{"id":125392,"date":"2026-06-24T13:32:08","date_gmt":"2026-06-24T17:32:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/?p=125392"},"modified":"2026-06-24T14:00:02","modified_gmt":"2026-06-24T18:00:02","slug":"interview-alexander-shelley-talks-about-11-seasons-as-music-director-of-the-national-arts-centre-orchestra","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2026\/06\/24\/interview-alexander-shelley-talks-about-11-seasons-as-music-director-of-the-national-arts-centre-orchestra\/","title":{"rendered":"INTERVIEW | Alexander Shelley Talks About 11 Seasons As Music Director Of The National Arts Centre Orchestra"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure id=\"attachment_125398\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-125398\" style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-125398\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/06\/Copy-of-INTERVIEW-12.jpg\" alt=\"Alexander Shelley conducts the National Arts Centre Orchestra and special guests on Canada Day, July 1, 2025 (Photo: Curtis Perry)\" width=\"1200\" height=\"628\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/06\/Copy-of-INTERVIEW-12.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/06\/Copy-of-INTERVIEW-12-300x157.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/06\/Copy-of-INTERVIEW-12-1024x536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/06\/Copy-of-INTERVIEW-12-768x402.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-125398\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Alexander Shelley conducts the National Arts Centre Orchestra and special guests on Canada Day, July 1, 2025 (Photo: Curtis Perry)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Alexander Shelley will end his tenure with the National Arts Centre Orchestra with the close of the 2025\/26 season. This week, on <strong>June 25<\/strong>, he conducts the NAC Orchestra, with the <strong>Toronto Mendelssohn Choir<\/strong>, soprano <strong>Miah Persson<\/strong> and mezzo-soprano<strong> Ema Nikolovska<\/strong> in Mahler 2, The Resurrection, and on <strong>July 1<\/strong>, he leads the orchestra with a few special guests in the traditional \u2014 and free \u2014 Canada Day concert.<\/p>\n<p>After 11 memorable seasons, there\u2019s no doubt that he\u2019s left his mark in the role of Music Director, which he leaves in the friendly hands of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2026\/06\/05\/interview-new-music-director-john-storgards-talks-national-arts-centre-orchestra\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">John Storg\u00e5rds<\/a>, who\u2019s been serving as Principal Guest Conductor since the 2015\/16 season.<\/p>\n<p>There is equally no doubt that the role has left its mark on him. His two sons Sasha Felix and Leo Arlen were born in Ottawa in 2018 and 2021 respectively.<\/p>\n<p>LV caught up with Maestro Shelley to talk about 11 seasons in Ottawa, and what he\u2019s looking forward to in the years to come.<\/p>\n<p>Alexander Shelley conducts the National Arts Centre Orchestra in Debussy&#8217;s La Mer on June 25, 2025:<\/p>\n<div class=\"jetpack-video-wrapper\"><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/DUfrFHwwaGY?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/div>\n<h2>Alexander Shelley<\/h2>\n<p>Alexander Gordon Shelley was born in London, UK into a musical family. His mother was Irish pianist <strong>Hilary Macnamara<\/strong>, and his father British pianist-conductor <strong>Howard Shelley<\/strong>. He began his music studies as a child, learning piano from his mother, and cello from his grandmother. He went on to study cello at the Westminster School from The Hall School Hampstead under a music scholarship, and later, at the Royal College of Music, and at the Robert Schumann Hochschule, D\u00fcsseldorf. He played the cello a member of the World Orchestra for Peace during the 2003 tour with Valery Gergiev.<\/p>\n<p>He added conducting to his resume in D\u00fcsseldorf, where he studied with Professor Thomas Gabrisch. Shelley served as assistant conductor to Yan Pascal Tortelier with the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain. That\u2019s where he met his wife, personal trainer, fitness model, and author Zoe Shelley.<\/p>\n<p>In 2005, he was unanimously awarded first prize at the Leeds Conductors Competition. Other accolades include two ECHO Klassik (Echo Prizes) in 2016, one for his Deutsche Grammophon recording of an expanded version of Peter and the Wolf, and the other for his role as Artistic Director of the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen\u2019s \u201cZukunftslabor\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>Shelley has served as the Principal Associate Conductor of London\u2019s Royal Philharmonic Orchestra since 2015, which involves touring both nationally and internationally as well as curating the concert series at London\u2019s Cadogan Hall. He became Chief Conductor of the Nuremberg Symphony Orchestra in 2009, a position he held until 2017.<\/p>\n<p>Alexander has multiple roles to look forward to in the coming seasons. He was named the third Music Director of the Pacific Symphony in 2024, acting as Music Director Designate, and assuming the role in full beginning in the 2026-27 season. He has worked as the Artistic and Music Director of Artis\u2212Naples in Florida since the 2024\/25 season. There, he leads the Naples Philharmonic, the Baker Museum, Naples International Film Festival, and several performance series, including jazz, Broadway, pops, and dance.<\/p>\n<p>In late 2025, he was named the Principal Conductor Designate of National Symphony Orchestra Ireland (NSOI), and commences a three year term as Principal Conductor with the 2026\/27 season.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_125400\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-125400\" style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-125400\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/06\/Alexander-Shelley-by-Curtis-Perry.jpg\" alt=\"Alexander Shelley conducts the National Arts Centre Orchestra (Photo: Curtis Perry) \" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/06\/Alexander-Shelley-by-Curtis-Perry.