is a middle school band teacher. Doug was particularly pleased to report that Ken had been a participant in a masterclass that Doug led the last time he was in Lethbridge, back in 1986. Ron hosted a reception for Doug with the masterclass participants and members of the Lethbridge Symphony trombone section. Doug performed a solo “My Love is like a Red Red Rose” with CD accompaniment for his admiring crowd. Mount Royal College Conservatory in Calgary hosted three masterclasses including one led by Pinchas Zukerman. Leacock Theatre was nearly full with about 150 in attendance for the Zukerman class. The students were all known to Pinchas Zukerman, two of whom were participants in the Young Artists Program of the NAC Summer Music Institute in 2005. Earlier in the day NACO principal cellist Amanda Forsyth taught 3 young cellists, who were students of John Kadz, to an audience of about 55. At the same time, in another venue at the Conservatory, NACO principal bassoonist Chris Millard taught 4 students, with about a dozen people in attendance. Paul Dornian, Director of the Conservatory, co-hosted a lunch with the NAC for Pinchas, Amanda and Chris attended by faculty and staff from both organizations as well as special invited guests. Karen Donnelly led a trumpet masterclass at Grande Prairie Regional College for GPRC Conservatory students. She was pleasantly surprised at the level of talent for a music conservatory in a town the size of Grande Prairie. About 15 people observed the class over the course of its two hours. Three NACO players got an early start on their day, heading out to Red Deer from Calgary for morning and afternoon coaching sessions with music students from five middle and high schools in the Red Deer Catholic School Board. Students from schools as far away as Sylvan Lake and Rocky Mountain House, both communities located over one hour away from Red Deer, participated. The sessions were held at Notre Dame High School (NDHS) and organized by Glen Traquair who is a prominent member of the Alberta Band Association, the coordinator of band programs for the catholic school board that includes Red Deer, Sylvan Lake, Rocky Mountain House and Innisvale, and head of music at NDHS. Notably, Glen is an older brother to NACO trombonist Colin Traquair. Music runs in the Traquair family as the third brother who lives in the U.S. has also made a career in music. Colin led a low brass session in the music & drama room for 18 students of trombone, euphonium and tuba while Elizabeth Simpson worked with 8 French horn players in the school chapel. As usual, the largest group of students was left to NACO clarinetist Peter Smith whose class of woodwind players was made up of 23 clarinet and bass clarinet students. I was particularly interested in the distance learning opportunities available through NDHS. The school is one of three sites of St Gabriel’s Cyber School whose students are based all over the world. Other sites are located at schools in St Albert and Medicine Hat. After taking the requisite number of on-line courses led by instructors in the various Alberta school sites, including at NDHS, students graduate with an Albert high school diploma. “Learning Live” is another opportunity available to students at NDHS and students at St Dominic High School in Rocky Mountain House. Instructors at both high schools offer specialty courses such as forestry to students at both schools. Over the lunch hour, Elizabeth and I watched the NACO Student Matinee webcast from Grande Prairie on Glen’s office computer. It came across wonderfully! Technology holds tremendous potential for teaching and learning, and the NAC is certainly on the forefront for finding ways to use technology for teaching in the arts. We’ll look for ways to “reconnect” our musicians with the students in the Red Deer Catholic School Board from the NAC’s Hexagon Studio after the tour is over. Claire Claire Speed Director, Music Education artsweb@artsalive.ca Mon, 14 Nov 2005 00:00:00 GMT Podcast www.artsalive.ca/nacotour-195 http://radio.nac-cna.ca/podcast/naco_absk_20051114.mov The NAC Orchestra’s Student Matinee was a great success! Students enjoyed performances by the orchestra, violin solos by Jessica Linnebach, stories by Joseph Naytowhow and Reynaliz Herrera and much more! artsweb@artsalive.ca Mon, 14 Nov 2005 00:00:00 GMT Podcast www.artsalive.ca/nacotour-182 http://radio.nac-cna.ca/podcast/naco_absk_20051113.mov This evening in Grande Prairie audience members were treated to a variety of enriching events; a wonderful pre concert performance by the Grande Prairie Boys Choir, a composer talk given by Gary Kulesha and a fabulous concert by the NAC Orchestra. artsweb@artsalive.ca Sun, 13 Nov 2005 00:00:00 GMT Podcast www.artsalive.ca/nacotour-181 http://radio.nac-cna.ca/podcast/naco_absk_20051112.mov Today in Medicine Hat violinist Elaine Klimasko, cellist Leah Wyber and violinist and conductor Pinchas Zukerman conducted masterclasses at the Medicine Hat College Conservatory. Mr Zukerman concentrated on the fundamentals and Leah Wyber introduced