{"id":121507,"date":"2026-02-06T14:15:49","date_gmt":"2026-02-06T19:15:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/?p=121507"},"modified":"2026-02-09T07:00:02","modified_gmt":"2026-02-09T12:00:02","slug":"preview-big-bang-will-turn-national-arts-centre-playground-sound","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2026\/02\/06\/preview-big-bang-will-turn-national-arts-centre-playground-sound\/","title":{"rendered":"PREVIEW | BIG BANG Will Turn The National Arts Centre Into A Playground Of Sound"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure id=\"attachment_121515\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-121515\" style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-121515\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/Copy-of-Copy-of-PREVIEW-14.jpg\" alt=\"Graphic for Platypus Theatre's Music Under a Midnight Moon (Photo courtesy of BIG BANG Festival)\" width=\"1200\" height=\"628\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/Copy-of-Copy-of-PREVIEW-14.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/Copy-of-Copy-of-PREVIEW-14-300x157.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/Copy-of-Copy-of-PREVIEW-14-1024x536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/Copy-of-Copy-of-PREVIEW-14-768x402.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-121515\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Graphic for Platypus Theatre&#8217;s Music Under a Midnight Moon (Photo courtesy of BIG BANG Festival)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Ottawa\u2019s National Arts Centre presents the 8th edition of <strong>BIG BANG<\/strong>, a family friendly festival, on February 14 and 15. BIG BANG offers two days of fun, imaginative playtime, and musical adventures for parents and kids alike.<\/p>\n<p>Activities that explore sound and transcend language are designed for children between the ages of five and 12, along with their grown-ups.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe BIG BANG invites kids to take over the NAC and fill it with contagious joy. It\u2019s a space for exploration, freedom, musical discoveries and surprises, a space where everyone is welcome, regardless of age or language. It\u2019s a big party that brings us all together!\u201d comments <strong>Am\u00e9lie Bergeron<\/strong>, Curator for BIG\u202fBANG Festival Ottawa, in a statement.<\/p>\n<p>BIG BANG Festivals take place across Canada in various locations\/times.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_121513\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-121513\" style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-121513\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/Copy-of-NEWS-2026-02-06T141220.338.jpg\" alt=\"L-R: Musician Mamadou Ko\u00efta (Photo courtesy of the artist); Roots and Bassoonist (bassoonist Yana Ouellet and puppetry artist Laurence Petitpas) (Photo courtesy of BIG BANG Festival); Sounds of Nothing (Photo courtesy of BIG BANG Festival)\" width=\"1200\" height=\"628\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/Copy-of-NEWS-2026-02-06T141220.338.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/Copy-of-NEWS-2026-02-06T141220.338-300x157.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/Copy-of-NEWS-2026-02-06T141220.338-1024x536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/Copy-of-NEWS-2026-02-06T141220.338-768x402.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-121513\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">L-R: Musician Mamadou Ko\u00efta (Photo courtesy of the artist); Roots and Bassoonist (bassoonist Yana Ouellet and puppetry artist Laurence Petitpas) (Photo courtesy of BIG BANG Festival); Sounds of Nothing (Photo courtesy of BIG BANG Festival)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>BIG BANG 2026: The Line-Up<\/h2>\n<h3>Ticketed Events<\/h3>\n<p>Families will find accessible prices with ticketed events ranging from $7-$15.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Music Rooms<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>With a casual atmosphere, artists will perform in unusual settings within the National Arts Centre to small audiences. A returning BIG BANG favourite. You\u2019ll be able to explore music and sound in a variety of ways in the Music Rooms, including:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Mamadou Ko\u00efta<\/strong> \u2014 vibrant West African music with the Montreal-based artist Mamadou Ko\u00efta, known for his high energy shows. Info <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/nac-cna.ca\/en\/event\/40150\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">here<\/a><\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>The Sounds of Nothing<\/strong> \u2014 with microphones, effects, and your imagination, explore the secret sounds of everyday items. Info <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/nac-cna.ca\/en\/event\/40134\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">here<\/a><\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Roots and Bassoonist<\/strong> \u2014 a conversation between a bassoon and a root-like string puppet with bassoonist Yana Ouellet and puppetry artist Laurence Petitpas. Info <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/nac-cna.ca\/en\/event\/40109\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">here<\/a><\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Drones and Tones<\/strong> \u2014 Keyboard melodies and percussion combine for an inventive sound experience, with Jesse Stewart and Jo\u00ebl Daz\u00e9. Info <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/nac-cna.ca\/en\/event\/40108\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">here<\/a><\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<figure id=\"attachment_121512\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-121512\" style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-121512\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/Polky_Daria-Perev-2024-yellow-duo-2.jpg\" alt=\"Polky musicians (Photo: Daria Perev)\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/Polky_Daria-Perev-2024-yellow-duo-2.