LSM Newswire

Friday, January 15, 2010

Sunday Showcase: Celebrate the marriage between the music of medieval magic and folk-art celebration in European Inspirations



Sunday, January 17th – 2:00 pm

Edmonton, AB Music of medieval magic and folk-art celebration come together in your Edmonton Symphony Orchestra’s (ESO) first Sunday Showcase series event of 2010.  On Sunday, January 17th, Music Director William Eddins will fill ENMAX Hall of the Francis Winspear Centre for Music with the sounds of European inspired works by Dvořák, Liszt, Arutunian, Estacio, and Falla. 

Young promising Canadian pianist, Shean Competition winner, and Juilliard graduate student Daniel Fung joins the ESO on stage for Liszt’s Totentanz, a dazzling showpiece of daring stylistic innovations based on the famous monastic chant Dies iraeNot to be outdone, our Principal Trumpet Robin Doyon plays Arutunian’s Trumpet Concerto, an energetic concerto of Eastern European lyricism and harmonic texture.  Resident Conductor Lucas Waldin will lead the orchestra through John Estacio’s poignant work for strings Such Sweet Sorrow, which will be complemented by a suite from Falla's wonderful comic ballet The Three-Cornered Hat, and Dvořák's celebratory Carnival Overture.

Post-concert, guests are invited to sit down, relax, and engage in a casual conversation with Lucas Waldin and Daniel Fung in the main lobby.  Sunday Coffee Shop offers a uniquely interactive Q&A setting with our Resident Conductor and guest artists this season.

Flute duo Chiara and Juliana Concini will be performing in the main lobby beginning at 1:15 pm, as part of our Musicians in the Making program, generously supported by TELUS.

Ticket prices range from $20 – $65 (agency fees apply), and are available through the Winspear Centre Box Office.  Call (780) 428-1414, toll-free 1-800-563-5081, or purchase online at www.edmontonsymphony.com.

The next performance of the Sunday Showcase series takes place on March 21st, 2010.  Acclaimed Mexican conductor Alondra de la Parra makes her ESO debut presenting richly colourful musical blends of tango and classical tradition.  Marimbist Pius Cheung appears as guest soloist, performing a Bach masterpiece as you’ve never heard it before.

Thank you to our season media sponsor CBC, and our series media sponsors CKUA Radio Network and Edmonton’s Child.

Sponsorship inquiries can be directed to Marc Carnes, Director of Development, at (780) 401-2518.

The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, marking its 58th season in 2009-2010, has taken its place as one of Canada's foremost orchestral ensemble.  Its current roster includes 56 musicians from Canada and around the world, performing a wide-ranging repertoire from the great classical masterworks to pops and children's concerts. The presence of the orchestra and its enrichment of the community's quality of life are key elements in the stature and profile of Edmonton on the national and international scene.

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Monday, January 4, 2010

Online Ticket Sale Begins Today!



$29 tickets to four different ESO performances this January - Purchase online now until January 8

Late Night Beethoven

Friday, January 8 at 9:30 pm

An interactive concert event featuring Beethoven's 2nd Symphony and 2nd Piano Concerto, with Bill Eddins on piano, conducting, and in conversation. Stick around after the concert for live jazz and cocktails in the lobby.

Thank you to our Late Night Sponsor: Lexus of Edmonton

Violinissimo!

Thursday, January 14 at 8:00 pm

Concertmaster Martin Riseley returns to perform a selection of his favourite "party pieces", from a playful Tchaikovsky waltz to a quiet lyrical piece by Gershwin, will Bill Eddins conducting.

Thank you to our series sponsor: Bill & Mary Jo Robbins

Thank you to our media sponsor: Global TV

European Inspirations

Sunday, January 17 at 2:00 pm

In this marriage between the music of medieval magic and folk-art celebration, this performance features young promising pianist, Daniel Fung performing a dazzling work by Liszt, plus selections from Falla's comic ballet The Three-Cornered Hat and Dvořák's Carnival Overture.

Thank you to our media sponsors: CKUA Radio Network, Edmonton's Child

Schubert's Unfinished Symphony

Wednesday, January 27 at 7:30 pm

Conductor Jean-Marie Zeitouni presents an inspiring concert program of Schubert and Rameau. Canadian soprano Simone Osborne joins the orchestra for a celebratory motet by Mozart and a beloved cantata by Bach, and the ESO’s own Robin Doyon is also featured as guest soloist.

Thank you to our season media sponsor: Edmonton Journal

$29 tickets (service charges apply) are available for online purchase only at www.edmontonsymphony.com from January 4 – 8, 2010.

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Friday, December 4, 2009

Robbins Lighter Classics: Over 125 voices add an elaborate musicality to traditional holiday favourites

A Lightly Classical Christmas

Thursday, December 17th – 8:00 pm

*SOLD OUT*

Edmonton, ABAll will be calm and all will be bright in an evening devoted to the beloved classical and traditional music of the season. The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra (ESO), along with Canadian baritone Nathan Berg, Richard Eaton Singers (RES), and guest conductor Steven Reineke, bring rich holiday sentiment and memory to the Francis Winspear Centre for Music with exquisite orchestral arrangements and grand choral masterpieces.

A truly vibrant and unique composition of carols, Christopher Rouse’s Karolju evokes familiar moods of Christmas but with a contemporary twist. In this uplifting piece, Richard Eaton Singers, comprising of 125 voices, will sing in Latin, Swedish, French, Spanish, Russian, Czech, German, and Italian, matching the sound of the language to the style of the carol.

