National Arts Centre - Centre national des Arts Canada is our stage. Le Canada en scène.

Artist credits

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NAC Orchestra

Since its debut in 1969, the National Arts Centre (NAC) Orchestra has been praised for the passion and clarity of its performances, its visionary educational programs, and its prominent role in nurturing Canadian creativity. Under the leadership of Music Director Alexander Shelley, the NAC Orchestra reflects the fabric and values of Canada, reaching and representing the diverse communities we live in with daring programming, powerful storytelling, inspiring artistry, and innovative... read more

Alexander Shelley

Music Director, NAC Orchestra

Alexander Shelley succeeded Pinchas Zukerman as Music Director of Canada’s NAC Orchestra in September 2015. The ensemble has since been praised as being “transformed... hungry, bold, and unleashed” (Ottawa Citizen) and Shelley’s programming credited for turning the orchestra into “one of the more audacious in North America” (Maclean’s). Shelley is a champion of Canadian creation; recent hallmarks include the multimedia projects Life Reflected and... read more

Donna Feore

Creative producer

Donna Feore is one of Canada’s most versatile creative talents and has been highly praised for her work with the Stratford Festival. She directed and choreographed last season’s smash hit, The Sound of Music, which enjoyed an extended run. This came on the heels of her 2014 production of the popular and critical hit Crazy for You, which itself followed her hugely acclaimed production of Fiddler on the Roof. She returns to the NAC, having recently acted as Creative Producer &... read more

Normal Studio

Visual Design

Normal is a visual design studio founded in Montreal in 2009 by Mathieu St-Arnaud and Philippe Belhumeur. The two creative directors joined forces to offer their television and performing arts clients both their expertise in integrated technology and their visual approach. They were joined in 2013 by Sébastien Grenier-Cartier as partner and managing director. In 10 years, the studio has designed and produced more than 300 multimedia environments (combining video, staging and... read more

Forgotten Coast

Measha Brueggergosman

Soprano

Motivated and hungry for new experiences, Measha Brueggergosman’s career effortlessly embraces the broadest array of performance platforms and musical styles and genres. Measha began her career predominantly committed to the art of the song recital and has presented innovative programs at Carnegie Hall, Washington’s Kennedy Center, London’s Wigmore Hall, both the Konzerthaus and Musikverein in Vienna, Madrid’s Teatro Real, as well as at the Schwarzenberg, Edinburgh,... read more

Jay Vernon

Hip-hop artist

Hailing from Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia, audio-visual artist Jay Vernon is the co-founder of ‘Music Over Matter Entertainment’, a company built with the intention of making ‘Music without borders’ and creating opportunities for local artists to display their gifts by shining an international light on the often-underrepresented talent that exists within the province of Nova Scotia. Jay’s creativity has seen him, mix, master and co-executive... read more

Edwin Huizinga

Violin, composer & arranger

Over the last decade, Edwin Huizinga has crossed many borders and boundaries as an artist around the world. Finding new and unique ways to connect with audiences performing in different genres, on different stages and platforms, and always striving to commit and connect with the community. Huizinga is a founding member of ACRONYM a world-renowned baroque ensemble, and Fire & Grace, which gives him the opportunity to share modern baroque premieres, new arrangements, and compositions with the... read more

Larnell Lewis

Drums

Larnell Lewis is a GRAMMY Award-winning musician, composer, producer, and educator. A Toronto native, Larnell has quickly established himself as one of the most diverse and in-demand drummers currently on the music scene. Along with his long-standing position behind the drums in Snarky Puppy, Larnell has led many highly successful groups of his own and toured the globe with some of the most well known names in music, including Etienne Charles, Gregory Porter, Benny Golson, Lalah Hathaway, John... read more

Rich Brown

Electric Bass

Toronto-born electric bassist Rich Brown has established himself as an incredibly versatile artist. Along with being one of the most called upon electric bass players in Canada, Rich is additionally a composer, producer, bandleader, educator and clinician, broadcaster, and voiceover artist. He has recorded three albums as a leader, and appears as a sideman on a plethora of recordings ranging from Jazz to Funk to traditional Arabic and Asian music. Brown has performed with a wide variety of... read more

Aaron Davis

Piano, composer & arranger

Aaron Davis is an eclectic composer, arranger and pianist who has worked with many of Canada’s finest musical talents. He was a founder of world-beat band Manteca, for whom he wrote and played keyboards for 12 years. He is a founding member of the Holly Cole Trio and has been playing, recording and touring the world with Holly since 1986. Aaron has also collaborated with Measha Brueggergosman and has co-produced four CDs with her and music directed her film Songs of Freedom. Aaron has also... read more