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/Polky_Daria-Perev-2024-yellow-duo-2-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/Polky_Daria-Perev-2024-yellow-duo-2-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/Polky_Daria-Perev-2024-yellow-duo-2-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-121512\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Polky (Photo: Daria Perev)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>Polky<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Upbeat harmonies, unusual instruments, and a lively atmosphere come together in this fiddle-driven performance. Info <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/nac-cna.ca\/en\/event\/40152\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">here<\/a><\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Platypus Theatre&#8217;s Music Under a Midnight Moon<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Two tired wanderers come across what looks like a forgotten junkyard at first glance. But, from a pile of junk, the discarded odds and ends are transformed into music by a pluck, a tap, and a shake. Everyday objects take on a life of their own. Huge images projected on the NACOtron screen capture the fun. Info <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/nac-cna.ca\/en\/event\/38383\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">here<\/a><\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Thelonious<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>A little chaos, a lot of fun, as three very talented musicians bring the music of the legendary African-American jazz pianist and composer to life, accompanied by video animations. Info <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/nac-cna.ca\/en\/event\/38340\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">here<\/a><\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<figure id=\"attachment_121511\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-121511\" style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-121511\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/HERO_Space-Palette_v2.jpg\" alt=\"Space Palette (Photo courtesy of BIG BANG Festival)\" width=\"1200\" height=\"785\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/HERO_Space-Palette_v2.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/HERO_Space-Palette_v2-300x196.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/HERO_Space-Palette_v2-1024x670.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/HERO_Space-Palette_v2-768x502.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-121511\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Space Palette (Photo courtesy of BIG BANG Festival)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3>Free Events<\/h3>\n<p><strong>Nomad<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Sound and drawing combine for a rich experience in a recurring artistic project that takes place at Big Bang Festivals across the globe. Benoit Fortier and Gabrielle Bouthillier of E27 musiques nouvelles invite a group of local grade 5 and 6 students from the Foul\u2019Arts program at \u00c9cole \u00e9l\u00e9mentaire catholique Jean-Robert-Gauthier to\u202fdiscover how\u202f drawing can \u202finspire the creation of sounds. Info <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/nac-cna.ca\/en\/event\/40295\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">here<\/a><\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Brass Taxx (Fanfare)\u202f<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Get ready for a BIG BANG brass party that will have young and old vibing to funk and soul beats. Info <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/nac-cna.ca\/en\/event\/40296\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">here<\/a><\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Rope Launcher<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>This mechanical device, created by Th\u00e9\u00e2tre Rude\u202fIng\u00e9nierie, brings a long loop of rope to life. It will shoot through the air \u2014 just as if it was breathing on its own. The device is guided by music and ambient sounds as it loops, retracts, and unfolds, creating unexpected movements in the air. Info <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/nac-cna.ca\/en\/event\/40297\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">here<\/a><\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Space Palette<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>This multi-sensory experience begins when you step into a magical dome and enter a magical space. It\u2019s an immersive experience that invites everyone to play via sound, light, and touch. Info <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/nac-cna.ca\/en\/event\/40298\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">here<\/a><\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Musical