Lending his “first-class voice” (The Boston Globe), one of the most in-demand bass-baritones of his generation Nathan Berg will enchant the audience with his internationally acclaimed musicality and artistry. Performing traditional favourites including Silent Night, Handel’s The Trumpet Shall Sound (from Messiah), and Niles’ I Wonder As I Wander, Mr. Berg will also join forces with RES for Vaughan Williams’ brilliantly melodious Fantasia on Christmas Carols and a stirring rendition of O Holy Night.

This concert is SOLD OUT. Ticket prices range from $20 – $69 (agency fees apply), and are available through the Winspear Centre Box Office. Call (780) 428-1414, toll-free 1-800-563-5081, or purchase online at www.edmontonsymphony.com.

The ESO will be collecting non-perishable food items for the Edmonton Food Bank at concerts throughout the month of December.

The next performance of the Robbins Lighter Classics series takes place on January 14th, 2010. Martin Riseley returns in the New Year to perform a dazzling array of his favourite “party pieces” with the ESO in Violinissimo!

Thank you to our series sponsor Bill and Mary Jo Robbins, our series media sponsor Global Television, and our season media sponsor the Edmonton Journal.

Sponsorship inquiries can be directed to Marc Carnes, Director of Development, at (780) 401-2518.

The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, marking its 58th season in 2009-2010, has taken its place as one of Canada's foremost orchestral ensemble. Its current roster includes 56 musicians from Canada and around the world, performing a wide-ranging repertoire from the great classical masterworks to pops and children's concerts. The presence of the orchestra and its enrichment of the community's quality of life are key elements in the stature and profile of Edmonton on the national and international scene.

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Extraordinary Canadian talents bring The Perfect Gift to the Winspear Centre, in perfect harmony with the ESO

Canadian Tenors Christmas Concert

One Night Only!

Monday, December 7th – 7:30 pm

*SOLD OUT*

Edmonton, AB With the recent release of their Christmas album, The Perfect Gift, the Canadian Tenors return to the Francis Winspear Centre for Music for a spectacular holiday performance with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra (ESO). For one special night, Canada’s vocal sensations will showcase their irrefutable talent and awe-inspire a sold-out house with exceptionally beautiful harmonies.

In a performance led by ESO Resident Conductor Lucas Waldin, the Canadian Tenors, who consist of Remigio Pereira, Fraser Walters, Victor Micallef, and Clifton Murray, will celebrate the spirit of the season through the warmth and joy of their eclectic blend of classical and contemporary pop music. Breathtaking Christmas classics from their new album, including O Holy Night, What Child is This? and O Viens Emmanuel, plus select repertoire from their debut album will bring concertgoers to their feet with the power of their voices.

The Canadian Tenors’ self-titled debut album has gone gold in Canada and is being released around the world by Universal Music and its affiliates. The group has received rave reviews wherever they perform - from the Tel Aviv Opera house where they shared the stage with Andrea Bocelli, to Las Vegas’ Mandalay Bay Coliseum with David Foster and Friends, to Toronto’s Air Canada Centre where they headlined at One Night Live with Sting and Sheryl Crow.

The Canadian Tenors will be touring extensively in the United States until May 2010, and have been named the Canadian Ambassadors for Toronto’s 2015 Pam Am Games Bid. As our country’s leading talents, the foursome also performed the national anthem on the CFL’s biggest stage, that of the 97th Grey Cup on November 29th.

This special performance is SOLD OUT. Ticket prices for this performance range from $20 – $79 (agency fees apply). Tickets are available through the Winspear Centre Box Office at (780) 428-1414, toll-free 1-800-563-5081, or online at edmontonsymphony.com.

A Family Christmas Concert, the next special performance by the ESO, will take place on Saturday, December 19th. In this matinee performance, the magical animated film The Snowman will be projected above the stage as the orchestra performs the score live.

The ESO will be collecting non-perishable food items for the Edmonton Food Bank at concerts throughout the month of December.

Thank you to our performance sponsor ATB Investor Services and our season media sponsors CBC and the Edmonton Journal.

Sponsorship inquiries can be directed to Marc Carnes, Director of Development, at (780) 401-2518.

The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, marking its 58th season in 2009-2010, has taken its place as one of Canada's foremost orchestral ensembles. Its current roster includes 56 musicians from Canada and around the world, performing a wide-ranging repertoire from the great classical masterworks to pops and children's concerts. The presence of the orchestra and its enrichment of the community's quality of life are key elements in the stature and profile of Edmonton on the national and international scene.

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Thursday, December 3, 2009

Edmonton Symphony Orchestra holds 2009 Annual General Meeting


Edmonton, AB The 2009 Annual General Meeting of the Edmonton Symphony Society (ESS) was held in The Studio yesterday afternoon at the Francis Winspear Centre for Music. ESS Managing Director Annemarie Petrov and Chair of the Board of Directors Steven LePoole reviewed for the Society’s members, highlights of the Edmonton Symphony’s 2008/2009 fiscal year.

The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra (ESO) experienced a truly remarkable year, both financially and artistically. “While we were faced with many challenges posed by an uncertain economic environment, we have been able to overcome these challenges and for the sixth consecutive year, the ESO has operated within a balanced budget. We are very pleased to announce a surplus of $23,752” announced Annemarie Petrov.

The surplus can be attributed to not only the artistic quality and presence of the ESO made possible by its local audience, but also by those who believe strongly in the organization. “We are grateful to the 1,500 individuals, foundations, and companies who affirmed the importance of the ESO in the community, coming together to provide close to $2 million in annual funding.”

The 2008/2009 season had a number of memorable highlights. One of the great voices of our age, Renée Fleming made her long-awaited Edmonton debut, and The Masters flagship series was distinguished by appearances by percussionist Colin Currie and violinist James Ehnes. Anton Kuerti and James Campbell brought serenity and beauty to the Midweek Classics, while Mr. Sulu himself (aka George Takei), country artists George Canyon and Ian Tyson, and pop divas the Pointer Sisters thrilled audiences alike. Three sold-out performances of Cirque de la Symphonie amazed our Pops patrons with brilliant artistry. Subscription sales for the past year also saw a dramatic increase through a new 2-for-1 campaign, amounting to an added sense of vibrancy and energy within the Francis Winspear Centre for Music.

