RBC Foundation Named Lead Donor Of NYOC's Composer-in-Residence Program

RBC Foundation, will be the lead donor of the National Youth Orchestra ofCanada's (NYOC) Composer-in-Residence Program, which will now be referred to as the "RBC Foundation Composer-in-Residence Program". This support is part of RBC's Emerging Artists Project, which aims to fund programs that bridge the gap from academic excellence to professional careers in all aspects of the arts. This year, the NYOC celebrates its 50th anniversary. As part of each summer's tour, the NYOC appoints a composer-in-residence and commissions a work to be performed on the tour.

Barbara Smith, Executive Director of the NYOC is thrilled with RBC coming on board. "The RBC Foundation has held a long tradition of supporting the arts, and their "Emerging Artists Project" is a perfect fit with our own mandate of fostering and developing young talent. I'm very proud of this partnership."

"We believe supporting the arts and culture is crucial to building a strong community," said Shari Austin, vice president and head, Corporate Citizenship, RBC. "Our RBC Emerging Artists Project enables us to invest in programs such as the NYOC Composer-in-Residence Program to help attract and create opportunities for up and coming Canadian talent."

The RBC Composer-in-Residence program is a two-year program. Year 1: the NYOC will perform an existing work with the possibility of a commissioned work for chamber ensemble. The composer will reside with the NYOC for a portion of its training and will work closely with members of the faculty, conductors and the orchestra. During this time, the composer will work on the creation of a new orchestral work commissioned by the NYOC to be performed the following year. Year 2: the composer will again reside with the orchestra while it prepares the repertoire that will include the new, commissioned work.

About The National Youth Orchestra of Canada - The National Youth Orchestra of Canada is Canada's advanced orchestral training institute for musicians ages 16 to 28. Its mission is to educate, elevate, and empower Canada's most gifted young orchestral musicians. Forty percent of Canada's professional orchestral musicians are alumni of the NYOC.

Over the years, the reviews and praise bestowed on the NYOC have been nothing short of amazing. The NYOC was awarded the prestigious title, "the best youth orchestra in the world" at the World Youth Orchestra Conference in Tokyo. In 2010, the NYOC received a JUNO nomination for its 2009 CD/DVD in the category of Classical Album: Large Ensemble or Soloist. For more information on the NYOC, visit www.nyoc.org.

About RBC in the Community - As one of Canada's largest corporate donors, RBC supports a broad range of community initiatives, through donations, sponsorships and employee volunteer activities. In 2009, RBC contributed more than $105 million to community causes worldwide, through donations of more than $52.6 million, and an additional $52.5 million in sponsorship of community events and national organizations.

The National Youth Orchestra of Canada gratefully acknowledges RBC Foundation.

Photo Credit: Arnold Welmers

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