Hopscotch<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>This is a mashup of playground hopscotch and the dance floor, where you\u2019ll be able to jump, move, and play along with urban dancer \u202fand architect \u202f<strong>Tangent<\/strong> and <strong>DJ Rise Ashen<\/strong>. The duo are known for hosting the Capital Sessions community dance work shops at NAC. Info <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/nac-cna.ca\/en\/event\/40316\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">here<\/a><\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<figure id=\"attachment_121510\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-121510\" style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-121510\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/tattoo-1__event_1024Credit_Jonathan_Lorange.jpg\" alt=\"Crafty: tattoos and crowns (Photo: Jonathan Lorange)\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/tattoo-1__event_1024Credit_Jonathan_Lorange.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/tattoo-1__event_1024Credit_Jonathan_Lorange-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/tattoo-1__event_1024Credit_Jonathan_Lorange-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/tattoo-1__event_1024Credit_Jonathan_Lorange-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-121510\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Crafty: tattoos and crowns (Photo: Jonathan Lorange)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>Craft it up at the festival!<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Here are a few stops you can make between various shows:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The barber chair \u2014 where you can get a shiny star tattoo.<\/li>\n<li>The craft station \u2014 where you can create an awesome crown to wear, or colour in strange creatures.<\/li>\n<li>The selfie wall \u2014 you can show off your tattoo, crown, and anything else you like by taking a photo at<br \/>\nthe selfie wall.<\/li>\n<li>PLUS \u2014 even more surprises\u2026.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Find the full schedule and details for BIG BANG [<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/nac-cna.ca\/en\/%20bigbang\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">HERE<\/a><\/strong>].<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Are you looking to promote an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/advertising\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"color: #0e101a\"><u>event<\/u><\/span><\/a>? Have a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/masthead\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>news tip<\/u><\/a>? Need to know the best\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/events\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>events<\/u><\/a>\u00a0happening this weekend? Send us a\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><a href=\"mailto:anya@ludwig-van.com?subject=Let's%20chat\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong><em><u>note<\/u>.<\/em><\/strong><br \/>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"western\"><em><b>#LUDWIGVAN<\/b><\/em><\/h3>\n<p class=\"western\"><em>Get the daily arts news straight to your inbox.<\/em><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"western\"><em>Sign up for the Ludwig Van Toronto e-Blast! \u2014 local classical music and opera news straight to your inbox <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/583e6ce0-dfd0-48be-8a33-61256b3c58e3.mlbtlr.com\/p2\/Fbd8jWoWQQ6CdBcLIvut3Q\/02E3cYaETqaj4Xm087cpSg?contactid=S3HHYfHY5rZv5f94S15MnA\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/583e6ce0-dfd0-48be-8a33-61256b3c58e3.mlbtlr.com\/p2\/Fbd8jWoWQQ6CdBcLIvut3Q\/02E3cYaETqaj4Xm087cpSg?contactid%3DS3HHYfHY5rZv5f94S15MnA&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1695737525351000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0QTqKRwRJQFGK3KoJYigxX\">HERE<\/a>.<\/h3>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Ottawa\u2019s National Arts Centre presents the 8th edition of BIG BANG, a family friendly festival, on February 14 and 15, where kids and their grown-ups can explore sound with a sense of play.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":64,"featured_media":121515,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[42533,8,41392,19,41306,41496,32,4780,9570,49,4557,62,72],"tags":[42650,2344],"yst_prominent_words":[10453,12857],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/Copy-of-Copy-of-PREVIEW-14.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p9bakr-vBN","amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/121507"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/64"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=121507"}],"version-history":[{"count":26,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/121507\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":121587,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/121507\/revisions\/121587"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/121515"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=121507"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=121507"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=121507"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=121507"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}