some fun bowing excercises to some very young musicians. artsweb@artsalive.ca Sat, 12 Nov 2005 00:00:00 GMT Podcast www.artsalive.ca/nacotour-178 http://radio.nac-cna.ca/podcast/naco_absk_20051112.mp3 There wasn't an empty seat in the house at the NAC Orchestra's performance in Medicine Hat. Backstage we spoke with cellist Leah Wyber about returning to the town she grew up in to perform and teach. After the concert we spoke with audience members about the concert. artsweb@artsalive.ca Sat, 12 Nov 2005 00:00:00 GMT Podcast www.artsalive.ca/nacotour-193 http://radio.nac-cna.ca/podcast/ The following journal was submitted by Claire Speed, NAC Orchestra Director of Music Education. Masterclasses and coaching sessions took place at the Medicine Hat College Conservatory led by Pinchas Zukerman, Elaine Klimasko and Leah Wyber. Violinist Elaine Klimasko, who also leads the Junior Strings program of the NAC Summer Music Institute, taught 4 violin students and 1 viola student in a morning masterclass. The violist participated in the Junior Strings program last summer. Approximately 25 people observed the class. These same students played for Pinchas Zukerman in an afternoon masterclass. Pinchas took advantage of having Elaine at the afternoon class by having her take the students aside for some more coaching once Pinchas had worked with them. A few more audience members showed up for this afternoon session. NACO cellist Leah Wyber, a native of Medicine Hat, returned to the Conservatory where she had studied as a child. Over a two-hour session, Leah led a masterclass for two high school cello students and coached a group of five young cello players on basic technique. Approximately twenty people attended this session. Manon Lafrance, who is replacing Eric Rupp in the NACO trumpet section on tour, visited Crescent Heights High School where she coached thirteen trumpet players ranging in age and ability. Participants included students from area high schools and adults from a community band. Manon focused on basic technique such as breathing, embouchure and range. Interesting to note is that the school’s band director, Danielle Wahl, who is a trumpet player herself, is the fifth generation of school band directors in her family. She succeeded her father Bill when he retired from Crescent Heights school after thirty-three years teaching. Also interesting is that when Manon was asked how many trumpets she owns, her answer – twenty! Karen Donnelly, NACO principal trumpet, beats that with a total count of thirty trumpets to her name….Imagine! The Medicine Hat College Girls’ Choir led by Joanne Collier and the Medicine Hat College (MHC) Academy Orchestra split a pre-concert lobby performance at The Esplanade Arts Centre. Audience members arriving for the evening NACO concert were treated to a short choral and orchestral program that showcased the talents of over forty MHC students. The same five students who performed for Pinchas Zukerman and Elaine Klimasko in the masterclass sessions earlier in the day performed as part of the chamber string orchestra. DAY SEVEN – November 13: Grande Prairie Tom Annand, who is traveling with NACO as harpsichordist, led a choral clinic for the Grand Prairie Regional College Choir. This is one of three choral clinics that Tom is leading on tour. There was no audience for this coaching session that saw Tom rehearsing repertoire that the choir was currently preparing for an upcoming concert. At the same time as Tom’s choral class, NACO Youth and Family Conductor Boris Brott led a “meet & greet” session for local elementary school teachers. About a dozen people attended this session with Boris and assistant director of music education Daniel Desjardins. Joseph Naytowhow, storyteller/musician who is featured on NACO Student Matinees on tour, also participated in the discussion that focused on ways that the NAC could support and lobby for music education in schools in Alberta. Lane Borstadt, chair of Fine Arts at Grande Prairie Regional College attended, as did Terra Shewchuk, a music teacher at Ecole St Gerard and head of the G.P. Music Educators Association who has been instrumental in coordinating the distribution of information and seat allocations for one of the two NACO Student Matinees scheduled for Monday in the G.P. Regional College Theatre. Following the teacher session, Boris rehearsed recorder students and a young cellist who would perform a short excerpt from Vivaldi’s Four Seasons with NACO at the Student Matinees on Monday, and as well rehearsed the two young violinists from Calgary, Meghan Nenninger and Maria van der Sloot who would perform with NACO on the Student Matinees the first movement of the Bach Double Violin Concerto. Jeannie Vanwynsberghe Pernal directed a performance of the Grande Prairie Boys Choir in the lobby of the Grande Prairie Regional College Theatre just prior to the NACO evening concert. This celebrated boys choir drew a large and attentive audience. Claire Claire Speed Director, Music Education/Directrice, Éducation musicale artsweb@artsalive.ca