NACO Opening
The NAC Orchestra opens its 2016–17 season in the newly renovated Southam Hall with a very busy October, including several soloists not to be missed. On October 6 and 7, virtuoso Joshua Bell performs the Brahms Violin Concerto in a program that includes Richard Strauss’s Also sprach Zarathustra. Music Director Alexander Shelley conducts after his 7PM pre-concert talk with music journalist Jean-Jacques Van Vlasselaer (Oct. 6 & 7, 8PM, NAC Southam Hall). www.nac-cna.ca
Schumann and the Songwriters
Canadian pianist Angela Hewitt
Angela Hewitt joins Shelley and the NACO for an evening of early Schumann and Beethoven for the first performance in the NAC’s Schumann and the Songwriters series. She plays Beethoven’s Piano Sonata, Op. 79, and his First Piano Concerto, while the orchestra plays the first of Schumann’s Symphonies (Oct. 12, 8PM, Southam Hall). This is followed by Schumann’s Second Symphony and Jonathan Biss playing Beethoven’s “Tempest” Sonata, Op. 31, No. 2, and his Second Piano Concerto (Oct. 13, 8PM). Hewitt returns the afternoon of October 15 for a recital of chamber music by Clara and Robert Schumann with members of the NACO (Oct. 15, 2PM, National Gallery of Canada).
On October 16, Conrad Tao solos in a double-billed program of Schumann’s Piano Concerto and Beethoven’s “Emperor” Concerto (Oct. 16, 3PM, Southam Hall). Saleem Ashkar tackles Beethoven’s Third Concerto (Oct. 19, 8PM) and Rudolf Buchbinder takes the Fourth (Oct. 20, 8PM); and the NACO completes the programs with Schumann’s Third and Fourth Symphonies, respectively. www.nac-cna.ca
The Best Composers You’ve Never Heard Of
The Ottawa Baroque Consort opens its 12th season with part three of the series The Best Composers You’ve Never Heard Of in the hopes you’ll gain some new ancient favourites. Directed by Olivier Henchiri with soloist Marie Bouchard on harpsichord (Oct. 22, 7:30PM, Glebe St James United Church). www.ottawabaroque.ca
Ensemble Prisme
The Best Composer You’ve Heard Of
Baritone Luc Lalonde joins Ensemble Prisme for a concert entitled Bach profane et religieux, which features J.S. Bach’s Cantata Ich habe genug BWV 82, Italian Concerto BWV 971, and Oboe Concerto BWV 1053 (Oct. 22, 8PM, Notre-Dame-de-la-Guadeloupe Church). www.ensembleprisme.ca
Four Seasons of Buenos Aires
In celebration of Hispanic Heritage month, the Thirteen Strings Chamber Orchestra presents a concert of Piazzolla’s Four Seasons of Buenos Aires with violinist Kerson Leong. Also on the program is the premiere of El Salvadorian guitarist-composer Ramses Calderon’s new guitar concerto (Oct. 28, 7:30PM, Dominion-Chalmers United Church). www.thirteenstrings.ca
ECM+ Generation2016
In collaboration with Ottawa Chamberfest, the Ensemble contemporain de Montréal closes out its national tour with a stop in Ottawa. The concert features the winners of their 9th biennial Generation competition with works by Taylor Brook, Symon Henry, Sabrina Schroeder, and Adam Scime (Nov. 1, 8PM, NAC Studio). www.nac-cna.ca
