On June 16 and 17 in Ottawa, and June 20 in Montréal, the National Arts Centre Orchestra and the Orchestre Métropolitain will join forces – along with eight soloists and a 296-voice mass choir – under the leadership of OM music director Yannick Nézet-Séguin, for Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 8. The Ottawa performances mark the first-ever performance of the work by the National Arts Centre Orchestra and all three concerts are now completely sold out. The cast of soloists includes Erin Wall, Joni Henson, and Nathalie Paulin, sopranos; Susan Platts and Anita Krause, mezzo-sopranos, John MacMaster, tenor; Alexander Dobson, baritone; and Robert Pomakov, bass – and a chorus of 296 comprised of the Ottawa Choral Society (Matthew Larkin, Director), Cantata Singers of Ottawa (Michael Zaugg, Director), Ottawa Festival Chorus (Laurence Ewashko, Director), The Ewashko Singers (Laurence Ewashko, Director), Choeur de l’Orchestre Métropolitain (Alain Cazes and Pierre Tourville, Directors), and the Boys and Girls Choirs from Christ Church Cathedral, Ottawa (Matthew Larkin and Timothy Piper, Directors) – all under the direction of Duain Wolfe, Chorusmaster.

The performance on June 16 will also feature a very special presentation: her Excellency Michaëlle Jean will present a Governor General’s Performing Arts Award to Maestro Nézet-Séguin. Although the awards were “officially” presented in Ottawa on May 1, Maestro Nézet-Séguin was not able to attend, due to a previous conducting commitment – so a short on-stage ceremony (including a short film, produced by the National Film Board of Canada) will take place prior to the opening of the concert on June 16. For additional information, you can visit the NAC website here.

Hearty, if belated congratulations to the Orchestras Canada members whose recordings have been nominated for Juno Awards this year!  The nominations were announced March 3, and the awards will be presented during Juno week, April 12-18 in St. John’s, Newfoundland.

In the Classical Album of the Year, Large Ensemble or soloist(s) with Large Ensemble Accompaniment category, we salute OC members
Les Violons du Roy – Bartok
Louis Lortie and Orchestre symphonique de Québec - Mendelssohn – Piano Concertos 1 & 2 – Symphony No. 5
National Youth Orchestra of Canada – Selections From the 2009 National Tour
Yannick Nézet-Séguin and Orchestre Métropolitain - Bruckner Symphony No. 8

In the Classical Album of the Year:  Solo or Chamber Ensemble, we honour
I Musici de Montreal – Tchaikovsky: Souvenir de Florence, Quartet No. 1

And, in the Classical Composition of the Year category, we recognize the nomination of Rob Teehan’s Dreams of Flying, recorded by the National Youth Orchestra of Canada.

For more information on the Juno Awards, you can visit the website here.