On March 28, 2025 – Canada’s National Arts Centre Orchestra will be celebrating the release of J.S. Bach: The Complete Violin Concertos, its latest collaboration with internationally acclaimed violinist James Ehnes. Recorded in Southam Hall at the National Arts Centre, this double-disc album brings together the Orchestra and the multi-Juno and Grammy Award-winning musician for a vibrant interpretation of Bach’s legendary violin concertos.
The recording features Bach’s Violin Concerto in A minor, Violin Concerto in E major, Concerto for Two Violins, and Concerto for Flute, Violin, and Harpsichord. It also includes reconstructions by Ehnes of Bach’s Violin Concerto in D minor, Violin Concerto in G minor, Concerto for Oboe and Violin, and Concerto for Three Violins.
“This project has been a dream of mine for a long time,” Ehnes said. “I wanted to record them with the type of ensemble that could make a real impact. These players are some of my closest friends, even away from music. It was so special to dive into a project like this together with musicians with whom there’s no barrier of formality or unfamiliarity.”
“I have so much respect for Canada’s NAC Orchestra and the National Arts Centre,” Ehnes added. “They’ve made a concerted effort for many years to be daring in their programming while not shying away from the core repertoire, which they do so well.”
Ehnes made his debut with the NAC Orchestra in 1993 at just 17 years old. Since then, he has become one of the ensemble’s most frequent and cherished collaborators, serving as the Orchestra’s first-ever Artist in Residence from 2021 to 2024. He has also performed with the Orchestra on several national and international tours, including a standout appearance at New York’s Carnegie Hall in 2022.
NAC Orchestra Managing Director Nelson McDougall praised the collaboration, calling it “pure joy.”
“This latest release, with our good friend and frequent collaborator James Ehnes, showcases his unique and electric connection with the remarkable NAC Orchestra musicians,” McDougall said.
The album also features NAC Orchestra Concertmaster Yosuke Kawasaki, who joins Ehnes for the famed Concerto for Two Violins. Associate Concertmaster Jessica Linnebach completes the trio for the Concerto for Three Violins, while Principal Oboe Charles Hamann, Principal Flute Joanna G’froerer, and guest harpsichordist Luc Beauséjour add their artistry to select pieces.
“It was an absolute delight for me as Concertmaster and a soloist to collaborate with our good friend James Ehnes on this album,” Kawasaki said. “Our Orchestra’s early roots developed in this kind of repertoire. Even though we have grown and evolved to play a much broader range of music, this partnership is a happy reminder of how wonderfully this Orchestra performs as such a responsive and flexible ensemble in works from the Baroque.”
With J.S. Bach: The Complete Violin Concertos, the NAC Orchestra continues to expand its growing discography under the leadership of Music Director Alexander Shelley. The album stands as a testament to the enduring artistic partnership between Ehnes and the Orchestra—a collaboration three decades in the making.
As part of our celebration of this landmark release, J.S. Bach: The Complete Violin Concertos will be our Feature Disc for the month of April. Tune in every Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. to hear selections from this exceptional album, showcasing the artistry of James Ehnes and the NAC Orchestra in a stunning interpretation of Bach’s masterpieces.
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. Based in Ottawa, Canada’s national capital, the NAC Orchestra 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.
About James Ehnes
James Ehnes has established himself as one of the most sought-after musicians on the international stage. Gifted with a rare combination of stunning virtuosity, serene lyricism, and unfaltering musicality, Ehnes is a favourite guest at the world’s most celebrated concert halls.
Recent orchestral highlights include engagements with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, the Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the NHK Symphony Orchestra, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and the Cleveland Orchestra.
Throughout the 2024–2025 season, Ehnes will be Artist in Residence with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and will tour in Asia, where he will perform the complete Beethoven sonatas at Kioi Hall in Tokyo, as well as perform with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra and the Singapore Symphony Orchestra.