Sat, 12 Nov 2005 00:00:00 GMT Podcast www.artsalive.ca/nacotour-194 http://radio.nac-cna.ca/podcast/naco_absk_20051111.mp3 Technical Director Pasquale Cornacchia reports from the road between Regina and Medicine Hat. Pasquale tells us about the challenges of positioning 2 orchestras on stage at the same time for the upcoming concert in Edmonton on November 19th artsweb@artsalive.ca Fri, 11 Nov 2005 00:00:00 GMT Podcast www.artsalive.ca/nacotour-179 http://radio.nac-cna.ca/podcast/naco_absk_20051111.mov Today was a day off for the NAC Orchestra in Regina. The entire orchestra and tour staff were invited to brunch at the home of Karen Donnelly’s parents. No matter how much people ate the dishes kept coming; quiches, cinnamon buns, baked ham, salads and more! artsweb@artsalive.ca Fri, 11 Nov 2005 00:00:00 GMT Podcast www.artsalive.ca/nacotour-177 http://radio.nac-cna.ca/podcast/ “I just wanted you to know that my students had a wonderful time today. Seeing their expressions, excitement and most of all their enthusiasm was indescribable. Not only was it a success, but I believe, through this experience, their self-confidence and self-esteem was affected in a positive way and that they should be so proud of themselves. Thank you so much for the experience.” Gladys Moberly, Grade 6 teacher, Chief Old Sun School, Siksika Nation, Alberta Excited and nervous students arrived with their teachers, families and members of their communities to First Nations University in Regina, Mount Royal College in Calgary and the National Arts Centre in Ottawa to participate in the much anticipated culminating event of Music Connexions III. This six-week learning unit is the third edition of an innovative educational program tied in with NACO tours that has in the past linked school children from across Canada, the United States and Mexico through the study of music. Recorder instruction has been at the core of the program, with recorders provided to the participating students, along with recorder method books, by Yamaha Canada and local distributor St John’s Music. The aim of the program is to support music teaching in schools, and to initiate recorder and other instrumental instruction that will continue beyond the final sharing event. Other program elements encourage creativity and social skills in children. The children from St Augustine Community School in Regina, Chief Old Sun School in Siksika Nation, Alberta, Akwesasne Mohawk School on Cornwall Island, Ontario and Kana:takon School in St Regis, Quebec performed beautifully on recorder and sweetly sang by memory an excerpt from the Winter Concerto of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons. Recorder specialists Cathy Rollins in Ottawa and Wendy Rae in Calgary, who had been coaching the children at their schools, assisted in the performance. Children answered questions posed by Pinchas Zukerman about Vivaldi’s life, times and music and then they asked questions of their own to Pinchas such as “what is your favourite violin?” and “how do you feel when you play or conduct music by Vivaldi?” Then came the creative responses that ranged from traditional Blackfoot dances depicting the four seasons and performed by the children from Siksika Nation in their traditional regalia, to a story that the children wrote about a snowman called “Vivaldi Zukerman” and his snowmen orchestra that the children depicted on a mural that ran the width of Rehearsal Hall B. Fiddle players of aboriginal origin from Kitchener School in Regina also performed for Pinchas. The presentation began off camera with prayers that were led by elders and children from First Nations University, Siksika Nation and Mohawk Nation and ended with the children meeting their pen pals for the first time, on camera. We expect the children will continue to write to their pen pals beyond this experience, and we will encourage the teachers to continue with recorder teaching in their classrooms. There was an abundance of local and national media coverage on the event that included the voices of the children and teachers involved. “Well, we just got home from Ottawa about an hour ago. The students were very excited about their experience today. The parents and family that attended were so proud of the children. There were so many positive comments to the performance today. One of my students, Tayla Jocko, will be on Canada AM tomorrow morning. Her mother asked that I go to Ottawa with her in the morning. My principal said it was okay, so Tayla and I will be on our way to Ottawa at 4:45 a.m. I just wanted to thank you for allowing my class to participate in Music Connections. It was a very enjoyable experience and I’m sure that the students will never forget this. Thank you for everything once again.” Shannon Lazore, Grade 4-5 teacher at Akwesasne Mohawk School, Cornwall Island, Ontario NACO musicians Chris Millard, Doug Burden and Brian Boychuk led wind, brass and strings sectionals for members of the Regina-based South Saskatchewan Youth Orchestra. In addition, Brian met with current string players at