Christopher has been thinking about metronomes. Here he discusses the history of that irritating but essential device, and talks with NACO guest conductor Alexander Shelley about Maelzel, Beethoven and the challenges of the metronome for modern conductors.

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In preparation for our new season of NACOcasts ... and to celebrate the the National Art Centre's 40th anniversary this week. We offer you this reprise edition of the very first NACOcast from February 20, 2006, featuring, as the Orchestra did 40 years ago, Dvo?àk. For more info on this week's special anniversary concert, click here.

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Christopher takes you on an hour-long exploration of the NAC Orchestra's recently announced 2009-2010 season, complete with musical excerpts from the NAC Orchestra audio archives and Naxos Canada.

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Bringing Onegin to Life. With insights from philosopher Isaiah Berlin and a wide ranging conversation with tenor Richard Troxell and stage manager Joseph Bascetta, this episode explores Tchaikovsky's opera Eugene Onegin. Opera Lyra Ottawa's production of Tchaikovsky's masterpiece opens April 4.

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In this second in a series of podcasts which will look at the business and administration of symphony orchestras, NACOcast host Christopher Millard talks with Daphne Burt, artistic administrator of the NAC Orchestra.

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In this first in a series of podcasts which will look at the business and administration of symphony orchestras, NACOcast host Christopher Millard talks with husband-and-wife team Margo and Greg Hodgson, principal librarian and assistant principal librarian of the NAC Orchestra, about the complexities of their profession, and their life together in music.

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This week's episode of the NACOcast looks at Beethoven's First Symphony. American conductor James Gaffigan is Christopher's guest. Chris and James analyze the harmonies employed in the introduction of the first movement and continue with a discussion of the sonata form.

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While the NAC Orchestra is on tour in Western Canada (NACOtour.ca) we offer you, by popular demand, a repeat of one of our most downloaded NACOcast editions to date: "Do we need Conductors?" Ever wonder about the role of the conductor? This week we bring you a presentation made by Chris Millard to members of the NAC Orchestra Association as part of the "Behind the Music" discussion series.

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Live from Southam Hall at Canada's National Arts Centre, Christopher talks with Pinchas Zukerman and Arianna Zukerman about the voice as instrument, and the instrument as voice.

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In this episode, Christopher speaks with Opera Lyra Ottawa's Artistic Director Tyrone Paterson, Conductor Christoph Campestrini and mezzo-soprano Marion Newman about the new production of Mozart's opera The Marriage of Figaro. The conversation focuses on the personalities of each of the principal characters, their place in the social strata of their time and how Mozart's music so brilliantly captures their individual human experience.

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Christopher explores hearing, and the loss thereof, as it relates to orchestral musicians and audiences in general.

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Beethoven's Pastoral Symphony is one of the great works of programmatic music in the orchestral repertoire. Christopher examines the thoughtful insights of musicologist Owen Jander in a study of the second movement, Scene by the Brook.

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Christopher discusses primates, brontosauri and other musical influences in a wide ranging examination of his favourite orchestral instrument.

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Conductor Andrew Litton returns to lead the NAC Orchestra on May 14-15. Here is an encore presentation of the wide-ranging chat that NACOcast host Christopher Millard had with the Grammy Award-winning conductor on his last visit to the NAC in January 2007.

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Christopher takes you on an hour-long exploration of the NAC Orchestra's recently announced 2008-2009 season, complete with musical excerpts from the NAC Orchestra audio archives and Naxos Canada.

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In this first NACOcast of 2008, Christopher focuses on Richard Strauss' Oboe Concerto with special guest Charles Hamann, principal oboe, National Arts Centre Orchestra.

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Christopher's guest is the ebullient Canadian pianist Jon Kimura Parker, a virtuoso star who is also known for his outgoing personality and cheerful sense of humour. Jackie and Christopher discuss Beethoven's "Emperor" Piano Concerto No. 5.

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By popular demand ... In this very special NACOcast presentation, Christopher takes us on a 30-minute guided tour of that holiday perennial, Handel's Messiah.

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As Remembrance Day approaches here in Canada, Christopher looks at The World Orchestra for Peace in a programme that first aired on CBC Radio in 2003. "The World Orchestra for Peace is an expression of harmony on all levels. It was founded in 1995 by Sir Georg Solti to reaffirm, in his words, 'the unique strength of music as an ambassador for peace'. Its players come from orchestras all over the world, many of them concert masters and section leaders in their own right, and the orchestra has no existence outside the very special occasions that call it into being."

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Beethoven Symphony no. 9 is the subject, and Pinchas Zukerman and Measha Brueggergosman are Christopher's guests on this live edition of the NACOcast.

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To mark the beginning of the NAC Orchestra's Beethoven Festival, Christopher offers up a guided tour of the complete 2nd Symphony. Featured in this week's podcast is the NAC Orchestra's CBC Records recording of Beethoven's Symphony No. 2 under the the baton of Music Director Pinchas Zukerman.

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Canadian mezzo-soprano Susan Platts is Christopher's guest on this edition of the NACOcast. The two discuss vocal sound production and repertoire. Musical excerpts include Verdi's Requiem and Brahm's "Gestillte Sehnsucht".

