The National Academy Orchestra of Canada is rehearsing and performing at Mohawk College’s Fennell Campus throughout the summer.  Established in 1989, the National Academy Orchestra of Canada gives emerging young professional musicians the opportunity to work alongside principal players, improve their orchestral skills and repertoire, refine their auditioning prowess, learn innovative ways to become entrepreneurial in their profession and make important contacts leading to employment. The orchestra is recognized as a national school and receives funding from the Department of Canadian Heritage and Service Canada’s Career Focus program.

The National Academy Orchestra of Canada began holding rehearsals, seminars, master classes and performances at Mohawk during the summer of 2008.  The orchestra will perform nine main stage concerts at the McIntyre Performing Arts Centre at the Fennell Campus as part of the Brott Music Festival, Ontario’s largest orchestral music festival and the only festival with a full-time orchestra-in-residence.

 “Our aim is to create a new orchestra for a new generation,” says Artistic Director Boris Brott of the National Academy Orchestra of Canada. “We want to inspire young musicians to play classical music with remarkable energy and make their performances pleasing to both the eye and the ear.”

The partnership with Mohawk follows a great European artistic tradition, says Brott. “It is quite common to combine noted educational establishments with exceptional orchestral communities and performing arts. The McIntyre Performing Arts Centre is a world-class facility with wonderful acoustics. From parking to accessibility, our patrons love attending concerts at Mohawk and have responded enthusiastically to our move there.”

The National Academy Orchestra of Canada and the Brott Music Festival are welcome additions to Mohawk, says Rick Court, Dean of Business, Media and Entertainment. Mohawk is the only college in Ontario to offer a three-year Applied Music program. “The orchestra and the festival bring the community to our college and we look forward to continuing and building on a strong partnership.”