The ESO’s new Principal Trumpet, Robin Doyon, distinguished himself throughout his first season, and Megan Evans (horn) and Rob Aldridge (double bass) invigorated their respective sections during their initial seasons with the orchestra. At the end of the 2008/2009 season, the orchestra’s first two Laureate musicians were named, Principal Clarinet Chuck Hudelson and Principal Trumpet Alvin Lowrey, and Aaron Au (violin) and Susan Ekholm (viola) retired after performing with the ESO for 10 and 34 seasons, respectively.

The ESO is supported by the leadership of a seventeen member Board, who has shown utmost leadership and ongoing commitment to the organization. The dedication of Committee Chairs, including Phyllis Clark, Ron New, Jim Carter, Colin Eicher, and Maria David-Evans, further contributes to the ESO’s successes and accomplishments. Ms. Gillian Caldwell resigned from the Board of Directors in March 2009, and in April 2009, Ms. Edith Stacey was appointed. Ms. Esther Ondrack has resigned from the Board of Directors after six years of dedicated service, and in her stead, Reginald Milley, President and CEO of Edmonton Airports, was appointed.

The ESS is immensely grateful to the City of Edmonton through the Edmonton Arts Council, the Province of Alberta through the Alberta Foundation for the Arts, and the Federal Government through the Canada Council for the Arts for their ongoing funding its operations.

Financial statements of the Edmonton Symphony Society are available on the ESO website, or by clicking here.

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Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Captivating holiday favourite matches powerful scripture and song - Dec. 4 & 5

Powerful and inspiring matching of scripture and song in the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra’s presentation of Handel’s Messiah

Friday, December 4th – 7:30 pm
Saturday, December 5th – 7:30 pm

Edmonton, AB … In its annual tradition, your Edmonton Symphony Orchestra (ESO) presents Handel’s Messiah, one of the worlds most enduring and cherished works of faith and inspiration. For over 250 years, audiences have been captivated by this Baroque treasure and holiday favourite. In what is considered Handel’s most famous creation, one of Canada’s brightest young conductors, Jean-Marie Zeitouni, returns to the Francis Winspear Centre for Music for a joyous and powerful musical experience. Along with four highly-acclaimed international soloists, and two of Edmonton’s finest chamber choirs, the ESO promises a stunning presentation of one of the greatest musical masterpieces of all time.

Making their ESO debut, Soprano Hélène Guilmette, Mezzo-Soprano Daniela Mack, Tenor Colin Balzer, and Bass Stephen Hegedus will recreate the opulent power and stirring contrast of this famous oratorio, based on libretto by Charles Jennens. The inspired relation between the words and music, and the compelling spaciousness of Handel’s music, will also be evoked by nearly 70 voices from the University of Alberta Madrigal Singers and i Coristi Chamber Choir. Backed by the full richness of the orchestra, concert patrons will be brought to their feet with its climactic “Hallelujah” chorus, the most famous and recognizable piece from Handel’s Messiah.

Ticket prices for this performance range from $20 – $79 (agency fees apply). All tickets for Youth/Child (aged 3 - 17) are $20 (agency fees apply). Tickets are available through the Winspear Centre Box Office at (780) 428-1414, toll-free 1-800-563-5081, or online at edmontonsymphony.com.

The next special performance for the ESO this season takes place on Monday, December 7, as the Canadian Tenors return for a sold out performance of traditional holiday favourites.

Thank you to our performance sponsors 105.9 Shine FM and AM 930 The Light, and our season media sponsors CBC and the Edmonton Journal.

The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, marking its 58th season in 2009-2010, has taken its place as one of Canada's foremost orchestral ensembles. Its current roster includes 56 musicians from Canada and around the world, performing a wide-ranging repertoire from the great classical masterworks to pops and children's concerts. The presence of the orchestra and its enrichment of the community's quality of life are key elements in the stature and profile of Edmonton on the national and international scene.

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Symphonic tribute to esteemed Beatle marks latest addition to concert season - May 12

Entertaining Addition to ESO Season!

Live and Let Die –
A Symphonic Tribute to the Music of Paul McCartney

Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Tickets on sale now!

Edmonton, AB … The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra (ESO) is excited to announce the addition of Live and Let Die to their already remarkable line-up of special concerts this season. For one night only, Paul McCartney’s legacy comes alive at the Francis Winspear Centre for Music. From his great songs with The Beatles to his outstanding solo music, Paul McCartney’s essence comes alive in Tony Kishman's award-winning re-creation of the sound and look of one of rock’s most influential performers. Audiences will be dazzled by the combination of the power of pop with the beauty of symphonic orchestration.

The outstanding musicians of the highly successful Classical Mystery Tour have twice blown ESO audiences away with their powerhouse symphonic salute to The Beatles, so don't miss those same musicians when they present Live and Let Die. Kishman, with his uncanny resemblance both visually and vocally to the beloved Beatle, brings a delightful concert experience to a whole new generation of fans.

Ticket prices range from $20 - $79 (agency fees apply) and are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased through the Winspear Centre Box Office. Call (780) 428-1414, toll-free at 1-800-563-5081, or purchase online at edmontonsymphony.com.