NAC Orchestra

Since its debut in 1969, the National Arts Centre (NAC) Orchestra has been praised for the passion and clarity of its performances, its visionary educational programs, and its prominent role in nurturing Canadian creativity. Under the leadership of Music Director Alexander Shelley, the NAC Orchestra reflects the fabric and values of Canada, reaching and representing the diverse communities we live in with daring programming, powerful storytelling, inspiring artistry, and innovative... read more

Alexander Shelley

Music Director, NAC Orchestra

Alexander Shelley succeeded Pinchas Zukerman as Music Director of Canada’s NAC Orchestra in September 2015. The ensemble has since been praised as being “transformed... hungry, bold, and unleashed” (Ottawa Citizen) and Shelley’s programming credited for turning the orchestra into “one of the more audacious in North America” (Maclean’s). Shelley is a champion of Canadian creation; recent hallmarks include the multimedia projects Life Reflected and... read more

Iskra

Ana Sokolović

Composer

Born in Belgrade, Yugoslavia (now Serbia), September 7, 1968 Now living in Montreal An important figure in contemporary music, Ana Sokolović has distinguished herself both in Canada and internationally. A native of Serbia, the composer has been immersed in the arts all her life. Before taking up theatre and music, she studied classical ballet. She began her university composition studies in Serbia, finishing with her master’s degree at the Université de Montréal. Her... read more

Ema Nikolovska

mezzo

Canadian-Macedonian mezzo Ema Nikolovska studied voice with Helga Tucker in Toronto, and completed the Opera Course and Masters at The Guildhall School of Music & Drama, with Professors Susan McCulloch and Rudolf Piernay. Ema also completed a Bachelors degree in violin performance from The Glenn Gould School with Paul Kantor and Barry Shiffman. Ema is a BBC New Generation Artist and YCAT Artist. Awards include 1st Prize at the International Vocal Competition in... read more

NAC Orchestra

Since its debut in 1969, the National Arts Centre (NAC) Orchestra has been praised for the passion and clarity of its performances, its visionary educational programs, and its prominent role in nurturing Canadian creativity. Under the leadership of Music Director Alexander Shelley, the NAC Orchestra reflects the fabric and values of Canada, reaching and representing the diverse communities we live in with daring programming, powerful storytelling, inspiring artistry, and innovative... read more

Alexander Shelley

Music Director, NAC Orchestra

Alexander Shelley succeeded Pinchas Zukerman as Music Director of Canada’s NAC Orchestra in September 2015. The ensemble has since been praised as being “transformed... hungry, bold, and unleashed” (Ottawa Citizen) and Shelley’s programming credited for turning the orchestra into “one of the more audacious in North America” (Maclean’s). Shelley is a champion of Canadian creation; recent hallmarks include the multimedia projects Life Reflected and... read more

A Guide to the Orchestra

Nicole Lizée

Composer

Called a “brilliant musical scientist” and lauded for “creating a stir with listeners for her breathless imagination and ability to capture Gen-X and beyond generation”, Montreal based composer Nicole Lizée creates new music from an eclectic mix of influences including the earliest MTV videos, turntablism, rave culture, Hitchcock, Kubrick, 1960s psychedelia and 1960s modernism. She is fascinated by the glitches made by outmoded and well-worn technology and captures... read more

Adriana Bogaard

Set and costume designer

Adriana Bogaard is a set and costume designer originally from British Columbia. A graduate of the National Theatre School’s Scenography Program, she has designed costumes, sets, props, and puppets for theatre companies in B.C., Alberta, Ontario, and Quebec, as well as for films and music videos. Recent theatre credits include Burning Vision (NTS), La Boheme (National Tour - Against the Grain Theatre/CBC Gem), No One’s Safe (ATG/The Banff Centre),... read more

Courtney Ch’ng Lancaster

Actor

Courtney Ch'ng Lancaster tries to understand people by making theatre. Her acting credits include Cyrano de Bergerac and Man and Superman at the Shaw Festival, seven seasons with Soulpepper Theatre and credits with a range of companies such as Public Recordings, Canadian Stage, Citadel Theatre, Blue Bridge Repertory Theatre, Cahoots Theatre, Native Earth, and Tarragon Theatre. She has directed radio play versions of Three Women of Swatow, 7 Stories, Shape of a Girl and... read more

