National Academy Orchestra of Canada

Last updated

The National Academy Orchestra of Canada (NAO) is a professional training orchestra primarily based in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Founded in 1989 by late conductor Boris Brott, it is currently helmed by Artistic Director and Conductor Tania Miller. The NAO is recognized as a Canadian National School for professional training. Each year, hundreds of Canadian musicians audition for a spot in the orchestra.

Contents

The National Academy Orchestra is the orchestra-in-residence of the 36-year-old Brott Music Festival, Ontario's only and Canada's largest orchestral music festival. Young musicians who are recent graduates of a music program are eligible to apply and audition for one of 40-50 positions in the annual program.

Training approach

The program is based on the Mentor-Apprentice approach to learning, and successful applicants are often paired in the stands with established professionals from North America and Europe's finest orchestras.

Each season features guest concertmasters and mentors from North America and Europe, guest conductors, and master classes with internationally renowned soloists. Performance opportunities range from orchestral, chamber, to solo performance. These are not the only aspect of the NAO's activities - the orchestra also takes part in mock auditions, seminars, and performance classes.

The NAO places particular emphasis on entrepreneurial skills through master classes and seminars. It also incorporates a real-to-life rehearsal and performance schedule as part of its training program. [1]

Similarity to New World Orchestra

The NAO is the only program of its kind in Canada. The only other similar program is the New World Orchestra under Michael Tilson Thomas, based in Miami, Florida.

Graduates

1200 graduates from the National Academy Orchestra hold, or have held positions with every major orchestra across Canada and orchestras and ensembles across North America and around the world.

History and highlights

In 1989, one year after Boris Brott created the Boris Brott Summer Music Festival, now known as Brott Music Festival, he formed a mentor-apprentice training program to become the National Academy Orchestra, the Festival’s orchestra-in-residence. In 1998 the NAO gained status as a National Arts Training Program in Canada.

In 2000, Brott and the NAO were profiled in a documentary on CBC's The National and garners national attention with appearances by former Prime Minister of Canada Kim Campbell who narrates a performance with her spouse, Broadway star Hershey Felder. [2]

In 2002, NAO performed for Pope John Paul II & 800,000 for World Youth Day in Toronto

In 2007, NAO performed Mahler's Symphony No. 8, Symphony of a Thousand as 20th anniversary summer finale with NAO alumni who returned from all over Canada to join in the celebration. It was only the work's eighth performance in Canadian history and its first for Hamilton.

In 2008 NAO World premieres of BMF-commissioned Dagwaagin (It is Autumn) by Barbara Croall Assiginaak, the beginning of a long association with the distinguished Odawa composer and Indigenous instrumentalist.

In 2009 NAO performed for then- Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton in the middle of Niagara Falls’ Rainbow Bridge to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Boundary Waters Treaty between the two countries. [3]

In 2014, NAO collaborated with Canadian superstar rock band Arkells for a secret a pop-up performance celebrating the release of their gold album High Noon [4] and goes on to be the first orchestra in 10 years to play at the 2015 JUNO Awards, again with Arkells. [5] NAO also performed for closing ceremonies of 2015 Pan Am Games.

In 2020, NAO received national media attention for a successful pivot to online training during COVID pandemic lockdown [6] and in 2021, performed at five sold out drive-in/outdoor concerts in accordance with COVID protocols and the filmed world premiere of the first Indigenous opera for children by a Canadian (Odawa) composer, Barbara Assiginaak's Kikzootadwaak "They Are Playing Hide and Seek".

In May 2022, trombonist, conductor and composer Alain Trudel stepped in as Interim Artistic Director after the sudden & tragic loss of Boris Brott. [7]

In October 2023, Tania Miller was named NAO Artistic Director and Conductor. [8]

Funding support

The NAO is recognized as a National School and receives funding from the Canada Arts Training Fund (prior to 2009 called the National Arts Training Contribution Program) through the Department of Canadian Heritage. [9] [10]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canadian classical music</span>

In Canada, classical music includes a range of musical styles rooted in the traditions of Western or European classical music that European settlers brought to the country from the 17th century and onwards. As well, it includes musical styles brought by other ethnic communities from the 19th century and onwards, such as Indian classical music and Chinese classical music. Since Canada's emergence as a nation in 1867, the country has produced its own composers, musicians and ensembles. As well, it has developed a music infrastructure that includes training institutions, conservatories, performance halls, and a public radio broadcaster, CBC, which programs a moderate amount of Classical music. There is a high level of public interest in classical music and education.

Alexander Brott,, born Joël Brod, was a Canadian conductor, composer, violinist and music teacher.

Boris Brott, was a Canadian conductor and motivational speaker. He was one of the most internationally recognized Canadian conductors, having conducted on stages around the world, including Carnegie Hall, La Scala,and Covent Garden. He was known for his innovative methods of introducing classical music to new audiences. Over his career, he commissioned, performed, and recorded a wide variety of Canadian works for orchestra.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra</span> Canadian symphony orchestra

The Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra (HPO) is a Canadian orchestra based in Hamilton, Ontario. The orchestra gives concerts primarily at the FirstOntario Concert Hall.

