A young Courtenay-based cellist will be performing on the National Youth Orchestra of Canada’s 65th Anniversary Tour this year.
Claire Mindell is a 17 year old cellist from Courtenay who has been chosen to play with the orchestra. Mindell currently plays with the Symphony Orchestra and other regional ensembles.
“I’m most looking forward to the repertoire, meeting new friends, and working with Naomi Woo," she said, referring the conductor and educator at NYO. "It’s been a dream since I was 12 to be part of NYO Canada.”
Mindell is one of 91 musicians who have been chosen for the orchestra. NYO will be embarking on a cross-Canada tour to celebrate its 65th anniversary, led by Woo, from July 18 until Aug. 3. They will be stopping in Kingston, Ottawa, Toronto, Vancouver, Nanaimo, and Victoria.
“Each piece presented by this anniversary orchestra challenges the listener to move beyond the surface. This 2025 program is like a great story,” says Woo. “The music celebrates life and creativity, and also doesn’t shy away from struggle. Many of the works respond to composers’ personal struggles as well as their responses to broader social and political issues — art as a source of strength, power, and resistance feels very relevant to the present moment as well.”
This year’s celebratory program features Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 10, Debussy’s La Mer, Mahler’s Symphony No. 5 in C-sharp minor, and Mozart’s Overture to The Magic Flute — crowd favourites alongside a world premiere of a new work by Canadian composer Nicholas Denton Protsack. Each performance reflects NYO Canada’s mission to nurture the next generation of orchestral musicians through meaningful repertoire and national exposure.
“When composers use music to respond to broader struggles, what they are also doing is imagining the world anew, and creating musical blueprints for how the world could be. I believe that through music we can imagine possible futures together.” adds Woo. “I am always inspired to meet the young musicians of the National Youth Orchestra of Canada, who represent tangibly what the future of music in our world will look like, and to help guide them at this stage in their musical journeys.”
A major highlight of the tour will be NYO Canada’s featured appearance at Victoria’s Symphony in the Summer Festival, including two Symphony SPLASH! concerts with the Victoria Symphony, Indigenous artists Celeigh Cardinal and Shawnee Kish, and Latin jazz percussionist Sal Ferreras, performed live on a barge in Victoria's Inner Harbour.
Since its founding in 1960, NYO Canada has shaped generations of Canadian orchestral musicians. Its full-scholarship summer institute bridges the gap between academic study and professional careers, with alumni now performing in top orchestras across the country.
“These extraordinary young performers represent the very heart of Canadian artistic excellence,” says Christie Gray, CEO of NYO Canada. “This anniversary tour celebrates not only our rich history but also the bright future of classical music in Canada.”
NYO's B.C. performances are:
- Vancouver – July 26 – Chan Centre
- Nanaimo – July 30 – Port Theatre
- Victoria – August 1 – Christ Church Cathedral
- Victoria – August 2–3 – Symphony SPLASH! at the Inner Harbour