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Friday, November 13, 2009

Orchestrations of grace and dramatic flair in evening of Mahler and Schubert - Nov. 14

Classic Landmarks Masters

Magical vocal landscape and stream of lovely melodies in evening of
Mahler and Schubert

Saturday, November 14th – 8:00 pm

Edmonton, AB … Graceful melodies and dramatic flair lie within your Edmonton Symphony Orchestra’s (ESO) next Classic Landmarks Masters series performance. Award-winning and infectiously exuberant conductor Giancarlo Guerrero returns to the Francis Winspear Centre for Music to lead the orchestra and elegant Canadian soprano Laura Whalen through orchestrations of contrast and influence.

Themes from Mahler’s song “The Heavenly Life” are the basis of his Fourth Symphony. The poetic and musical summit will be brought to life with a soaring soprano solo in the passionate final movement. Making her ESO debut, Laura Whalen sings a deliberately naïve impression of heaven, inviting us into a fairytale realm and innocent vision of paradise.

The effervescent charm of Rossini and the muscular feel of Beethoven infuse Schubert’s youthful Sixth Symphony. In this ESO premiere, streams of lively and innocent melodies are distinguished by brusque contrasts that deftly maintain the work’s overall buoyancy.

Guests are invited to join ESO Resident Conductor Lucas Waldin at Symphony Prelude - 7:15 pm in the Upper Circle (Third Level) Lobby – to learn more about the influential works that will be presented.

Ticket prices for this performance range from $20 – $69 (agency fees apply). Student and senior $20 rush tickets are on sale, subject to availability, two hours prior to performance time. Tickets are available through the Winspear Centre Box Office at (780) 428-1414, toll-free 1-800-563-5081, or online at edmontonsymphony.com.

The next performance of the Classic Landmarks Masters series takes place on November 27th & 28th, as Katherine Chi plays Beethoven. The ESO premieres a titan of the opera repertoire, Wagner’s glorious Die Meistersinger, in a new orchestral “tribute,” and welcomes Calgary native Katherine Chi as guest soloist in Beethoven’s “Emperor” Piano Concerto.

The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, marking its 58th season in 2009-2010, has taken its place as one of Canada's foremost orchestral ensembles. Its current roster includes 56 musicians from Canada and around the world, performing a wide-ranging repertoire from the great classical masterworks to pops and children's concerts. The presence of the orchestra and its enrichment of the community's quality of life are key elements in the stature and profile of Edmonton on the national and international scene.

Winspear Centre Box Office:
#4 Sir Winston Churchill Square
(780) 428-1414 or 1-800-563-5081
www.edmontonsymphony.com

Biographies

Giancarlo Guerrero's 09/10 season marks his first as Music Director of the Nashville Symphony Orchestra. A champion of new music, a new CD on Naxos of music by Michael Daugherty, with the Nashville Symphony, was released in September 2009. Mr. Guerrero's guest conducting engagements in the 09/10 season include in Milwaukee, New Jersey, and Fort Worth, the Pacific Symphony, in Costa Mesa, as well as the Curtis Institute of Music. He recently made two important debuts abroad: his European debut with the Gulbenkian Orchestra, where he was immediately invited to return, and his UK Debut with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. He has also recently made successful debuts with several major American orchestras, including the Baltimore Symphony, the Cleveland Orchestra, the Seattle Symphony, the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl, and the Philadelphia Orchestra.

Also in demand in Central and South America, Giancarlo Guerrero conducts regularly in Venezuela with the Orquesta Sinfónica Simón Bolívar, with which he has had a special relationship for many years. His debut at the Casals Festival with Yo-Yo Ma and the Puerto Rico Symphony in 2005 was followed by return engagements in 2006 and 2007. He also made his debut at the Teatro Colón in Argentina in 2005. In June 2004, Guerrero was awarded the Helen M. Thompson Award by the American Symphony Orchestra League, which recognizes outstanding achievement among young conductors nationwide. Guerrero holds degrees from Baylor and Northwestern universities. He was most recently the Music Director of the Eugene Symphony. From 1999 to 2004, Mr. Guerrero served as Associate Conductor of the Minnesota Orchestra. Prior to his tenure with the Minnesota Orchestra, he served as music director of the Táchira Symphony Orchestra in Venezuela.

Mr. Guerrero last conducted the ESO in November, 2007.

Laura Whalen has made her mark as a lyric soprano whose performances are notable for beauty of tone and musical finesse. Ms. Whalen’s 2009-2010 season is a mix of concert and opera appearances beginning with Rosalinde in Die Fledermaus for Opera Hamilton. Beethoven’s Missa solemnis marks her return to Ottawa’s National Arts Centre, and Calgary Opera audiences hear her as Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni. Ms. Whalen has been called on for some of the most important leading roles in the repertoire, including the tragic heroine in Roméo et Juliette and Pamina in Die Zauberflöte. Ms. Whalen’s concert schedule has been equally demanding with performances of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, Poulenc’s Gloria, Mozart’s Requiem, Krönungmesse, and Vesperae solennes de confessore.

Laura Whalen toured Spain and Portugal singing Die Schöpfung in the summer of 2004. She debuted with the Canadian Opera Company as Der Waldvogel in Siegfried, and for Chicago Opera Theatre as Helena in Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. She won acclaim in Carmina Burana with the Washington (D.C.) Choral Arts Society conducted by Leonard Slatkin. Career highlights have included the creation of the title role in Filumena by Estacio and Murrell for Calgary Opera (later for an Edmonton performance filmed by CBC), Mimi in La Bohème for Pacific Opera Victoria, and the Governor General’s Award telecast from the National Arts Centre conducted by Mario Bernardi. She toured Europe with the Caritatis Choir singing Brahms’ Ein Deutsches Requiem, and has been featured with orchestras in Quebec, Toronto, Calgary, Florida, Hamilton, and Winnipeg. Ms. Whalen holds a Bachelor's Degree in Music from the University of Victoria and an Opera Diploma from the University of Toronto. She studied at the Britten-Pears School in England and has received awards from the Vancouver Opera Guild, Canadian National Music Festival and the National Association of Teachers of Singing.