NAC Orchestra

Since its debut in 1969, the National Arts Centre (NAC) Orchestra has been praised for the passion and clarity of its performances, its visionary educational programs, and its prominent role in nurturing Canadian creativity. Under the leadership of Music Director Alexander Shelley, the NAC Orchestra reflects the fabric and values of Canada, reaching and representing the diverse communities we live in with daring programming, powerful storytelling, inspiring artistry, and innovative... read more

Alexander Shelley

Music Director, NAC Orchestra

Alexander Shelley succeeded Pinchas Zukerman as Music Director of Canada’s NAC Orchestra in September 2015. The ensemble has since been praised as being “transformed... hungry, bold, and unleashed” (Ottawa Citizen) and Shelley’s programming credited for turning the orchestra into “one of the more audacious in North America” (Maclean’s). Shelley is a champion of Canadian creation; recent hallmarks include the multimedia projects Life Reflected and... read more

Music Is My Medicine

Shawnee Kish

Singer-songwriter

Shawnee Kish, Guest Artist Named the winner of CBC’s 2020 Searchlight talent competition, Shawnee Kish has been celebrated as one of North America’s Top Gender Bending Artists (MTV), named by Billboard as an Artist You Need To Know, and continuously uses her music to empower. An outspoken advocate for her Indigenous and LGBTQ2+ communities, she is a proud Two Spirit Mohawk who has shared the stage with some of the world’s biggest names—Lady Gaga, Madonna, and Alicia... read more

Araya & Zoe Spooner

Singers

Araya and Zoe’s ancestry is Gitxsan (people of the river of mist - Skeena river). They are of the Lax Seel clan (frog), Wilp Niisto (our house within frog clan). They were born and raised on the ancestral lands of Lheidli Tenneh (People of the confluence in Prince George). They are... read more

Nick Stone (Eden Ward)

Hip-hop artist-songwriter

Hello, my name is Eden Ward AKA NICK STONE, and I am from Metepenagiag First Nation. I started writing raps when I was around 13 years old, what got me into hip-hop music was my mom. She used to play a whole bunch of Tupac, Biggie and Eminem when I was little. I recorded my first ever song back when I was 14, I had a blue snowball microphone and an old PC with audacity, which is a free DAW (digital audio workstation). I went on YouTube and downloaded a producers beat which was free for nonprofit... read more

Theland Kicknosway

Dancer

Theland Kicknosway is an Indigenous youth who uses his voice to spread his message and showcase Indigenous culture. He is wolf clan from the Potawatomi and Cree Nation and is a member of Walpole Island, Bkejwanong Territory. Theland has been a fixture in the Indigenous community as a traditional singer, drummer, dancer & social media influencer. In 2018, Theland became the youngest Indspire Laureate named for Culture, Heritage and Spirituality. His path-breaking efforts have also been... read more

Sunrise Biidaaban Dreaver

Dancer

Sunrise Biidaaban Dreaver is Anishinaabe-Nêhiyawak. She is a member of Mistawasis First Nation in Saskatchewan. Sunrise will be graduating from College catholique Samuel-Genest this June. She has been dancing fancy shawl at pow wows all over Turtle Island since the time she could walk. Sunrise is passionate about music, dancing, soccer and hockey. She is the proud recipient of a youth leadership award from the local Indigenous community organizations in Ottawa for being... read more

Tristan Dreaver

Dancer

Tristan Dreaver is Anishinaabe-Nêhiyawak. He is a member of Mistawasis First Nation in Saskatchewan and attends a local high school in Ottawa. He is a proud grass dancer and has been sharing his dance through pow wows and cultural demonstrations since he was two years old. Tristan is also an accomplished soccer and hockey player.

