Departing NAC Orchestra director Alexander Shelley reflects on 11 years leading Canada's national orchestra
By
Brad Wheeler
Summary
An exit interview with Alexander Shelley, departing music director of the National Arts Centre Orchestra after 11 years. He discusses the unique responsibility of leading a federally funded national orchestra, his accomplishments in Ottawa, the challenges of arts funding in Canada, and his transition to new roles with the Pacific Symphony in California and the National Symphony Orchestra Ireland.
Source
Key quotes
· 3 pulledComing into this job, I knew that the NAC Orchestra was a national orchestra, but I don't think I fully understood what that meant until I got here.
The responsibility of being a national orchestra is that you have to serve the entire country, not just the capital city.
Canada has an incredible wealth of musical talent, and it's been a privilege to work with so many of them over the past decade.
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