Canada’s touring orch stops the music for slain soldier

The National Arts Centre Orchestra of Ottawa will open its European tour tonight in Edinburgh with a minute’s silence.

The concert will be dedicated to Corporal Nathan Cirillo, who was gunned down at the National War Memorial yesterday.

Rosemary Thompson of the NACO said: “It was frightening for all of us because the National Art Centre is steps away from the National War Memorial so the shooting that happened yesterday was literally at our doorstep. As we were flying to Edinburgh all of our colleagues were on lock-down in Ottawa. Many of our friends and family work on Parliament Hill so it was a frightening day and we are sorry it happened.

‘We will be dedicating tonight’s performance to the soldier that was killed.’