The National Academy Orchestra of Canada (NAO) is a professional training orchestra primarily based in

Hamilton, Ontario Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Hamilton has a population of 569,353, and its census metropolitan area, which includes Burlington and Grimsby, has a population of 785,184. The city is approximately southwest of T ...

, Canada. Founded in 1989 by conductor

Boris Brott Boris Brott, (March 14, 1944 – April 5, 2022) 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 and ...

, it is recognized as a Canadian National School for professional training, and each winter over 400 potential apprentices audition from across Canada for a spot in the orchestra. The National Academy Orchestra is the orchestra-in-residence—for 16 to 20 weeks—of the 20-year-old Brott Music Festival, Canada's largest orchestral music festival. Young musicians between the ages of 18 and 30 who are studying or are recent graduates of a music program are eligible to apply and audition for one of 45 spots in the annual program.

Training approach

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

Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...

Hamilton Hamilton may refer to: People * Hamilton (name), a common British surname and occasional given name, usually of Scottish origin, including a list of persons with the surname ** The Duke of Hamilton, the premier peer of Scotland ** Lord Hamilt ...

Montreal Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-most populous city in Canada and List of towns in Quebec, most populous city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian ...

Vancouver Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the ...

Edmonton Edmonton ( ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Alberta. Edmonton is situated on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region, which is surrounded by Alberta's central region. The city ancho ...

National Arts Centre The National Arts Centre (NAC) (french: Centre national des Arts) is a Arts centre, performing arts organisation in Ottawa, Ontario, along the Rideau Canal. It is based in the eponymous National Arts Centre (building), National Arts Centre build ...

and Canadian Opera Company Orchestra to name a few. Each season features guest concertmasters and mentors from across the country, guest conductors, and

master class A master class is a Class (education), class given to students of a particular Academic discipline, discipline by an expert of that discipline—usually music, but also science, painting, drama, games, or on any other occasion where skills are b ...

es with internationally renowned soloists. The 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 season begins with an intense six-week chamber music session where weekly concerts are coached and prepared by some of Canada's finest pedagogues. The NAO places particular emphasis on entrepreneurial skills through these master classes and seminars. It also incorporates a real-to-life rehearsal and performance schedule as part of its training program. Mentors have included

Pinchas Zukerman Pinchas Zukerman ( he, פנחס צוקרמן, born 16 July 1948) is an Israeli-American violinist, violist and conductor. Life and career Zukerman was born in Tel Aviv, to Jewish parents and Holocaust survivors Yehuda and Miriam Lieberman Zuk ...

, Richard Roberts,

Anton Kuerti Anton Emil Kuerti, OC (born July 21, 1938) is an Austrian-born Canadian pianist, music teacher, composer, and conductor. He has developed international recognition as a solo pianist.Alain Trudel Alain Trudel (born 13 June 1966) is a Canadian conductor, trombonist and composer. Biography Born in Montreal, Quebec, Trudel first became known to the public as a trombone soloist. He made his solo debut at the age of 18, with Charles Dutoit a ...

Lara St. John Lara St. John (born April 15, 1971) is a Canadian violinist. Early life Lara St. John was born in London, Ontario, and spent her early childhood there.John Terauds, "Violinist Lara St. John Keeps Herself Guessing," ''Toronto Star'', October 22, ...

Jens Lindemann Jens Lindemann (born 1966) is a German-born Canadian trumpet soloist of Polish Jewish heritage now based in Los Angeles. He is the first classical brass soloist to be awarded the Order of Canada, the country's highest civilian honour. He played ...

, Jean-Norman Iadeluca, Jacques Israelvitch, Mark Skazinetsky, and

Walter Prystawski Walter Prystawski, Order of Canada, CM (born 12 February 1933)"Walter Prystawski"

. Guest conductors of the NAO have included

Zukerman Zukerman is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Arianna Zukerman (b. 1972), American singer, daughter of Eugenia and Pinchas * Ashley Zukerman (b. 1983), Australian actor * Eugenia Rich Zukerman (b. 1944), American flutist, write ...

, Trudel, Brian Jackson,

Raffi Armenian Raffi Armenian, (born June 4, 1942) is a Canadian conductor, pianist, composer, and teacher. He directed the Kitchener–Waterloo Symphony orchestra for many years. Since 1999 he has been the director of Orchestral Studies at the University of T ...

and

Steven Mercurio Steven Mercurio (born 1956, Bardonia, New York (state), New York) is an American conductor and composer. Early life and education Mercurio was raised in New York and is of Italian descent. For most of his adolescence, he gravitated towards rock an ...