the Regina Conservatory on the former campus of the University of Regina. This is where Brian studied music when he was a youth living in Regina. As always, he was humorous and effective with the young people in the audience, demonstrating on his violin and sharing with the students the path he took after studying at the Conservatory that eventually led him to a position with the National Arts Centre Orchestra. Another Regina native, Colin Traquair, visited his alma mater Campbell Collegiate, the first time back since he graduated in 1981. There were about a dozen trombone players from Campbell and another local highschool who attended his session. Colin demonstrated on the trombone, and shared tips such as embouchure placement and how to produce good tone. The students were clearly engaged. One of the music teachers, Kathy Anderson, pointed out that this was just what these young players needed, encouragement to continue to perform and tips on how to improve their playing. The teachers were very happy to welcome Colin back to his highschool, and one of the band teachers reminisced that he was two years behind Colin at Campbell those many years ago and remembers the yellow car Colin used to drive. Colin must have made quite an impression on this younger music student, who evidently followed in his footsteps to make for himself a career in music! The NAC engaged the Campbell Collegiate Chamber Choir to perform prior to the NACO concert in the lobby of the Saskatchewan Centre of the Arts. The choir, led by Jen Williams, was in terrific form as their full SATB complement of singers performed an all-acapella program for an admiring crowd who filled the three levels of the foyer lobbies. They will perform with the Regina Symphony Orchestra in an upcoming concert. Claire Claire Speed Director, Music Education artsweb@artsalive.ca Thu, 10 Nov 2005 00:00:00 GMT Podcast www.artsalive.ca/nacotour-187 http://radio.nac-cna.ca/podcast/ The following journal was submitted by Claire Speed, NAC Orchestra Director of Music Education. Over 700 music students descended on Centennial Auditorium in the afternoon for the one and only NACO Tour rehearsal. Students from the public and catholic school boards of Saskatoon and Humboldt, the University of Saskatchewan, and members of the Saskatoon Children’s Choir, the Saskatoon Youth Choir and a private Suzuki studio heard Pinchas Zukerman rehearse from tour repertoire that included Dvorak’s Symphony No 8 and the NAC’s commission of Gary Kulesha called "The Boughs of Music" featuring principal trumpet, Karen Donnelly. The opportunity to attend the rehearsal was greatly appreciated. James McKinlay, a highschool band director with the public school board, thanked the NAC for the opportunity to hear Pinchas and NACO stating that the students absolutely loved it and some bought tickets for the evening performance. He remarked that if “luck would strike twice” that NACO should come again to Saskatchewan “anywhere, anytime” to let him know because he is quite sure that he could arrange to get more kids to attend another rehearsal and concert. Phoebe Voigts, director of the Saskatoon Children’s Choir was also grateful for the invitation for her choir members to attend an orchestra rehearsal that “offered them an intimate afternoon of profound education”. Following the rehearsal, two eleven-year-old string players who had impressed NACO violist David Goldblatt at his masterclass on Tuesday at the University of Saskatchewan, performed for Pinchas Zukerman. Although they’re not quite ready for the Summer Music Institute, Pinchas did remark on their natural talent and suggested that in a year or two they audition for the Junior Strings. Christy Harris accompanied the Ambassador Brass Trio to the first of their two school performances, at St Frances School in Saskatoon. Manon Lafrance, trumpet, Julie Fauteux, French horn and Don Renshaw, trombone performed a forty-five-minute concert for 180 students from Kindergarten through Grade 8. The students in K-Gr. 4 particularly enjoyed the selection of repertoire that included the theme song from Sponge Bob Squarepants – a hit with this age group! The school principal, Denise Cheke, introduced the group and Doug the bus driver (who the kids clapped the loudest for….) and reminded the children that their school had been specially selected for this performance, out of all the schools in Saskatoon! The Saskatoon launch of the Music Ambassador Program on November 16th will be held at this same school. Gary Kulesha left a very positive impression on the composition students at the University of Saskatchewan. Although a bit reticent at the morning masterclass to ask questions or participate in discussion, the students opened up to Gary by the afternoon session and by the end felt energized by his visit. A total of 30 attended the afternoon public session. Gary began with a lecture about his music and then went back to analyzing the music written by the students that he had started in the morning. One keen student found Gary at lunch between sessions