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This week we continue our look at training for young orchestral players -- In Washington DC, Christopher talks with 3 participants in the National Orchestral Institute programme and we hear several excerpts of Richard Strauss' Eine Alpensinfonie played by the NOI under the baton of James Ross on June 16 of this year.

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Back from our summer hiatus, Christopher talks with three young and dynamic music students -- the first participants in the NAC's new Institute for Orchestral Studies -- about the opportunity to play in the NAC Orchestra, their studies, their instruments ( ... and even tuning in fifths).

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Composer Gary Kulesha joins Christopher for the second part of a two part discussion recorded following the NAC Orchestra's world premiere of Kulesha's 3rd Symphony. Among other topics, Christopher and Gary discuss teaching composition and making a living as a composer.

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Composer Gary Kulesha is Christopher's guest in this first part of two special NACOcast Live sessions recorded following the NAC Orchestra's world premiere of Kulesha's 3rd Symphony.

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In this very special edition of the NACOcast, Christopher discusses the beauty and mystery of Stradivari instruments with one of the world's foremost violin players, Canadian James Ehnes. Music samples include Ehnes's recent recordings of the Bach's Sonatas and Partitas for Violin and Walton's Violin Concerto.

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The distinguished British composer and conductor Oliver Knussen is Christopher's guest on this week's edition of the NACOcast. NAC Orchestra audiences know Oliver Knussen from his appearances with the NAC Orchestra in 2001 when he conducted his own Second Symphony, and from 2004 when he conducted the Canadian premiere of his Violin Concerto with its dedicatee Pinchas Zukerman as soloist.

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Douglas Burden, bass trombonist with the National Arts Centre Orchestra, is Christopher's guest on this edition of the NACOcast. The two discuss everything 'trombone'; from the instrument's origins, repertoire and its role in today's orchestra. This edition of the NACOcast includes a sampling of the NAC Orchestra performing Hector Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique.

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Gustavo Dudamel, the 26 year-old Venezuelan conducting phenom visits the NACOcast studios to discuss "El Sistema", Beethoven's Symphony No. 5, and his mentors Jose Antonio Abreu, Claudio Abbado and Simon Rattle.

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Christopher chats with American conductor Andrew Litton. Litton?s more than 60 recordings include the Grammy winning Walton's Belshazzar's Feast with Bryn Terfel and the Bournemouth Symphony.

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In this very special NACOcast presentation, Christopher takes us on a 30-minute guided tour of that holiday perennial, Handel's Messiah.

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Christopher discusses the art of reed making with NAC Orchestra prinicpal oboe Chip Hamann with archival musical excerpts from Strauss's Don Quixote and Mozart's Oboe Concerto as performed by Chip Hamann and the National Arts Centre Orchestra

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Canadian Brass members, Charles Daellenbach and Eugene Watts, are Christopher's guests on this special edition of the NACOcast

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On this week's NACOcast ... the Protean Tuba. Christopher speaks with NACO Principal Tuba Nick Atkinson about the variable identity of this big bugle and about life at the bottom of the orchestra. An informative discussion of the history of the tuba, its acoustic principles and a survey of its use in the orchestra.

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Hungarian Celebration - The NAC Orchestra celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Hungarian revolution this week with a programme of Bartok, Kodaly and Brahms. Christopher welcomes NACO's Karoly Sziladi to talk about his personal experiences during and after the 1956 uprising, and the music of his native Hungary.

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A Fifth of Quarrington -- In this week's NACOcast, Christopher speaks with the National Arts Centre Orchestra's remarkable Principal Bass, Joel Quarrington. Canada's foremost virtuoso of the double bass, Joel is the only great modern bassist who tunes his bass like a cello. Find out how this came about as Joel discusses the history, evolution and current state of double bass playing.

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In this first episode of the 2006-2007 NACOcast season, Christopher focuses on Brahm's Piano Concerto no. 1 in D minor, Opus 15 and Brahms' Symphony No. 2. This week's podcast includes archival recordings of the NAC Orchestra under the baton of Maestro Pinchas Zukerman.

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In this last episode of the 2005-2006 season, Christopher looks at the work life of the professional orchestra musician and how symphony orchestras are organized. Also in this edition, a sampling of the NAC Orchestra's recording of Beethoven's Symphony No. 2, under the direction of Pinchas Zukerman. The NACOcast returns for a new season of podcasts in mid-September. Send your comments to NACOcast@gmail.com

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This week on the NACOcast, Christopher talks with Patinka Kopec, director of the NAC's Young Artist Programme. Chris and Patti discuss her formative days in New York with gifted contemporaries, Pinchas Zukerman and Itzhak Perlman, and highlight the gifted young artists at this year's YAP. The podcast includes a special musical selection: Mozart's String Quintet in G minor, K. 516, Allegro, performed by the Zukerman Players. Email us at NACOcast@gmail.com

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As a tribute to Walter Prystawski, the NAC Orchestra's founding concertmaster who is retiring after 37 years at the first desk, Christopher talks to founding NACO music director Mario Bernardi as well as three of Walter's original orchestra colleagues. The conversations touch on the core classical repertoire of the orchestra, NACO's signature sound and the critical role Walter Prystawski played in shaping that sound. Send your comments and feedback to NACOcast@gmail.com

