by Nonna Arountinian (NAO Clarinet '11)
Special to the Spectator
2011 National Academy Orchestra performs under the baton of Boris Brott July 14, 2011
In today’s fast-paced world, what is popular and current in music is more often than not driven by those with short attention spans looking to make a quick dollar and piggyback on the latest beat or catchy chorus. So it’s no small wonder many orchestras are in a constant struggle to stay afloat.
Orchestras fight daily to make ends meet, to pay the cost of musicians, directors, administrative staff, covering the cost of venues, rehearsal space, and a number of other things — not to mention trying to keep the costs of attending such concerts low enough to keep them accessible to all types of audiences.
So why bother? Why bother trying to uphold a style of music and an industry that is clearly being pushed out by the pop stars of our generation?
Classical music and the tradition it upholds is one of the jewels of Western civilization, part of what makes the Western world what it is. It played an important role in the history and culture of Western populations and is at the root of our artistic and creative evolution. As a musician and performer, I truly believe it is something to be cherished and celebrated.
Luckily, the musicians of the National Academy Orchestra of Canada and the Brott Music Festival are helping to bring new life and energy to many classical works, symphonies and concertos this summer season. The NAO, primarily based in Hamilton, was founded in 1989 by conductor Boris Brott. It is made up of Canada’s emerging young professional performers who work as apprentice musicians alongside established professionals from some of Canada’s finest orchestras.
With nationwide auditions, an opportunity such as this does not present itself often to Canada’s young musicians. I personally feel incredibly lucky to be able to participate in this orchestra, to help reinvent music and share my passion for it. For many of us in the orchestra, myself included, this is a key stepping-stone to carving out a career as a professional orchestral musician, music administrator or a teacher.
The NAO’s orchestral season began on June 8 and runs through to Aug. 18. With seven concerts already behind us, my colleagues are relentless in bringing an unmatched youthful vitality and energy to our performances. With one of the most exciting starts to the season and a packed audience, the season kicked off impressively with a guest performance by Giampiero Sobrino on clarinet playing Weber’s Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra No. 1 in F minor, and the highly anticipated Beethoven’s 5th Symphony.
To the audience’s delight, the orchestra did not disappoint and followed it with an equally fantastic concert on June 18, with guest conductor and french horn player James Sommerville. He is also the music director for the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra and principal horn for the Boston Symphony Orchestra.
The season has continued to gain momentum with fantastic performances by guest artists Laurence Kayaleh on violin, Valerie Tryon on piano and most recently the young virtuoso pianist Jan Lisiecki.
Also worth mentioning are the wonderful conductors who are behind the creative process of the orchestra. While Brott heads the orchestra full time, he is joined by his apprentice conductor Philippe Menard, and guest conductors Martin MacDonald (resident conductor, Symphony Nova Scotia), Alain Trudel (artistic director, Orchestra London Canada) and Sommerville.
Nonna Aroutiounian
For myself and others in the orchestra, it is a complete pleasure and privilege to be able to work daily with such creative minds. I cannot even begin to describe the excitement and drive that is felt in every rehearsal and performance, it must be seen to be thoroughly understood.To experience the wonder of what music has to offer, one truly must hear the beauty of sound in the moment of its creation. The NAO’s upcoming concerts on July 21, 23 and the 27, as will the rest of the season, lend themself to the highest of standards in offering audiences nothing but the very sublime.
Nonna Aroutiounian earned her Bachelor’s in Music Performance at the University of British Columbia and is currently earning her Masters in Clarinet Performance at the University of Michigan. She is a performing clarinetist for the National Academy Orchestra of Canada’s 2011 season.