Music Across Borders: OrKidstra Invited by Canada’s National Arts Centre Orchestra on International Tour!
NAC Orchestra proudly sponsors six OrKidstra string students for an experience of a lifetime!
May 1, 2025 –This May, Canada’s National Arts Centre Orchestra (NACO), led by Music Director Alexander Shelley, will set out on a monumental international tour to Japan and the Republic of Korea. OrKidstra is thrilled to announce that NACO has extended an extraordinary invitation to six talented young OrKidstra string musicians to join them in Japan as part of the Orchestra’s ongoing commitment to community engagement. OrKidstra’s participation in this once-in-a-lifetime experience is proudly sponsored by Canada’s National Arts Centre Orchestra, with support from generous donors to the NAC Foundation
We are thrilled to share that dedicated OrKidstra students Andrea (violin), Ayaan (viola), Jayda (violin), Jayden (violin), Joanna (violin), and Noah (cello) will proudly represent OrKidstra on this inspiring cross-cultural journey. They will be accompanied by Sonia Caceres Rivera, OrKidstra’s Artistic Manager (Strings) & Teaching Artist, as they embark on a transformative experience rooted in music, community, and connection.
For 10 days in late May/early June, OrKidstra will travel across Japan, performing, engaging, and learning with NACO and local communities in Tokyo, Soma, Sendai, Osaka, and Tsu. As part of the tour, students will take part in side-by-side rehearsals, public performances, and meaningful cultural exchanges with fellow young musicians from El Sistema Japan and Sistema New Brunswick, building friendships and community through the universal language of music. The journey culminates on June 6 at the 2025 World Expo in Osaka, Japan, where students will join the NAC Orchestra and other special guests in a powerful bilingual performance of Hymn to Freedom – celebrating the 100th birthday of the late Canadian jazz legend Oscar Peterson. Additional performances at the Canada Pavilion and in local community settings will further highlight music’s profound ability to inspire, connect, and uplift across cultures.
Dr. Tina Fedeski, Co-Founder and Artistic Managing Director of OrKidstra, is overjoyed by this extraordinary opportunity. “This collaboration is a shining example of how the universal language of music can bring us together in the spirit of belonging, growth, and transformation. We are profoundly grateful to the National Arts Centre Orchestra and OrKidstra Ambassador and NAC Music Director Alexander Shelley for believing in our students and making this unforgettable experience possible for OrKidstra.”
“The NAC Orchestra is proud to partner with Ottawa’s own OrKidstra on our upcoming tour to Japan,” says Alexander Shelley, Music Director of the National Arts Centre Orchestra and OrKidstra Ambassador. “We’re thrilled to share the global stage with these outstanding young musicians from our community, who will perform alongside their peers from Sistema New Brunswick and El Sistema Japan. We look forward to creating lasting memories through this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for musical and cultural exchange.”
Join us on this journey by following OrKidstra and the National Arts Centre Orchestra on social media with the hashtags #NACOTour / #TournéeOCNA / #Expo2025 as we share this exciting adventure. The free NACO Send-Off Concert in Ottawa at the National Arts Centre before the tour departs on May 20, 2025, is now sold out. However, you are warmly invited to a delightful pre-concert performance on the NAC’s Canal Lobby Stage, featuring our talented young OrKidstra musicians at 6:15 PM. This half-hour OrKidstra performance is FREE and accessible to everyone (no tickets required). Be part of this unforgettable evening as we wish the tour a warm bon voyage.
L to R: OrKidstra Students Joanna, Jayden, Jayda, Ayaan, Andrea, Noah, and OrKidstra Artistic Manager (Strings) & Teaching Artist, Sonia Caceres Rivera.
About OrKidstra:
OrKidstra is an Ottawa-based charitable social development program that empowers kids from equity-deserving communities by teaching life skills through singing and playing music together. With the passionate belief in the transformative power of music, OrKidstra began with 27 children; today it has grown to include over 750 children and youth, 400 in-school and 350 after-school, from 62 cultural and linguistic backgrounds and has become a world-class example of why music is called the universal language. With the values of Love, Courage, Excellence, and Belonging at the heart of the organization, OrKidstra’s students demonstrate how the power of music gives them a voice and a confidence that transcends differences and creates a true culture of belonging and community connection. OrKidstra is a registered charity (# 83246 7153 RR0001). Learn more about OrKidstra here.
About Canada’s National Arts Centre Orchestra:
Canada’s National Arts Centre (NAC) Orchestra is praised for the passion and clarity of its performances, its visionary learning and engagement programs, and its unwavering support of Canadian creativity. The NAC Orchestra (NACO) is based in Ottawa, Canada’s national capital, and has grown into one of the country’s most acclaimed and dynamic ensembles since its founding in 1969. Under the leadership of Music Director Alexander Shelley, the NAC Orchestra reflects the fabric and values of Canada, engaging communities from coast to coast to coast through inclusive programming, compelling storytelling, and innovative partnerships. Learn more about the 2025 Tour here.
Contact:
Rebecca Russell, Director of Development & Communications
development@orkidstra.ca