. Artistic advisors and composers-in-residence have included

Gary Kulesha Gary Kulesha (born 22 August 1954) is a Canadian composer, pianist, conductor, and educator. Since 1995, he has been Composer Advisor to the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. He has been Composer-in-Residence with the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony (1988� ...

Omar Daniel Omar Daniel (born 1960) is a Canadian composer and pianist, and an associate professor of composition at the University of Western Ontario, Western University. Early life and education Daniel was born in Toronto, Ontario, of Estonian descent. H ...

Alexina Louie Alexina Diane Louie, (born July 30, 1949) is a Canadian composer of contemporary art music. She has composed for various instrumental and vocal combinations in a variety of genres. She has fulfilled a number of commissions, and her works, whic ...

Srul Irving Glick Srul Irving Glick (September 8, 1934 – April 17, 2002) was a Canadian composer, radio producer, conductor, and teacher. Born in Toronto, Ontario, he received a Bachelor of Music from the University of Toronto 1955, and a Masters of Music ...

and Kelly-Marie Murphy.

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 Michael Tilson Thomas (born December 21, 1944) is an American conductor, pianist and composer. He is Artistic Director Laureate of the New World Symphony, an American orchestral academy based in Miami Beach, Florida, Music Director Laureate of ...

, based in

Miami, Florida Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a East Coast of the United States, coastal metropolis and the County seat, county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade C ...

Graduates

Graduates from the National Academy Orchestra hold, or have held positions with virtually every major orchestra across Canada (e.g. Toronto Symphony, Vancouver Symphony, National Arts Centre Orchestra,

Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal The Montreal Symphony Orchestra (french: Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, or OSM) is a Canadian symphony orchestra based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The orchestra’s home is the Montreal Symphony House at Place des Arts. It is the only orche ...

Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony The Regional Municipality of Waterloo (Waterloo Region or Region of Waterloo) is a metropolitan area of Southern Ontario, Canada. It contains the cities of Cambridge, Ontario, Cambridge, Kitchener, Ontario, Kitchener and Waterloo, Ontario, Water ...

Symphony Nova Scotia Symphony Nova Scotia is a Canadian orchestra based in Halifax Regional Municipality, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. Their primary recital space is at the Dalhousie Arts Centre's Rebecca Cohn Auditorium. History Symphony Nova Scotia began in 19 ...

Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra The Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra (TBSO) is a Canadian professional orchestra based in Thunder Bay, Ontario. History Founded on 29 November 1960, the Lakehead Symphony Orchestra made its debut at the Lakeview High School auditorium.Tronrud, Tho ...

Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra The Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra (WSO) is a Canadian orchestra based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Its primary concert venue is the Centennial Concert Hall, and the orchestra also performs throughout the province of Manitoba. The WSO presents an average ...

, Edmonton Symphony,

Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra The Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra is an orchestra based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The orchestra gives the majority of its performances in the Jack Singer Concert Hall at Arts Commons. It is also the resident orchestra for the Calgary Opera, A ...

) and orchestras across North America and around the world. Many form their own ensembles, go on to be teachers or entrepreneurs across the country.

Performance highlights

In July 2002, the NAO was invited to perform for

Pope John Paul II Pope John Paul II ( la, Ioannes Paulus II; it, Giovanni Paolo II; pl, Jan Paweł II; born Karol Józef Wojtyła ; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 1978 until his ...

and an audience of 800,000 as part of

World Youth Day 2002 The 17th World Youth Day 2002 (french: Journées mondiales de la jeunesse 2002) was a Catholic youth festival held July 23 to 28, 2002, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. World Youth Day is a celebration of faith begun by Pope Saint John Paul II held ...

celebrations in Toronto. On August 23, 2007, the NAO performed Mahler's Symphony No. 8 "Symphony of a Thousand" to a sold-out audience at

FirstOntario Concert Hall FirstOntario Concert Hall is a music and performing arts venue in downtown Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The venue was originally known as Hamilton Place, and in 1998, became known as the Ronald V. Joyce Centre for the Performing Arts at Hamilton Pl ...

's Great Hall. It was only the eighth performance of the massive work in Canadian history and was the summer finale to the 20th anniversary season of the Brott Music Festival.

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. It also receives funding through the Career Focus Program of Service Canada.

References

External links

Official websiteBrottmusic.comThespec.com
{{authority control Canadian orchestras Musical groups established in 1989 1989 establishments in Ontario Musical groups from Hamilton, Ontario