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/06\/Alexander-Shelley-by-Curtis-Perry-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/06\/Alexander-Shelley-by-Curtis-Perry-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/06\/Alexander-Shelley-by-Curtis-Perry-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-125400\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Alexander Shelley conducts the National Arts Centre Orchestra (Photo: Curtis Perry)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>Alexander Shelley: The Interview<\/h2>\n<p>Did he have an idea how long he\u2019d stay in Ottawa when he first took on the job back in 2015?<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think that it is hard to truly achieve things in anything less than sort of eight years with an orchestra,\u201d Shelley says. \u201cIt felt to me like eight to ten years would be [&#8230;] the minimum.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>During his time, he\u2019s accomplished a great deal with the orchestra, and the timing for a move felt right. \u201cI&#8217;m exiting with a big smile on my face,\u201d he says. \u201cIt still feels fresh and vibrant. I think that this was really the sweet spot.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The National Arts Centre Orchestra carries a set of particular expectations and responsibilities with it.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think there&#8217;s a variety of things that I feel have been really important to the work over the last ten years,\u201d he explains. \u201cThe orchestra has a unique position in that we have direct federal funding,\u201d he continues.<\/p>\n<p>That leads to a direct responsibility to support Canadian creation. \u201cDuring my time we have commissioned 50 pieces and counting of symphonic works,\u201d he notes.<\/p>\n<p>He points out that the orchestra has toured every province and territory, including a first: concerts on the traditional lands of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2026\/03\/24\/scoop-canadas-national-arts-centre-orchestra-launches-100th-tour-april-14-2026-maritmes\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Eskasoni Mi&#8217;kmaw Nation<\/a>. \u201cI feel it\u2019s an incredibly important relationship with the Eskasoni Nation in New Brunswick. I feel that it&#8217;s something a national organization should be proud of.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Alexander mentions the education and mentoring component of his job. That has included frequent partnerships with OrKidstra, an Ottawa based charity that offers music education and mentorship for youth from under-served area. Six OrKidstra student musicians went along for the orchestra\u2019s tour to Japan.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s a force for social uplift,\u201d he says. The NAC Orchestra\u2019s official Mentorship Program offers opportunities for early career and advanced student musicians to work with top professionals. \u201cWe&#8217;re in the fifth year of the mentorship program,\u201d Shelley adds. \u201cThat\u2019s something I\u2019m quietly proud of.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Alexander Shelley, Music Director conducts Canada&#8217;s National Arts Centre Orchestra &amp; Fellows of the National Arts Centre&#8217;s &#8216;Play it Forward&#8217; Mentorship Program in Mahler&#8217;s Symphony No. 1 on May 14, 2023:<\/p>\n<div class=\"jetpack-video-wrapper\"><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/5oo3R8ZT_mE?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/div>\n<p>With Shelley, the orchestra has released a series of recordings. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2025\/01\/17\/scoop-stravinsky-strauss-toronto-symphony-orchestra-national-arts-centre-orchestra-offer-new-recordings-2025\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Poema: Ad Astra<\/a> was the first volume of a recording project that Strauss\u2019s tone poems with contemporary works. It was released in January 2025. The second volume, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2025\/11\/04\/scoop-canadas-national-arts-centre-orchestra-releases-poema-2-terra-nova\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Poema: Terra Nova<\/a>, was released in the fall of 2025.<\/p>\n<p>They\u2019re the most recent of the 13 recordings that Shelley has made with the orchestra, which garnered several JUNO nominations, and two JUNO Awards for Classical Composition of the Year for commissioned works by Jocelyn Morlock and Ana Sokolovic.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe recording legacy is very important to me,\u201d he says. He mentions the commissioned works, including pieces by four Canadian composers inspired by Canadian women for the Sesquicentennial celebration in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2017\/05\/23\/record-keeping-13\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">2017\u2019s Life Reflected<\/a>. Morlock&#8217;s My Name is Amanda Todd was singled out for the win. Another Shelley project included the 2021 release Clara, Robert, Johannes, which put the work of Clara Schumann on a par with that of her husband Robert, and Johannes Brahms.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThese are all very important to me.\u201d Another first was 2024&#8217;s Two Orchestras, One Symphony, which saw the NAC Orchestra, the Orchestre symphonique de Qu\u00e9bec, and Toronto Mendelssohn Choir in a recording of Canadian composer Jacques H\u00e9tu\u2019s Symphony No. 5<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe made the very first recording of it,\u201d he says of H\u00e9tu\u2019s symphony. He points out the importance of that recording for the future of the piece. \u201cI know what it&#8217;s like when other orchestras are looking to program something, to be able to listen [to it],\u201d he says.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAnd then finally touring,\u201d he says, \u201ctelling Canadian stories.