Ms. Whalen has sung in Filumena with Edmonton Opera in 2005 with the ESO accompanying, but this performance is her debut with the ESO.

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Friday, October 30, 2009

Spooktacular afternoon of musical treats for young ghouls and goblins - Oct. 31

ESSO Symphony for Kids
Pumpkinful afternoon of frightful tricks and musical treats

Spooktacular
Saturday, October 31st – 2:00 pm

Edmonton, AB … A ghostly host joins your Edmonton Symphony Orchestra (ESO) to take the whole family on a witch’s broom ride through the Francis Winspear Centre for Music. Conductor Bruce Hangen will reveal an orchestral graveyard of frightening noises and eerie effects that will have children screaming with delight!

This chilling performance will haunt the music hall with the Addams Family Values Tango, Bratton’s The Teddy Bears’ Picnic, Dukas’ The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, selections from The Phantom of the Opera and Pictures at an Exhibition, and so much more. This 60-minute concert is performed without intermission.

Fill your cauldron of Halloween activities with a pumpkinful afternoon of musical tricks and treats. Creep over to the Winspear Centre for pre-concert activities starting at 1:15 PM in the main lobby, where young ghouls and goblins will have a frightfully fun time crafting Halloween masks.

Ticket prices for this matinee performance range from $21 to $29 for Adults, and $13 to $17 for Children (agency fees apply). Call the Winspear Centre Box Office at (780) 428-1414 or 1-800-563-5081, or purchase online at www.edmontonsymphony.com.

The next performance of the ESSO Symphony for Kids series will take place on November 21st. Bring the wee lads and lasses to the Winspear Centre for A Celtic Adventure with Bill Eddins and the Knock School of Irish Dance.

Thank you to our generous series sponsor ESSO Imperial Oil Foundation, our series media sponsor 105.9 Shine FM, and our season media sponsor CBC.

Sponsorship inquiries can be directed to Marc Carnes, Director of Development, at (780) 401-2518.

The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, marking its 58th season in 2009-2010, has taken its place as one of Canada's foremost orchestral ensemble. Its current roster includes 56 musicians from Canada and around the world, performing a wide-ranging repertoire from the great classical masterworks to pops and children's concerts. The presence of the orchestra and its enrichment of the community's quality of life are key elements in the stature and profile of Edmonton on the national and international scene.

Winspear Centre Box Office:
#4 Sir Winston Churchill Square
(780) 428-1414 or 1-800-563-5081
www.edmontonsymphony.com

Biography

Bruce Hangen is Director of Orchestral Activities at the Boston Conservatory, serving as the Conservatory’s principal orchestral conductor as well as director of both the orchestra and conducting programs. The 2008/2009 season marked his 11th season as the Music Director of the Indian Hill Symphony. Recently, Mr. Hangen completed his tenure as the Principal Pops Guest Conductor of the Boston Pops. This position was created in May 2002 especially for Mr. Hangen, reflecting the strong musical relationship built over two decades of regular guest conducting. Other past positions include Music Director of the Omaha Symphony. From 1998 to 2000, he was Acting Resident Conductor of both the Utah and Kansas City Symphony Orchestras. Mr. Hangen was for ten seasons (1976-86) Music Director and Conductor of the Portland (Maine) Symphony; 1973-79 Associate Conductor of the Denver Symphony; 1975-79 Music Director of the Arapahoe Chamber Orchestra in Denver; six summer seasons (1966-72) Assistant Conductor of the Colorado Philharmonic.

A graduate of the Eastman School of Music with a major in conducting, Hangen was also a conducting fellow at the Berkshire Music Center at Tanglewood for two summers, where his conducting teachers included Seiji Ozawa, Leonard Bernstein, Michael Tilson Thomas, and Stanislaw Skrowaczewski. His recent appearances have included concerts with the Florida Philharmonic and Boston Symphony as well as the orchestras of St. Louis, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, San Francisco, Atlanta, Jacksonville, Naples (FL), and Houston. His repeat engagements with the Boston Pops and Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestras alone totaled well over 200 performances since 1979. Mr. Hangen is the recipient of an Honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree from the University of New England, and in Omaha he received the ICAN Foundation’s 1990 Browning Award for Career Excellence and Vision. Bruce Hangen was born in Pottstown, Pennsylvania and was raised in Great Falls, Montana.

Mr. Hangen last appeared with the ESO in September, 2008.

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Thursday, October 8, 2009

Sunday Showcase series is Taking Flight with utmost musicianship - Oct. 18

Sunday Showcase: Promising young talent and a composer from the ESO’s ranks propel series opener

Taking Flight
Sunday, October 18th – 2:00 pm

October 8th, 2009 - Edmonton, AB … Performing timeless musical works, the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra (ESO) and Music Director William Eddins kick-off the newly formatted Sunday Showcase series by Taking Flight at the Francis Winspear Centre for Music. Bringing a new, unique essence to the series, these matinee concerts can be considered the perfect stepping stone for families with teens and young adults.

In this diverse and lyrical showcase of music, 17-year-old prodigious Canadian violinist and student at the prestigious Curtis Institute of Music, Maia Cabeza, demonstrates the technically brilliant style of Glazunov’s Violin Concerto. ESO Principal Trombone John McPherson will be featured soloist in his own composition Walk in Beauty, and Bill Eddins and the orchestra bring nature’s music to the concert hall with Respighi’s sparkling suite Gli uccelli (The Birds). Mozart’s “Prague” Symphony, written in gratitude for the people of Bohemia, closes the series opening concert.

Following the performance, join Resident Conductor Lucas Waldin and violinist Maia Cabeza in the main lobby for our Sunday Coffee Shop. Audience members are invited to ask questions about the performance in a casual, relaxed, and fun atmosphere.

