MAY 5, 2015 – OTTAWA (Canada) – Performing in the NAC’s Ontario Scene, Music Director Peter Oundjian leads his Toronto Symphony Orchestra in a one night only, not-to-be missed program, May 8, 2015. The performance sweeps the audience away on a sonic adventure with Treeship, by Torontonian and TSO RBC Composer, Kevin Lau.  The performance crescendos in a dazzling tour de force for the violin with soloist, Augustin Hadelich, performing Haydn’s C-major Violin Concerto. And finally, Bruckner’s soaring Seventh lets the acclaimed brasses of the TSO shine as they blaze their way in the symphony’s vast soundscapes and melodious themes.

Continuing to astonish audiences with his phenomenal technique, poetic sensitivity, and gorgeous tone, Augustin Hadelich has quickly established himself as one of the most sought-after violinists of his generation.  His remarkable consistency throughout the repertoire, from Paganini, to Brahms, to Bartók, to Adès, is seldom encountered in a single artist.

“The essence of Hadelich’s playing is beauty: reveling in the myriad ways of making a phrase come alive on the violin, delivering the musical message with no technical impediments whatsoever, and thereby revealing something from a plane beyond ours.” The Washington Post

The performance is part of Ontario Scene, a festival that brings together 600 Ontario artists – established and emerging, from all disciplines, to perform in the national spotlight on the stages of Ottawa/Gatineau, presented by Canada’s National Arts Centre from April 29 to May 10, 2015.

 

PETER OUNDJIAN BIOGRAPHY

Toronto-born conductor Peter Oundjian, noted for his probing musicality, collaborative spirit, and engaging personality, has been an instrumental figure in the rebirth of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra since his appointment as Music Director in 2004. In addition to conducting the Orchestra in dynamic performances which have achieved outstanding artistic acclaim, he has been greatly involved in a variety of new initiatives which have strengthened the ensemble’s presence in the community and attracted a young and diverse audience. In 2004 he established an annual celebration of new music, showcasing new and premièring commissioned works. Now an audience favourite, the New Creations Festival celebrates the best in contemporary orchestral music and attracts celebrated contemporary composers and guest artists. He recently led the TSO on a tour of Europe which included a sold-out performance at Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw and the first performance of a North American orchestra at Reykjavik’s Harpa Hall.

Oundjian was appointed Music Director of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra in 2012.

Oundjian was Principal Guest Conductor of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra from 2006 to 2010 and played a major role at the Caramoor International Music Festival in New York between 1997 and 2007. Since 1981, he has served as a visiting professor at the Yale School of Music, and was awarded the university’s Sanford Medal in 2013.

 

AUGUSTIN HADELICH BIOGRAPHY

In April 2014, Mr. Hadelich stood alone in a single spotlight at Carnegie’s Zankel Hall, premiering, mystery sonatas, the 35-minute violin solo, written for him by Pulitzer-winning composer David Lang. With apparent ease, he wove his way through the intricate difficulties of this awe-inspiring new work. 

Hadelich’s projects include a debut recital at the Wigmore Hall in London and an Artist-in-Residency with the Netherlands Philharmonic.

Mr. Hadelich has performed with the New York Philharmonic, the Boston Symphony, Cleveland Orchestra, The Philadelphia Orchestra, and the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and the Vancouver symphony, among others.

Also an enthusiastic recitalist, Augustin Hadelich’s numerous appearances include Carnegie Hall, Kioi Hall/Tokyo, and the Louvre. His chamber music partners have included Inon Barnatan, Jeremy Denk, and James Ehnes.

Augustin Hadelich’s first major orchestral recording, featuring the violin concertos of Jean Sibelius and Thomas Adès (Concentric Paths) with Hannu Lintu conducting the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, was released to great acclaim in March 2014 on the AVIE label. 

The son of German parents, Augustin Hadelich was born and raised in Italy.  A resident of New York City since 2004, he holds an artist diploma from The Juilliard School, where he was a student of Joel Smirnoff.  He plays on the 1723 “Ex-Kiesewetter” Stradivari violin, on loan from Clement and Karen Arrison through the Stradivari Society of Chicago.

 

ABOUT THE NAC ORCHESTRA

Under the inspiring leadership of Pinchas Zukerman, Canada's National Arts Centre Orchestra is noted for the passion and clarity of its performances and recordings, ground-breaking teaching and outreach programs, and nurturing of Canadian creativity. This vibrant orchestra draws accolades from home and abroad.

The NAC Orchestra was formed in 1969 at the opening of Canada's National Arts Centre, and gives over 100 performances a year with renowned artists including Itzhak Perlman, Renée Fleming, James Ehnes, Emanuel Ax and Yo-Yo Ma.

Previous Music Directors included Mario Bernardi and Trevor Pinnock. Alexander Shelley takes on this mantle from Pinchas Zukerman in 2015-16, and John Storgårds will be Principal Guest Conductor beginning the same season. Principal Youth and Family Conductor Alain Trudel, and Principal Pops Conductor Jack Everly complete the strong artistic leadership team.

In addition to a full series of subscription concerts at the National Arts Centre each season, tours are undertaken to regions throughout Canada and around the world, most recently to China (2013) and the UK (2014). The latter commemorated the start of the First World War and explored themes of remembrance and healing through music in over 50 education and performance events. Following the footsteps of Canadian troops 100 years ago, it showcased the brilliant work of Canadian composers and the NAC Orchestra's musicians, both as performers and as educators, and received standing ovations in packed halls throughout the UK.

In 1999, Pinchas Zukerman founded the NAC Young Artists Program, part of the wider NAC Summer Music Institute, which provides elite training to talented young musicians. Students all over the world are also taught via videoconferencing in the NAC's cutting-edge Hexagon Studio. The Orchestra also created and continues to pioneer education work locally and in indigenous communities in northern Canada.

The NAC Orchestra has made over 40 commercial recordings, including Angela Hewitt’s 2014 Juno Award-winning album of Mozart Piano Concertos conducted by Hannu Lintu. Many more concerts are freely available through MusicBox on the NAC's Arts Alive wide-reaching education website. These include many of the 100 new Canadian works commissioned by the NAC Orchestra in its 45 year history.

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