and seizing on the opportunity asked to join him to continue a private discussion on new music. Dean McNeil, the head of music at the University of Saskatchewan, was very complimentary of Gary’s teaching and felt it was extremely worthwhile for the students to have had the opportunity to meet and work with him. The NAC will look for ways to continue to broaden the student’s learning experience, perhaps through the Young Composers Program of the NAC’s Summer Music Institute in Ottawa. The first of the pre-concert lobby performances on tour featured the Saskatoon Children’s Choir led by Phoebe Voigts. This accomplished choir performed for an enthusiastic crowd arriving for the 7:30pm performance of NACO in Centennial Auditorium. The choir has received many awards and honours, and has performed with the Saskatoon Symphony, released CDs and traveled widely. Of the choir’s participation in this and other educational events during NACO’s visit to Saskatoon, Phoebe Voigts writes: “Our experience with the NAC for us, and for the many other students involved in NAC education projects, was remarkable. We feel very lucky to have had this opportunity and our choristers are richer musicians because of it.” Claire Claire Speed Director, Music Education artsweb@artsalive.ca Wed, 09 Nov 2005 00:00:00 GMT Podcast www.artsalive.ca/nacotour-186 http://radio.nac-cna.ca/podcast/naco_absk_20051109_1.mov This is Gary Kulesha’s second tour with the NAC Orchestra. We caught up with Gary at a Composition Masterclass at the University of Saskatchewan artsweb@artsalive.ca Wed, 09 Nov 2005 00:00:00 GMT Podcast www.artsalive.ca/nacotour-171 http://radio.nac-cna.ca/podcast/naco_absk_20051109.mov We caught up with Amanda Forsyth backstage at the Saskatoon Centennial Auditorium. In this interview Amanda shares the biographical nature of this piece and introduces her latest travelling companion. artsweb@artsalive.ca Wed, 09 Nov 2005 00:00:00 GMT Podcast www.artsalive.ca/nacotour-172 http://radio.nac-cna.ca/podcast/naco_absk_20051109.mp3 Alberta and Saskatchewan is full of musical talent and in order to showcase local artists the NAC Orchestra is presenting youth choirs and orchestras in the lobby areas at all performance venues. Tonight’s pre-concert performance was by the Saskatoon Children’s Choir. Singer Heather Currie us about the choir and the joys of music. artsweb@artsalive.ca Wed, 09 Nov 2005 00:00:00 GMT Podcast www.artsalive.ca/nacotour-147 http://radio.nac-cna.ca/podcast/naco_absk_20051108_1.mov Members of the Saskatoon Youth Orchestra know that practicing and rehearsing are fundamental to playing well. Today these young musicians received instruction from 3 members of the NAC Orchestra conducted sectional rehearsals at St. Joseph High School. We spoke with Wayne Toews, Music Director of the Saskatoon Youth Orchestra about this unique opportunity. artsweb@artsalive.ca Tue, 08 Nov 2005 00:00:00 GMT Podcast www.artsalive.ca/nacotour-144 http://radio.nac-cna.ca/podcast/ The following journal was submitted by Claire Speed, NAC Orchestra Director of Music Education. Our intrepid travelers, Emily Smethurst, Peter Smith and Larry Vine along with staff member Meiko Lydall, reached their destination of Humboldt Monday evening. This rural community with a population of 5,500 is located 219 km north of Regina, 113 km east of Saskatoon. Humboldt’s tourism website states, “Humboldt, Saskatchewan - a little bit of Germany in the heart of the Prairies”. Our group was warmly welcomed to St. Dominic School and provided with comfortable rooms for the three break-out clinics that focused on basic techniques for band students who attended from different schools. Larry took the brass students, made up of two trombones, five trumpets and one French horn. Emily worked with nine flutes, and Peter worked with nine saxophones and seven clarinets. The musicians performed in the afternoon in the school gymnasium for about 100 students from grades 3-8. The students enthusiastically engaged in the Q & A that followed the concert. Anna-Marie Moellenbeck, who recently took over the school band programs in and around Humboldt hosted a small lunch gathering at a local restaurant. The group included the Mayor of Humboldt, Dennis Korte, members of the Humboldt tourism board and the school board. Harold Thiessing, with whom I made initial contact for setting up these clinics, was also at the lunch. Steve Mazey of the Ottawa Citizen and our tour photographer Fred Cattrol captured what they could of the story of building back a band program that, according to Harold, Anna-Marie and one of NACO’s Saskatchewan natives, Karen Donnelly, used to be thriving. With any hope, this visit of NACO players to their region gave a much-needed boost to their school music programs. The first of three Student Concerts took place Tuesday afternoon. The concert featured the Strings of the NAC Orchestra in an afternoon performance at the E.A. Rawlinson Centre in Prince Albert. Students from Public schools, Catholic schools and Prince Albert Grand Council schools attended. As the