Poema 1. Ad Astra Canadas National Arts Centre Orchestra

• Richard Strauss (1864 - 1949): Don Juan, Op. 20:
• 1 Strauss: Don Juan, Op. 20 16:55
• Kelly-Marie Murphy (b. 1964): Dark Night, Bright Stars, Vast Universe:
• 2 Murphy: Dark Night, Bright Stars, Vast Universe 10:07
• Kevin Lau (b. 1982): The Infinite Reaches:
• 3 Lau: The Infinite Reaches 11:52
• Richard Strauss: Tod und Verklärung, Op. 24:
• 4 Strauss: Tod und Verklärung, Op. 24 23:12
• Total Runtime 01:02:06

Info for Poema 1. Ad Astra

Poema 1. Ad Astra is the first in a series of recordings by Canada's National Arts Centre Orchestra in which Music Director Alexander Shelley asked Canadian Composers to craft compositions that respond to masterpieces by German Composer, Richard Strauss (1864-1949). Kelly-Marie Murphy responds to Don Juan and Kevin Lau to Death and Transfiguration. This latest cycle of recordings, a dialogue between the past and our modern era, strikes a perfect balance between the exhilaration of the new and the charm of the timeless classic.

Orchestre du CNA du Canada
Howard Shelley, conductor

Howard Shelley
As pianist, conductor and recording artist, Howard Shelley has enjoyed a distinguished career since his highly acclaimed London debut in 1971, performing worldwide at major venues and with renowned orchestras. Most of his current work is in the combined role of conductor and soloist. This is reflected in a discography that now exceeds 180 albums and the works of over eighty composers. His recordings of Mozart and his contemporaries have won exceptional praise.

Howard Shelley has conducted all the major London orchestras and his long association with the London Mozart Players has been recognized by the title of Conductor Laureate. He has also been Principal Conductor of Sweden’s Uppsala Chamber Orchestra and has had particularly close relationships with orchestras such as the English Chamber Orchestra, Orchestra of Opera North, Sinfonia Varsovia, Camerata Salzburg, Orchestra di Padova e del Veneto, Västerås Sinfonietta, Sinfonieorchester St Gallen, and the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra in Australia with whom he has recorded many albums for Hyperion.

In 1994 an Honorary Fellowship of the Royal College of Music was conferred on him, and in 2009 he was awarded an OBE for services to classical music. Howard Shelley was married to fellow pianist Hilary Macnamara until her death in 2021 and they have two sons. For Hyperion, Howard Shelley has recorded the complete solo piano music of Rachmaninov, a complete chronological survey of sonatas by Muzio Clementi, and many Classical and Romantic piano concertos. As a conductor he has also recorded the complete symphonies of Louis Spohr and Haydn’s ‘London’ symphonies.

Orchestre du CNA du Canada
Since its debut in 1969, the National Arts Centre (NAC) Orchestra has been praised for the passion and clarity of its performances, its visionary educational programs, and its prominent role in nurturing Canadian creativity. Under the leadership of Music Director Alexander Shelley, the NAC Orchestra reflects the fabric and values of Canada, reaching and representing the diverse communities we live in with daring programming, powerful storytelling, inspiring artistry, and innovative partnerships.

Alexander Shelley began his tenure as Music Director in 2015, following Pinchas Zukerman’s 16 seasons at the helm. Principal Associate Conductor of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and former Chief Conductor of the Nuremberg Symphony Orchestra (2009 – 2017), he has been in demand around the world, conducting the Rotterdam Philharmonic, DSO Berlin, Leipzig Gewandhaus, and Stockholm Philharmonic, among others, and maintains a regular relationship with the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie and the German National Youth Orchestra.

Each season, the NAC Orchestra features world-class artists such as the newly appointed Artist-in-Residence James Ehnes, Angela Hewitt, Joshua Bell, Xian Zhang, Gabriela Montero, Stewart Goodyear, Jan Lisiecki, and Principal Guest Conductor John Storgårds. As one of the most accessible, inclusive and collaborative orchestras in the world, the NAC Orchestra uses music as a universal language to communicate the deepest of human emotions and connect people through shared experiences.

Canada’s National Arts Centre Orchestra is one of the most accessible, inclusive, and collaborative orchestras in the world. Recognized for its daring programming, powerful storytelling, inspiring artistry, and innovative partnerships, the NAC Orchestra is at the vanguard of orchestral performance. In an age of continuous disruption, we place audiences at the centre, empower young artists to become leaders, and help redefine the orchestra’s role in society.

This album contains no booklet.