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POPS! goes the NACOcast -- This week an interview with NAC Orchestra principal pops conductor Jack Everly. Christopher talks with Jack about his distinguished career and the world of symphonic popular music. Send your comments and questions to NACOcast@gmail.com

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Part 2 of a conversation with Maestro Pinchas Zukerman on the mechanics of making music with the violin. Join Chris and Pinchas as they discuss bowing techniques and the music of J.S. Bach. Also, Christopher announces the winner of the NACOcast iPod Nano contest. Send your comments and questions to NACOcast@gmail.com

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Special guest Maestro Pinchas Zukerman joins Chris Millard to discuss the mechanics of making music with the violin. Join Chris and Pinchas in this first of two interviews -- They discuss bowing and vibrato techniques and the divergent approaches of European and North American orchestras to string playing Don't forget to check out last week's show: Christopher announced the trivia question you'll need to answer correctly for a chance to win an iPod Nano. Send your entries to NACOcast@gmail.com

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The musician interviews the broadcaster. Veteran CBC radio host and champion of classical music, Eric Friesen joins Chris Millard this week on the NACOcast. The two discuss Eric's passion for radio and music. Also on this week's show: The Question! Christopher announces the trivia question you'll need to answer correctly for a chance to win an iPod Nano. Send your entries to NACOcast@gmail.com

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Ever wonder about the role of the conductor? This week we bring you a presentation made by Chris Millard to members of the NAC Orchestra Association as part of the "Behind the Music" discussion series. Tune in to next week's edition of the NACOcast as Chris announces the trivia question in the NACOcast "Win an iPod Nano" contest.

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In response to a listener question, Christopher assembles a panel of colleagues to discuss instrument-related injuries and the various treatments, techniques and training programs used to avoid them. Joining Chris this week are bassist Marjolaine Laroche, violist Nancy Sturdevant, oboist Chip Hamann, and violinist Susan Rupp.

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This week on the NACOcast, Christopher Millard is in conversation Maestro Boris Brott, Principal Youth and Family Conductor, National Arts Centre Orchestra. Boris Brott is one of the most internationally recognized Canadian Conductors, holding major posts as music director in Canada and the United States. He enjoys an international career as guest conductor, educator, motivational speaker and cultural ambassador. In May 2004, he was named to the newly created position of Principal Youth and Family Conductor of the National Arts Centre Orchestra, where for over 20 years he has regularly been conducting student matinees and Young People?s Concerts. In this edition of the NACOcast, Christopher and Boris discuss, among other topics, the legacy of Leonard Bernstein and the challenges that today's orchestra face connecting and engaging young audiences.

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This week on the NACOcast, Christopher Millard is in conversation with Jessica Linnebach. Jessica was only 10 years old when she was accepted to the prestigious Curtis Institute of Music and only 19 when she received her Master's degree from Manhattan School of Music where she studied with Pinchas Zukerman. Join Christopher and Jessica as they talk about the formidable Glazunov Violin Concerto. Listen to the NACOcast for a chance to win an iPod Nano pre-loaded with NAC Orchestra CDs and past episodes of the NACOcast. During the month of May, Christopher will ask a question that can be answered by listening to an earlier NACOcast episode ... Subscribe to the NACOcast to ensure you don't miss the question and your chance to win

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It's all about opera this week as Christopher Millard talks with Ty Paterson, artistic director and principal conductor of Opera Lyra Ottawa -- Listen in as they discuss Verdi's Falstaff and the making of opera. Send your comments and questions to NACOcast@gmail.com

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Stravinski's Pulcinella Suite and Brahm's Piano concerto No. 2 in B-flat major are featured in this week's edition of the NACOcast, hosted by Christopher Millard. Contact us at NACOcast@gmail.com

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Composer Michael Torke discusses the genesis of the ballet score for An Italian Straw Hat and the influences of Rossini and Mozart on the work. With excerpts from the CD, "An Italian Straw Hat" on Ecstatic Records (www.michaeltorke.com). Contact us at NACOcast@gmail.com

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This week Christopher Millard discusses the history and theology behind Bach's B Minor Mass with choral director Laurence Ewashko. Send your comments to NACOcast@gmail.com

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This week's NACOcast features the music of New Zealand's Hayley Westenra, a look at the Pops programmes of Jack Everly, principal Pops conductor at the NAC, and an interview with special guest Karen Donnelly, principal trumpet of the NAC Orchestra. Send your feedback to NACOcast@gmail.com

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Chris Millard looks ahead to NAC Orchestra performances of Mozart, Dvo?àk and Canadian composer Alexina Louie. Musical excerpt from Dvo?àk Symphony no. 7; (NAC Orchestra under the direction of Pinchas Zukerman). Send your feedback to NACpodcasts@gmail.com ... or leave us a voice mail at +1 (866) 850-ARTS ext. 772 Check out this and other NAC podcasts at nac.ca/podcasts Vist the National Arts Website at: http://www.nac-cna.ca

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