concert got underway the enthused audience, who had never experienced a live orchestra before, slowly quieted down. At the point where Reynaliz Herrera and Jean Naytowhow improvised on a native drum, rainstick, flute and voice you could hear a pin drop. Many members of the young audience took out instruments including recorder, flute, sax and oboe to play along with the Orchestra during an excerpt from the “Winter Concerto” of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons. On stage, 40 recorder players who had participated the day before in the Prince Albert Grand Council recorder program event also played along. Jean Naytowhow used his skills as a storyteller to narrate two stories with a nature theme: How the Loon Got Its Necklace, told to music by Canadian composer Keith Bissell, and a Cree legend of a woman with half her face a verdant green and the other half a desolate grey. Boris Brott tied this Cree legend to the Government of Canada’s current efforts through the One Tonne Challenge to reduce energy and environmental waste. Reference to the One Tonne Challenge is in the Vivaldi and the Four Seasons teacher resource kit that the teachers have received. NACO soloist Jessica Linnebach performed excerpts on violin from each concerto of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons and 15-year Saskatoon native, John Jacques made his debut orchestral performance on a work by Eccles. John, who started on double bass only 2 years ago, has tremendous potential and we hope to keep in contact with him to support his musical development in whatever way we can. The Ambassador Brass Trio got the young audience members clapping along to I’ve Got Rhythm. It was a terrific concert overall, and one that will be well polished by the time it is performed twice in Grande Prairie Alberta and during the webcast over Alberta Supernet on November 14th. Once again, the String Quintet was out visiting schools, this time in Saskatoon. Joan Milkson, Lev Berenshteyn, David Goldblatt, Peter Rapson and Marjolaine Laroche who make up the NACO Quintet, performed at Saskatoon’s Father Vachon Community School in the morning and at École canadienne-francaise in the afternoon. 300 students from grades 1-8 attended the morning performance at Father Vachon Community School. The Four Seasons had been playing over their school’s PA system for days leading up to the visit by the Quintet, so the children were very familiar with Vivaldi’s music by the time the NACO strings played it for them live. A photographer from the Saskatoon Star Phoenix took photos of the performance. About 100 students from grades 4-8 attended the afternoon concert. Half the young audience sang along with words from the “Largo” excerpt of the Four Seasons “Winter Concerto”, and three string players and a flute and trumpet player performed as well. One talented young 13-year-old violinist, Jacqueline Carver Hill, performed an excerpt from the “Autumn Concerto” with the Quintet. Some of these student players attended the afternoon master classes led by Karen Donelly and David Goldblatt at the University of Saskatchewan. The University of Saskatchewan’s Music Department played host to trumpet and viola master classes, led by Karen Donnelly and David Goldblatt, and a wind ensemble rehearsal led by NAC Award Composer Gary Kulesha. As a Regina native, Karen is well known to the trumpet faculty at U of S, including the head of the music department, Dean McNeil, who is also a trumpet player. There was a good turnout, of approximately 25 people, for Karen’s class. She heard a half dozen students perform. David heard about as many students perform for him on both violin and viola, and he was particularly impressed with two 11-year-olds who showed remarkable talent. If there is time on Wednesday, we may have them perform for either Pinchas Zukerman or Elaine Klimasko who teaches upper strings for the Junior Strings component of the Young Artists Program at the NAC. Gary Kulesha led a rehearsal of the U of S Wind Ensemble in a reading of a work that he composed at the age of 23! His Overture for Wind Ensemble will be performed by the U of S Wind Ensemble at an upcoming concert at the University and also when the Ensemble tours Texas in the New Year. Gary was impressed with the strong level of playing he and gave credit to Glen Gillis, the Music Director of the Wind Ensemble. Day Two ended with a two-hour rehearsal of the winds, strings and brass of the Saskatoon Youth Orchestra led by Chris Millard, Nancy Sturdevant and Colin Traquair at St Joseph’s High School. Nancy was impressed with the level of playing by the group of over twenty string players whom she coached. Chris worked with six wind players and Colin with seven brass students. They rehearsed Sibelius’ Finlandia and movements from Dvorak’s Symphony No 8 for an upcoming concert of the SYO. Music Director Wayne Toews observed the 3 coaching sessions, and engaged the musicians and NAC staff member Christy Harris in discussions on a variety of music-related topics. Bass player John Jacques, who