In appreciation of educators in our community, the ESO welcomes Kathy Goudreau, new principal of A. Blair McPherson School to the matinee concert. Ms. Goudreau will be available to speak with students, their parents, and all ESO patrons. Join her to learn about the progress on the building and discover her unique vision for the school, which opens in September, 2010. It was previously announced that John McPherson’s father, a strong advocate and volunteer for public education, would be granted a namesake school.

Many of the ESO musicians are also educators, active in the community as private music lesson instructors. An online directory of these musicians and their current instruction offerings is now available on the ESO website.

Ticket prices for Taking Flight range from $20 – $65 (agency fees apply), and are available through the Winspear Centre Box Office. Youth tickets are only $20 (plus fees). Call (780) 428-1414, toll-free 1-800-563-5081, or purchase online at www.edmontonsymphony.com.

The next performance of the Sunday Showcase series takes place on January 17th, 2010. ESO Principal Trumpet Robin Doyon and Canadian pianist Daniel Fung create music of medieval magic and folk-art celebration, together with Bill Eddins, in European Inspirations.

The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, marking its 58th season in 2009-2010, has taken its place as one of Canada's foremost orchestral ensemble. Its current roster includes 56 musicians from Canada and around the world, performing a wide-ranging repertoire from the great classical masterworks to pops and children's concerts. The presence of the orchestra and its enrichment of the community's quality of life are key elements in the stature and profile of Edmonton on the national and international scene.

Biographies

Canadian violinist Maia Cabeza started violin studies in Toronto at the age of four. Accepted at 13, she is currently a student at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, where Ida Kavafian and Joseph Silverstein are her violin teachers. She had her first soloist performance with orchestra at the age of 10, and more recently, she performed with the Reno Philharmonic, the Detroit Symphony at Meadow Brook Music Festival, and with the Sphinx Chamber Orchestra. In 2004, she was loaned an 1892 Gragnani violin by the Stradivari Society of Chicago, and in 2005, she was awarded a fellowship from the Davidson Institute for Talent Development towards advancing musical studies. A finalist in the 2009 Albert M. Greenfield Philadelphia Orchestra Competition and a semi-finalist in the 2008 Yehudi Menuhin International violin competition, Ms. Cabeza has won prizes in numerous competitions.

Now 17, Maia Cabeza has performed as a soloist with several orchestras, including the Orquesta Academica del Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires, the Chapel Hill Philharmonia, the Duke String School Chamber Orchestra, the Danville Symphony, and the Triangle Youth Philharmonic. She was the concertmaster of the Triangle Youth Philharmonic for the 2005-2006 season, and has worked under conductors such as Simon Rattle, Christoph Eschenbach, and Charles Dutoit as a member of the Curtis Symphony Orchestra. Past violin teachers include Patinka Kopec (Manhattan School of Music), Richard Luby (UNC), and Robert Lipsett. Maia has attended several prestigious summer festivals including the Verbier Festival Academy in Switzerland, Yellow Barn Young Artists Program, Encore School for Strings, and the Aspen Music Festival and School.

This is Ms. Cabeza’s debut with the ESO.

Since 1980, John McPherson has been Principal Trombone of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra. A native Edmontonian, John has been both a trombone and euphonium soloist with the ESO. In addition, the orchestra has performed many of his compositions. Previous orchestral experience includes the Toronto Symphony, Hamilton Philharmonic, Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony, National Ballet of Canada Orchestra, National Youth Orchestra, and the Canadian Opera Orchestra.

An active musician in many areas, John has played with the Tommy Banks Band, the New Orleans Connection, the Canadian Hot Stars Dixieland Band, the Alberta Jazz Repertory Orchestra, the Bad for Business Big Band and many others. As a chamber musician, John has performed and recorded as a member of the Canadian Chamber Ensemble, the Malcolm Forsyth Trombone Ensemble, the Albertasauras Tuba Quartet, the Old Strathcona Town Band, and the Plumbers Union. He is a founding member of E-SWAT, a tactical musical strike team of the ESO which launches surgical attacks of music where it’s least expected.

As an educator John has been part of the ESO’s Adopt a Player program, taught at numerous music camps, and since 1985 has been Visiting Assistant Professor of Trombone and Euphonium at the University of Alberta.

Composition has become an increasingly important part of John’s career. He has received commissions from Grande Prairie Regional College, the Wild Rose String Quartet, and the Alberta Foundation for the Performing Arts. His works have been performed by such groups as the Edmonton Symphony, the Hammerhead Consort, Take 3, the NOWage Orchestra, the Beau String Quartet of Calgary, Basstiality of Toronto, and the Festival City Pops Orchestra. Many of these performances have been recorded and broadcast on programs such as Arts National, Two New Hours, and Alberta In Concert.


Under Music Director William Eddins’ charismatic and energetic direction, the Edmonton Symphony has attained a level of musicianship and profile in the community it has rarely achieved. He has conducted performances in nearly every subscription series the ESO has presented, as well as a wide variety of special concerts and galas.

Bill’s musical life began at age five when his parents bought a Wurlitzer Grand piano at a garage sale. He attended the Eastman School of Music, graduating at age eighteen, making him the youngest graduate in the history of the institution. He also studied conducting with Daniel Lewis at the University of Southern California. Previous positions include a five-year tenure as Principal Guest Conductor of the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra (Ireland) and as Resident Conductor of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Associate Conductor of the Minnesota Orchestra.

Bill Eddins continues to pursue many varied interests, both personally and professionally. While conducting has been his principal pursuit, he continues to perform on piano in Edmonton and elsewhere. He recently built a state of the art recording studio and has begun work on a series of chamber music recordings. He blogs regularly on insidethearts.com and has done a series of podcasts called Classical Connections available at williameddins.com.

