The National Arts Centre Orchestra has commissioned a new orchestral work from R. Murray Schafer as part of a tribute to the internationally renowned composer on his 75th birthday.

NACO, based in Ottawa, also plans a series of chamber and orchestral concerts in 2008 that are titled Schafer at 75.

R. Murray Schafer is one of Canada's best-known classical composers.
(Andre Leduc/National Arts Centre)

Schafer, who lives in a farmhouse near Maynooth, Ont., is known for his interests in soundscape and the environment, as well as being internationally recognized as a composer.

NACO has commissioned a 25-minute orchestral work to be premiered in celebration of the National Arts Centre's 40th anniversary season in 2009.

It is the fifth work NACO has commissioned from Schafer — beginning in 1973 with East, and including Cortege in 1977, The Garden of the Heart in 1981 and Gitanjali in 1992. 

The orchestra plans extensive collaboration with Schafer over the year, with his works scheduled to be played at four concerts during the "eXpressions" new music festival in March 2008.

The program includes:

• NACO, conducted by Alexander Mickelthwate, presenting a March 26 program of works by Schafer including Gitanjali with Canadian soprano Donna Brown, Letters from Mignon and Scorpius.
• The Molinari Quartet performing the composer's chamber pieces Quartets 8, 9 and 10 on March 28.
• The NAC New Music Ensemble with Eleanor James and Voces Boreales in an evening of chamber and choral music called Schafer and Friends on March 29.
• A choral concert of Schafer's music to be performed as part of a two-day workshop for music teachers and emerging composers.

Schafer has a fascination with the human voice and has made exceptional contributions to the repertoire for chamber choir.

He also wrote pieces for specific voices, including Gitanjali for Brown and Letters from Mignon for his wife, mezzo-soprano Eleanor James.

"The National Arts Centre salutes the creative output of one of its musical giants," NACO managing director Christopher Deacon said in a statement.

"Murray Schafer changed the way the world perceives its sonic environment, and opened new opportunities for teachers to tap into the creativity of every child."

Schafer has written more than 120 works for choral, orchestral and chamber ensembles, including eight string quartets.

His music is structurally original and reflects his underlying philosophies of environmentalism and acoustic ecology. He bases his works on natural rhythms, believing noise pollution is damaging to the human psyche.

The National Arts Centre played a concert dedicated entirely to his music in 1996 and recorded his The Garden of the Heart, with its three important works for female voice and orchestra, on CBC records in 1997.