performed with the NACO strings earlier in the day in Prince Albert, is a member of the SYO. Claire Claire Speed Music Education Director artsweb@artsalive.ca Tue, 08 Nov 2005 00:00:00 GMT Podcast www.artsalive.ca/nacotour-176 http://radio.nac-cna.ca/podcast/naco_absk_20051108.mov Today we attended Karen Donnelly’s Trumpet Masterclass at the University of Saskatchewan. Watch this video journal to learn the tips and techniques that Karen provided to the students and hear what the students had to say about the class. artsweb@artsalive.ca Tue, 08 Nov 2005 00:00:00 GMT Podcast www.artsalive.ca/nacotour-180 http://radio.nac-cna.ca/podcast/ The following journal was submitted by Claire Speed, NAC Orchestra Director of Music Education. DAY ONE: Regina, Melville and Prince Albert The Musicians in the School’s String Quintet, accompanied by Christy Harris, visited two schools in Regina this first day on tour. The morning performance was for eighty grade 4-6 students at Kitchener Community School comprised of an almost one hundred percent aboriginal student body. Local television media were on hand from Global and either CTV or CBC. Six students performed on violin with the Quintet. They started on violin a couple of years ago after Andrea Hansen, a former TSO musician, visited Regina with Inuit students from Northern Canada who are learning her Strings Across the Sky method of violin/fiddle playing. These same six students from Kitchener Community School will perform for Pinchas at the Music Connexions event on Thursday. In the afternoon, the Quintet visited École Monseigneur de Laval where Marjolaine Laroche led an engaging talk between musical selections. French CBC television picked up the performance and interviewed Marjolaine. Between the two school concerts, Christy Harris accompanied David Goldblatt and Marjolaine to radio interviews on CBC and Lite FM. Meiko Lydall and three NACO players traveled two hours to Melville from Regina for band clinics and a concert with about sixty-five music students from two middle and high schools whose music teachers are Lauren and Tom Hearn. A near miss with a deer, due to a heavy fog en route, was just the start to a very long day that included a flute clinic led by Emily Smethurst with twenty-five beginning flute players held in a school storage room! Peter Smith led a session with thirty-three saxaphone and clarinet players and Larry Vine had the most direct contact with a mere five horn players. There was much more help needed than a one-hour clinic could have provided, as the basic techniques of performing on the instruments were lacking. A heavy work-load at school made for a less than organized welcome for the players. Their concert in the afternoon was interrupted several times as students arrived late. To end the day, Meiko drove the players three hours to their next stop on tour, Humboldt, where they will lead similar clinics and a concert for beginning band players on Tuesday. They’ll deserve a warm bath and an early night when they arrive in Saskatoon this evening! Gary Kulesha led the first of his many composition lecture/masterclasses at the University of Regina for between twenty to thirty eager students. He was impressed by the work of one student, in particular. Gary shared with Christy Harris afterwards his concern for the isolation endured by these keen composition students who have far fewer opportunities available to them than those in the major Canadian cities. The Prince Albert Grand Council recorder program event was a great success! The recorder students and NACO brass performed for almost a full house. About 500 showed up for this free afternoon performance at E.A. Rawlinson Centre. Local print and radio announcements helped fill the theatre, including a front page spread on Friday in the Prince Albert Daily Standard and a morning interview with one of the teachers on local CBC Radio. The Brass started the 1:30 pm concert with an antiphonal fanfare from opposite balconies in the theatre. Directly following was a fifteen minute opening ceremony by the students who performed in their traditional ceremonial regalia representing various First Nations from the region of Prince Albert. Their dances were accompanied by a drumming circle, with elder Howard Walker describing the ceremony as it wound its way from the back of the theatre to the stage. This sharing of western music and First Nations culture set the stage for the rest of the concert program. Introductory speeches were given, including one by Trish Watier with SaskEnergy, the Tour’s Saskatchewan Education Sponsor. The NACO Brass then performed a thirty-minute program, ending with the grand finale that included the fifty-six students who sang and played on recorder the excerpt from Vivaldi’s Four Seasons along with the Brass. The Brass surprised the young audience with the theme from Star Wars as their encore. The students were familiar with the music, as the Brass had recorded it on an introductory video they had prepared and sent to each of the three participating schools back in