Committed to his leadership of the ESO, Mr. Eddins accepts a limited number of guest appearances elsewhere. He led a highly-acclaimed production of Porgy and Bess for Opéra de Lyon in June 2008, which he will reprise during the summer of 2010, and most recently toured South Africa in August 2009 with the stunning soprano Renée Fleming and KwaZulu-Natal Philharmonic Orchestra. His latest recording, of American music for Cello and Piano, has been released on the Naxos label.

A native of Buffalo, New York, Bill currently resides in Minneapolis with his wife Jen, a clarinetist, and their two boys, Raef and Riley.

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Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Baroque repertoire showcased with Canadian piano sensation - Oct. 14

Midweek Classics
Graceful, elegant style of guest pianist merges with sophistication of Baroque repertoire

Inspirations
Wednesday, October 14th – 7:30 pm

Edmonton, AB … The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra (ESO) welcomes accomplished and innovative Canadian pianist Stewart Goodyear back to the Francis Winspear Centre for Music to open the ESO’s Midweek Classics series. Music Director William Eddins and Resident Conductor Lucas Waldin will lead the orchestra and gifted pianist through a program of shimmering concertos, a magical operatic overture, and a symphony of utmost sophistication.

Bill Eddins opens the evening by taking a seat at the harpsichord, conversing with the orchestra as both a soloist and conductor in the highly exuberant Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G Major by Bach. A showcase of virtuosity on the keys will close the evening as well, with Mr. Goodyear bringing his unique cadenza improvisation ability to his performance of Johann Nepomuk Hummel’s Piano Concerto No. 2 in A minor. Lucas Waldin brings the uncanny finesse of Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte overture to life, while Mr. Eddins unleashes the extraordinary spirit that the same composer infused into the “Prague” Symphony, a piece composed in honour of a city that so readily welcomed his music.

In appreciation of educators in our community, the ESO is pleased to welcome hundreds of teachers from school boards in Edmonton and surrounding areas to this concert event. Many of the ESO musicians are also educators, active in the community as private music lesson instructors. An online directory of these musicians and their current instruction offerings is now available on the ESO website.

The Edmonton Symphony’s educator recognition week continues through Sunday, October 18th, when Kathy Goudreau, new principal of A. Blair McPherson School, joins us in Taking Flight, the kick-off to the ESO’s newly formatted Sunday Showcase series. Our Sunday matinees are a perfect stepping stone for families with teens and tweens, and feature young, promising musicians playing with your ESO. Last season, it was announced that the father of ESO Principal Trombone John McPherson, would be granted a namesake school.

Ticket prices for Inspirations range from $20 – $65 (agency fees apply), and are available through the Winspear Centre Box Office. Call (780) 428-1414, toll-free 1-800-563-5081, or purchase online at www.edmontonsymphony.com.

The next performance of the Midweek Classics series takes place on January 27th, 2010. Guest conductor Jean-Marie Zeitouni is joined by Canadian soprano Simone Osborne in an inspiring program that includes Bach’s beloved “Jauchzet Gott in allen Landen” and Schubert’s celebrated “Unfinished” Symphony.

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Monday, October 5, 2009

Rich Mozart masterpieces in series opening showcase - Oct. 8

Robbins Lighter Classics
Showcase of treasured works by a cherished composer

Our Favourite Mozart
Thursday, October 8th – 8:00 pm

Edmonton, AB … In the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra’s (ESO) Robbins Lighter Classics series opener, conductor Bob Bernhardt and Edmonton’s finest musicians perform their Mozart favourites from the rich treasure trove of music by the genius from Salzburg. ESO Resident Conductor Lucas Waldin, Principal Clarinet Julianne Scott, Principal Harp Nora Bumanis, Principal Flute Elizabeth Koch, guest soprano Jolaine Kerley, guest pianist Michael Massey, and guest organist Jeremy Spurgeon are all featured artists with the orchestra at the Francis Winspear Centre for Music.

The celebratory program, all encompassing the most famous child prodigy in the history of western music, will include movements and selections from one of the most instantly recognizable works in all of music, Eine kleine Nachtmusik, and one of Mozart’s finest operas, The Marriage of Figaro. Julianne Scott solos in the last movement of the composer’s final concerto, Clarinet Concerto in A major, Nora Bumanis and Elizabeth Koch duet in the breezy Concerto for Flute and Hap in C major, Jolaine Kerley sings the brilliant “Alleluia” from Exsultate, jubilate, Michael Massey plays a movement from the fascinating Piano Concerto in G major, and Jeremy Spurgeon performs the Epistle Sonata in C major on the striking Davis Concert Organ.

Ticket prices range from $20 – $69 (agency fees apply), and are available through the Winspear Centre Box Office. Call (780) 428-1414, toll-free 1-800-563-5081, or purchase online at www.edmontonsymphony.com.

The next performance of the Robbins Lighter Classics series takes place on November 19th, when Bill Eddins leads a concert of Celtic traditions. The Knock School of Irish Dance joins the ESO in Celtic Kaleidoscope.

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Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Ebullient and mysterious themes permeate Masters evening of music - Oct. 3

Classic Landmarks Masters
Jubilant interplay of harmonies and rhythms in work of significant character

Brahms’ Second Symphony
Saturday, October 3rd – 8:00 pm

Edmonton, AB … Your Edmonton Symphony Orchestra (ESO) continues its Classic Landmarks Masters series with a single evening of eloquent subtleties and ebullient themes at the Francis Winspear Centre for Music. Music Director William Eddins steps onto the conductor’s podium to present a program of pieces that are characteristically deep in emotion.