Laureen (Blu) Waters

Laureen (Blu) Waters (They/Them): Istchii Nikamoon: Earth Song, Wolf clan. Cree/Metis/Micmac, Blu is a member of the Metis Nation of Ontario. Blu’s family is from Big River Saskatchewan, Star Blanket Reserve and Bra’dor Lake, Eskasoni First Nations, Cape Breton Nova Scotia, and the Red River. Blu grew up with their grandmother and learned about traditional medicines, learning healing methods and care of the sick. Their grandmother also shared her knowledge of the great teachings.... read more

NAC Orchestra

Since its debut in 1969, the National Arts Centre (NAC) Orchestra has been praised for the passion and clarity of its performances, its visionary educational programs, and its prominent role in nurturing Canadian creativity. Under the leadership of Music Director Alexander Shelley, the NAC Orchestra reflects the fabric and values of Canada, reaching and representing the diverse communities we live in with daring programming, powerful storytelling, inspiring artistry, and innovative... read more

Alexander Shelley

Music Director, NAC Orchestra

Alexander Shelley succeeded Pinchas Zukerman as Music Director of Canada’s NAC Orchestra in September 2015. The ensemble has since been praised as being “transformed... hungry, bold, and unleashed” (Ottawa Citizen) and Shelley’s programming credited for turning the orchestra into “one of the more audacious in North America” (Maclean’s). Shelley is a champion of Canadian creation; recent hallmarks include the multimedia projects Life Reflected and... read more

Darren Fung

Composer

A three-time Canadian Screen Award winner and International Film Music Critics Association Award nominee with over 100 composition credits to his name, Darren Fung (馮浩明) is a highly influential composer who is well-respected in the film, television and concert worlds. His work on Niobe Thompson’s The Great Human Odyssey and Equus: Story of the Horse received widespread critical acclaim, winning the 2016 and 2019 Canadian Screen Awards for Best Non-Fiction Music, and... read more

Kimberly Purtell

Lighting Designer

Kimberly is a Toronto-based lighting designer for theatre, opera, and dance. Her designs have been critically acclaimed across Canada, the U.S., the U.K., China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Mongolia, as well as in Prague and Moscow. She has designed for the Stratford Festival, Shaw Festival, Canadian Stage Company, Soulpepper Theatre, Mirvish Productions, National Arts Centre, and the NAC Orchestra, as well as Pacific Opera Victoria, Opera Philadelphia, Arena Stage in Washington D.C., Tapestry... read more

ProdCan Inc.

PRODCAN is an audiovisual production company specializing in the recording of classical music concerts, operas and new contemporary works. Founded in Montreal in 2017, PRODCAN’s mission is to promote Canadian artists at home and internationally. In this regard, the company plays a leading role in showcasing Canadian musical creation, with close to 40 recordings annually produced in partnership with leading orchestras and institutions, from the Orchestre symphonique de... read more

Carl Talbot

Sound Production (Musicom Productions Inc.)

Carl Talbot, a recording producer with hundreds of album productions, is well recognized across Canada and abroad. With over 25 years in the field, his expertise is a definite asset to every album production. He is called regularly to collaborate with artists and ensembles such as Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal, The Hamburg Philharmonisches Staatsorchester, The Boston Symphony Orchestra, the National Arts Center Orchestra, Kent Nagano, Alexander Shelley, Yannick... read more

Creative & Production Teams

Music Director Alexander Shelley
Creative Producer Donna Feore
Visual Design Normal Studio
Audiovisual Production ProdCan
Sound Production Carl Talbot (Musicom Productions Inc.)
Lighting Designer Kimberly Purtell
Executive Producer Arna Einarsdottir
Producer Nelson McDougall
Producer Fletcher Gailey-Snell
Technical Director Pasquale Cornacchia
Marketing Lead Sarah Connell
Communications Lead Alexandra Campeau

ProdCan Inc. | Video Capture (Orchestra)

CEO of ProdCan, Producer Didier Bensa
Producer/Coordinator Kim Savoie-Thibault
Camera Director Benoît Guérin
Technical Director John Castillo Oruezabal
Assistant Director Hélène Lussier
Camera Operator Giulia Frati
Camera Operator Antoine Lescop-Sinclair
Director of Photography and Camera Operator Pierre Thériault
Camera Operator Guy Roberge
Camera Operator Marc Pronovost
Video editor Caylamina Roberts

Normal Studio | Visual Design & Production

Creative Director & Scenic Design Philippe Belhumeur
Producer Danielle Tremblay
Multimedia Director Joey Booth
Art Director Céline Arnaudeau
Artistic Consultant Opening Sequence Fred Caron
Opening/end credits Motion Designer Daravong Thongsavath
Technical Director, Visual Content Valéria Petit
Visual Content Coordinator Pei Yao Xu
Online Editing Maxime Dumont
Lead Motion Designer Jesse Santerre
Motion Designer Sanam Ghods

Musicom Productions Inc. | Audio production and engineering

Audio Producer Carl Talbot
Sound Engineer Charles Gagnon
Sound Engineer Francois Arbour

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