National Arts Centre

Here is one of the greatest jazz pianists and composers of all time! Born in Montreal in 1925, Oscar Peterson went by many nicknames: the “Maharaja of the keyboard”, the “Brown Bomber of boogie-woogie”, the “Master of swing” and the “Four-Handed Man”. And that makes sense, as his unrivalled talent in jazz earned him so many prizes, including 8 Grammy Awards, the UNESCO International Music Council Award, and a spot in the International Jazz Hall of Fame. He was named Companion of the Order of Canada as well as Knight of the National Order of Quebec, and inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame. To put it simply, he was a real prodigy, known for his speed and proficiency among many other things. Unfortunately, he passed away in 2007. 3 years later, Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh unveiled this life-size statue in his honour, right next to this building. This is the National Arts Centre, completed in 1969. It was built specifically to be Ottawa’s leading arts and cultural center, in the context of Canada’s Centennial celebrations. They hosted many events with the aim to revitalise the city. The construction of the arts centre was commissioned by the government itself, back when Lester Pearson was in office. Renovated in 2017, there are now 4 different floors. The centre hosts a variety of theater, dance, opera and folk music performances. A must-visit for art and show lovers!