Alain Trudel is a Canadian conductor, trombonist and composer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Symphony Nova Scotia</span> Canadian orchestra

Symphony Nova Scotia is a Canadian orchestra based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. Its primary recital venue is at the Dalhousie Arts Centre's Rebecca Cohn Auditorium.

The Ottawa Symphony Orchestra (OSO) is a full size orchestra in Ottawa, Canada, including professional, student and amateur musicians. With around 100 musicians, the OSO is Ottawa's largest orchestra, which allows it to perform large symphonic repertoire of the 19th and 20th centuries, including works by Canadian composers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Schulich School of Music</span>

The Schulich School of Music is one of the constituent faculties of McGill University in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It is located at 555, Rue Sherbrooke Ouest. The faculty was named after the benefactor Seymour Schulich.

Festival of the Sound is an annual classical music festival that occurs from July to August in Parry Sound, Ontario, Canada.

The Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra (TBSO) is a Canadian professional orchestra based in Thunder Bay, Ontario.

Brott Music Festival presents annual classical, opera, jazz, pops, and children's education concerts in Hamilton, Halton and Niagara regions in Ontario, Canada as well as touring to other music festivals in southern Ontario. The festival was founded by late conductor Boris Brott and has grown into Ontario's only and Canada's largest orchestral music festival. The orchestra in residence is the National Academy Orchestra of Canada, Canada's only professional orchestral training program. It is also home to BrottOpera, a training program for Canadian emerging opera singers. Its current artistic director is Tania Miller.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Denis Brott</span> Canadian cellist, music teacher and conductor

Denis Brott, SMOM is a Canadian cellist, music teacher, conductor, and founder and artistic director of the Montreal Chamber Music Festival.

The Bach-Elgar Choir is a community chorus of long standing in Hamilton, Ontario, currently directed by Alexander Cann. The Choir is composed of accomplished amateur singers from Hamilton and the neighbouring cities of Burlington, Oakville, Mississauga and Simcoe. Notable performances by the ensemble include the North American première of Verdi's Requiem and the Canadian premieres of Górecki's Miserere and Mahler's Symphony No. 2. The choir has performed at Roy Thomson Hall in Toronto, The Sanderson Centre in Brantford, and at the Brott Music Festival in Hamilton. The choir makes frequent guest appearances with the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra.

Anastasia Rizikov is a Canadian classical pianist.

The CBC Winnipeg Orchestra (CBCWO) was a radio orchestra based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. It was operated by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation for 37 years. The orchestra mainly performed on CBC Radio, but also occasionally performed live concerts in Winnipeg, including the CBC Winnipeg Festival. Many of its members also played in the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra.

Musikay is a professional choir and orchestra based in Oakville, Ontario, Canada. Musikay was founded in 2005 under the name Oakville Chamber Choir by Artistic Director Stephane Potvin, a Quebec born conductor who also served as Resident Conductor and Artistic Administrator to the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra.

Tania Miller is a Canadian conductor.

Marta Iren Hidy was a Hungarian Canadian violinist, conductor and music teacher. In addition to being an accomplished musician, she was a founding member of the music program at McMaster University.

BrottOpera is a Canadian national training program designed for emerging opera singers and serves as a producer and presenter of various opera forms in the southern Ontario region. Operating under the umbrella of the Brott Music Festival, it showcases staged opera performances and opera recitals annually in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.

Ardyth Webster Brott, CM is a Canadian arts administrator, author and lawyer. She is the co-founder and executive director of the Brott Music Festival, National Academy Orchestra of Canada and BrottOpera, based in Hamilton, Ontario.

References

  1. ↑ https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/headlines/welcome-to-hamilton-where-our-bands-play-with-orchestras-1.3163919 [ bare URL ]
  2. ↑ Post, Dennis Smith Burlington (16 June 2018). "It's time for the Brott Music Festival in Burlington". The Hamilton Spectator.
  3. ↑ "All hail Hillary". 16 June 2009.
  4. ↑ https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/headlines/arkells-playing-secret-show-with-orchestra-friday-night-1.2704081 [ bare URL ]
  5. ↑ https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/headlines/arkells-win-twice-at-2015-junos-in-hamilton-1.2996306 [ bare URL ]
  6. ↑ "Hamilton's Brott Music Festival proves even in crisis, innovation makes the show go on". Toronto Star . 15 August 2020.
  7. ↑ "THE SCOOP | Alain Trudel Announced as Interim Artistic Director of Brott Music Festival". 10 May 2022.
  8. ↑ "Tania Miller to lead the Brott Music Festival". The Hamilton Spectator. 26 October 2023.
  9. ↑ "Newswire | Brott Music Receives $1.2 Million Grant from the Federal Government - my/MaSCENA". 27 June 2023.
  10. ↑ "Canada Arts Training Fund - Arts and Cultural Industries - Topics". Pch.gc.ca. 2013-08-06. Retrieved 2013-10-12.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.