\u201d Along with tours throughout Canada, he\u2019s taken the orchestra to Europe, and to Carnegie Hall. In 2025, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2025\/01\/16\/scoop-maestro-alexander-shelley-canadas-national-arts-centre-orchestra-set-tour-republic-korea-japan-spring\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">NAC Orchestra returned to Japan<\/a> for the first time in four decades, and made their debut in the Republic of Korea. Shelley relished the role of becoming an ambassador for the national orchestra abroad. He points out that the orchestra took Canadian soloists with them, and a commissioned work on the life of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2024\/02\/09\/interview-alexander-shelley-talks-truth-time-nacos-latest-release\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">journalist Peter Jennings by composer Philip Glass<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Alexander Shelley conducts the National Arts Centre Orchestra in Philip Glass&#8217; Symphony No. 13 &#8220;Truth in Our Time&#8221;<\/p>\n<div class=\"jetpack-video-wrapper\"><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/oqOUynnwSWA?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/div>\n<h3>Three Orchestras for 2026\/27<\/h3>\n<p>Shelley will be busy in 2026\/27 overseeing three orchestras.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI&#8217;m taking over the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland,\u201d he says. \u201cAlready, there&#8217;s a bridge between the NAC and Ireland. I think there&#8217;s a lot of natural shared storytelling between us,\u201d Shelley adds.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEvery music director has to set their own expectations,\u201d Alexander explains. \u201cBut, in a sense, you have to shape your values.\u201d That involves considering the specifics of each appointment. \u201cFor me, putting this creative element at the forefront, the national advocacy and ambassador role, it seemed to me to be the way to do it,\u201d he continues. \u201cWhen we have this support, that&#8217;s where we have to invest those dollars.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The main difference lies in the area of funding, something that operates different with the NAC Orchestra than with most other classical music organizations.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTo survive, other organizations have to generate revenue,\u201d he says. He also doesn\u2019t mean to imply that the NAC Orchestra was the only one to support Canadian artists and creators. \u201cI want to be careful, because so many orchestras across the country do sensational work,\u201d he says. It\u2019s just that funding that comes directly from the Canadian people should have a clear focus. \u201cWe have to put our money where our mouth is,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n<p>Some aspects remain true for any orchestral leadership role.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhether I\u2019m leading a national organization, or whether I\u2019m leading any other kind of organization, a huge part of my role [&#8230;] is about the communication of what we do,\u201d he says. \u201cIt\u2019s a noisy and busy world, and there are many pulls to people\u2019s attention. I think trying to find ways to connect, to share passion, to invite audiences to engage in works of art [&#8230;] is as important as it&#8217;s ever been.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Cultivating public trust is key.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThey have some one who speaks to them directly and honestly. I don&#8217;t try to educate, but I try to share every bit of passion that I have,\u201d he explains of his approach. \u201cWhy should we expect that they&#8217;re deep into the piece that they&#8217;re about to hear?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He\u2019s looking forward to the next season.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWell I have three wonderful leadership positions.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>His role as Artistic and Music Director of Artis\u2212Naples in Florida offers unique possibilities. \u201cI\u2019m leading the orchestra, and building the orchestra in a community that&#8217;s very thirsty [for it],\u201d he says. It also involves overseeing the visual arts, dance, film, and other disciplines housed at the complex. \u201cEach art form serves a different principle,\u201d he says. \u201cI love that job.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Then there\u2019s the Pacific Symphony, where he assumes the role of Music Director in full with the coming season.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI&#8217;m just beginning this job in Los Angeles in Orange County,\u201d he says. \u201cIt\u2019s a fabulous orchestra, with beautiful concert hall.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He\u2019s looking forward to charting the direction of the organization. \u201cWhat do we want to achieve? What is success?\u201d Then there\u2019s the public face of the job. \u201cWhat is symphonic music, and what role does it have in our lives?\u201d It\u2019s what he wants to communicate to his audience there.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cExcellence \u2014 that&#8217;s our daily bread. But, that&#8217;s not our end goal. It all serves a bigger picture.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_125401\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-125401\" style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-125401\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/06\/Alexander-Shelley-by-Curtis-Perry-2.jpg\" alt=\"Alexander Shelley conducts the National Arts Centre Orchestra (Photo: Curtis Perry) \" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/06\/Alexander-Shelley-by-Curtis-Perry-2.