September…a nice touch! To end the afternoon together, we presented gifts to the teachers at the three schools and to the Prince Albert Grand Council education department. We were in turn given gifts that were hand-made by students and by local professional artists. Keychains, drums and two magnificent original paintings with plaques specially created. These paintings will be displayed on stage at Tuesday’s Student Matinee Concert in Prince Albert and then will travel on to Regina to be displayed at the Music Connexions event in the Atrium of First Nations University. Print and television media were on hand at the event, including local CTV. It made a great difference to have Pasquale Cornacchia there as our “technical director” setting the stage with the venue’s production crew. The musicians were touched by the opening ceremony and the presentation of gifts and wished Pinchas could have been there to have seen it all! A local video company was hired to capture the entire presentation, so we will have copies to distribute. The day ended at E.A.Rawlinson Centre in Prince Albert with a Teacher Meet and Greet with Boris Brott, Jean Naytowhow and Daniel Desjardins. A handful of teachers and school board representatives came out to hear about the concert program their students will hear and see on Tuesday afternoon. Jean Naytowhow, a storyteller and musician, will co-host the concert with Boris. He is from Prince Albert, so is well known among the teachers. The NACO performance on Tuesday, featuring a fifteen-year old bass player of aboriginal origin from Saskatoon, promises to be very rich and engaging. Claire Claire Speed Music Education Director artsweb@artsalive.ca Mon, 07 Nov 2005 00:00:00 GMT Podcast www.artsalive.ca/nacotour-175 http://radio.nac-cna.ca/podcast/naco_absk_20051107.mp3 This morning eight brass players travelled from Saskatoon to Prince Albert to perform with First Nations schoolchildren at the E.A. Rawlinson Centre for the Arts. Don Renshaw and Doug Burden took a few moments to speak about today's event. artsweb@artsalive.ca Mon, 07 Nov 2005 00:00:00 GMT Podcast www.artsalive.ca/nacotour-158 http://radio.nac-cna.ca/podcast/naco_absk_20051107.mov Today’s event was the culmination of 6 weeks of diligent preparation and practice and it was a remarkable success. Students from three elementary schools within the Prince Albert Grand Council performed a musical excerpt from Vivaldi’s Four Seasons and shared wonderful dances, artwork and songs from their own cultural traditions. We spoke with Marta Green about the time and effort that went into preparing for today’s event and the final outcome. artsweb@artsalive.ca Mon, 07 Nov 2005 00:00:00 GMT Podcast www.artsalive.ca/nacotour-160 http://radio.nac-cna.ca/podcast/naco_absk_20051107_1.mov NAC Orchestra musicians and staff departed Ottawa on a clear, sunny afternoon. artsweb@artsalive.ca Mon, 07 Nov 2005 00:00:00 GMT Podcast www.artsalive.ca/nacotour-183 http://radio.nac-cna.ca/podcast/naco_absk_20051106.mp3 A small group of musicians and staff flew to Saskatoon this afternoon. Karen Donnelly recorded this brief report from departure gate 120 at the Toronto airport. artsweb@artsalive.ca Sun, 06 Nov 2005 00:00:00 GMT Podcast www.artsalive.ca/nacotour-157 http://radio.nac-cna.ca/podcast/naco_absk_20051030.mp3 Two members of the NAC Orchestra are particularly thrilled to be visiting Alberta and Saskatchewan. Principal Trumpet Karen Donnelly and Second Violon Bryan Boychuk are both from Regina Saskatchewan. Listen to this podcast to hear them share their feelings about their native province. artsweb@artsalive.ca Sun, 30 Oct 2005 00:00:00 GMT Podcast www.artsalive.ca/nacotour-152 http://radio.nac-cna.ca/podcast/naco_absk_20051021.mp3 We spoke with teacher Helen Sharpe about preparing for Music Connexions III. Her student Owen also played a short piece on the recorder. artsweb@artsalive.ca Fri, 21 Oct 2005 00:00:00 GMT Podcast www.artsalive.ca/nacotour-162 http://radio.nac-cna.ca/podcast/naco_absk_20051106.mov Students from Regina take you on a tour of their city and school. artsweb@artsalive.ca Sat, 01 Oct 2005 00:00:00 GMT Podcast www.artsalive.ca/nacotour-156 http://radio.nac-cna.ca/podcast/naco_absk_20050929.mp3 Students in Prince Albert have been diligently practicing the recorder since September. Ruby Thornton is a teacher at Sturgeon Lake Central School and she shared with us her feelings of excitement about the upcoming performance at the E.A. Rawlinson Centre for the Arts on November 7th. artsweb@artsalive.ca Thu, 29 Sep 2005 00:00:00 GMT Podcast www.artsalive.ca/nacotour-151 http://radio.nac-cna.ca/podcast/naco_absk_20050923.mp3 Former NAC Affiliate Composer Andrew Staniland, a native of Alberta, has written a Canadian Folk Song Suite for 175 students of the Suzuki Charter School in Edmonton and a 7-piece professional ensemble. Earlier this Fall we spoke to Andrew about music education. In this podcast you will also hear an excerpt of Andrew’s composition artsweb@artsalive.ca Fri, 23 Sep 2005 00:00:00 GMT Podcast www.artsalive.ca/nacotour-150