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/06\/Alexander-Shelley-by-Curtis-Perry-2-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/06\/Alexander-Shelley-by-Curtis-Perry-2-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/06\/Alexander-Shelley-by-Curtis-Perry-2-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-125401\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Alexander Shelley conducts the National Arts Centre Orchestra (Photo: Curtis Perry)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3>Leaving Ottawa<\/h3>\n<p>\u201cMy final subscription concert next week is with Mahler Resurrection Symphony. It&#8217;s not an accident that we&#8217;re performing that piece \u2014 it was my wish,\u201d Shelley explains.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s a theme that applies to life itself. \u201cTo become a new version of ourselves, and to let go of what we could be,\u201d he says. \u201cI shall ascend into whatever you believe will come next,\u201d he adds.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s a vision of empowerment and change.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He\u2019ll be leaving Canada in a physical sense, but the experience will stay with him forever.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI certainly wouldn&#8217;t be who I am now if it were not for Canada and this orchestra,\u201d he says. Shelley gives credit to the orchestra itself as well as the people who worked around him during his tenure \u2014 along with something undefinable about Canada itself.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s the undercurrents of Canadian society,\u201d he says, \u201chard to put your finger around but is very real. It doesn&#8217;t take itself too seriously. But it is. People are caring, and thinking, and kind and generous,\u201d he adds.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMy two boys are Canadian and proudly so. They&#8217;re very proud of it,\u201d Shelley says.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI leave with this country in the DNA of my family, literally. A part of our souls, my wife and my children, will always be in this country, and I&#8217;ll always be grateful for it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>His last day at NAC Orchestra Music Director sees him conducting with soloists Canadian violinist James Ehnes and French-German cellist Nicolas Altstaedt on July 2; that performance is sold out.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_125399\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-125399\" style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-125399\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/06\/DSCF0040-Curtis-Perry.jpg\" alt=\"Alexander Shelley conducts the National Arts Centre Orchestra and special guests on Canada Day, July 1, 2025 (Photo: Curtis Perry)\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/06\/DSCF0040-Curtis-Perry.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/06\/DSCF0040-Curtis-Perry-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/06\/DSCF0040-Curtis-Perry-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/06\/DSCF0040-Curtis-Perry-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-125399\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Alexander Shelley conducts the National Arts Centre Orchestra and special guests on Canada Day, July 1, 2025 (Photo: Curtis Perry)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>Coming Up&#8230;<\/h2>\n<p>He\u2019s leaving Ottawa, but not just yet, and a return visit is already in the works.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Shelley leads the NAC Orchestra, with the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, soprano Miah Persson and mezzo-soprano Ema Nikolovska in Mahler 2, The Resurrection on <strong>June 25<\/strong> \u2014 and if you can\u2019t make it to Ottawa, there will be a<strong> free livestream<\/strong> available too; details [<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/nac-cna.ca\/en\/event\/41724\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">HERE<\/a><\/strong>].<\/li>\n<li>Tickets will be available for the <strong>Canada Day free concert<\/strong> at Ottawa&#8217;s Southam Hall <strong>as of June 26, 2026 at 12:30 p.m<\/strong>.; details [<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/nac-cna.ca\/en\/event\/41620\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">HERE<\/a><\/strong>].<\/li>\n<li>Next year, he&#8217;ll return for a visit with the NAC Orchestra to conduct Mahler 3 on <strong>June 17 &amp; 18, 2027<\/strong>; details [<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/nac-cna.ca\/en\/event\/40418\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">HERE<\/a><\/strong>].<\/li>\n<li>He leads the orchestra again on<strong> June 23 &amp; 24, 2027<\/strong> in a program of Strauss and Ravel; details [<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/nac-cna.ca\/en\/event\/40419\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">HERE<\/a><\/strong>].<\/li>\n<\/ul>\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>LV caught up with Maestro Shelley to talk about 11 seasons in Ottawa with the NAC Orchestra, and what he\u2019s looking forward to in the years to come.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":64,"featured_media":125398,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[42533,76,19,875,29,38,9570],"tags":[],"yst_prominent_words":[7654,8835,13078,10454,10453,13077,6613],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/06\/Copy-of-INTERVIEW-12.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p9bakr-wCs","amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/125392"}],"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=125392"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/125392\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":125404,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/125392\/revisions\/125404"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/125398"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=125392"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=125392"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=125392"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=125392"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}