In the title work of this concert, Symphony No. 2 in D Major bears witness to the apparent delight Brahms experienced in composing this invaluable piece of music. In what can be considered one of his most serene, contented works, an underlying drama gives this music a unique sense of character and lyrical beauty.

Acclaimed American cellist and assured soloist Julie Albers makes her ESO debut in the fiery Cello Concerto No. 2 - Dmitri Kabalevsky’s finest instrumental creation. Recognized for her radiant performing style and her intense musicianship, Ms. Albers brings technical ease and interpretive poise to the ESO premiere of a mysterious and vibrant work.

Once a bass trombonist with the ESO, composer and conductor Malcolm Forsyth’s bright, brilliant, and tuneful ukuZalwa opens the orchestral concert program. The title, a Zulu word meaning “Rebirth”, is an exciting overture that expresses the composer’s vision of joyous reconciliation in his native homeland of South Africa. Dr. Forsyth will join ESO Music Resource D.T. Baker, Saturday evening at 7:15 pm at the Symphony Prelude, to provide personal insight into his piece.

Local cellist Martin J. Kloppers will create a musical commotion as he entertains lobby guests prior to the concert, performing on his red skeleton cello. With its seamless body appears carved out of a single piece of wood, and a hollow and hole-riddled "spine” section in the center from which all ribs flow, the visual and auditory result is unforgettable.

Ticket prices for this performance range from $20 – $69 (agency fees apply). Student and senior $20 rush tickets are on sale, subject to availability, two hours prior to performance time. Tickets are available through the Winspear Centre Box Office at (780) 428-1414 or online at edmontonsymphony.com.

The next performance of the Classic Landmarks Masters series takes place on Saturday, November 14th. Elegant Canadian soprano Laura Whalen brings beautiful control and precision to the Winspear Stage, joining your ESO and guest conductor Giancarlo Guerrero.

The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, marking its 58th season in 2009-2010, has taken its place as one of Canada's foremost orchestral ensembles. Its current roster includes 56 musicians from Canada and around the world, performing a wide-ranging repertoire from the great classical masterworks to pops and children's concerts. The presence of the orchestra and its enrichment of the community's quality of life are key elements in the stature and profile of Edmonton on the national and international scene.

Winspear Centre Box Office:
#4 Sir Winston Churchill Square
(780) 428-1414 or 1-800-563-5081
www.edmontonsymphony.com


Biographies

American cellist Julie Albers was born in 1980 to a musical family in Longmont, Colorado. She began violin studies at the age of two with her mother, switching to cello at four. She moved to Cleveland during her junior year of high school to pursue studies through the Young Artist Program at the Cleveland Institute of Music, where she studied with Richard Aaron. Ms. Albers was awarded the Grand Prize at the XIII International Competition for Young Musicians in Douai, France, and as a result toured France as soloist with Orchestre symphonique de Douai.

Julie Albers made her major orchestral debut with the Cleveland Orchestra in 1998, and has since performed in recital and with orchestras in the U.S., Europe, Korea, Taiwan and New Zealand. In 2001, she won Second Prize in Munich’s Internationalen Musikwettbewerbes der ARD, at which time she was also awarded the Wilhelm-Weichsler-Musikpreis der Stadt Osnabruch 2001. In November, 2003, Ms. Albers was named the first Gold Medal Laureate of South Korea’s Gyeongnam International Music Competition.

In North America, Ms. Albers has performed with many important orchestras and ensembles. Her 2009-2010 engagements include performances with the Florida Orchestra, and the Utah, Vancouver, San Diego, Memphis, Syracuse, West Virginia, Santa Rosa, Brevard, and Fairfax Symphony Orchestras. She is currently active with the Albers String Trio and the cello quartet, CELLO. Julie Albers is also on the faculty of Kean University as a member of the Concert Artist program. October, 2005 marked the release of Ms. Albers’ debut album on the Artek label. Julie Albers performs on a N.F. Vuillaume cello made in 1872 and makes her home in New York City.

This is Ms. Albers’ debut with the ESO.


Under Music Director William Eddins’ charismatic and energetic direction, the Edmonton Symphony has attained a level of musicianship and profile in the community it has rarely achieved. He has conducted performances in nearly every subscription series the ESO has presented, as well as a wide variety of special concerts and galas.

Bill’s musical life began at age five when his parents bought a Wurlitzer Grand piano at a garage sale. He attended the Eastman School of Music, graduating at age eighteen, making him the youngest graduate in the history of the institution. He also studied conducting with Daniel Lewis at the University of Southern California. Previous positions include a five-year tenure as Principal Guest Conductor of the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra (Ireland) and as Resident Conductor of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Associate Conductor of the Minnesota Orchestra.

Bill Eddins continues to pursue many varied interests, both personally and professionally. While conducting has been his principal pursuit, he continues to perform on piano in Edmonton and elsewhere. He recently built a state of the art recording studio and has begun work on a series of chamber music recordings. He blogs regularly on insidethearts.com and has done a series of podcasts called Classical Connections available at williameddins.com.

Committed to his leadership of the ESO, Mr. Eddins accepts a limited number of guest appearances elsewhere. He led a highly-acclaimed production of Porgy and Bess for Opéra de Lyon in June 2008, which he will reprise during the summer of 2010, and most recently toured South Africa in August 2009 with the stunning soprano Renée Fleming and KwaZulu-Natal Philharmonic Orchestra. His latest recording, of American music for Cello and Piano, has been released on the Naxos label.

A native of Buffalo, New York, Bill currently resides in Minneapolis with his wife Jen, a clarinetist, and their two boys, Raef and Riley.

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Monday, September 21, 2009

Brilliant pianist brings unique improvisational gifts and visionary interpretations to performances

Gabriela Montero
Wednesday, September 30th – 7:30 pm

Edmonton, AB … The 2009-2010 Edmonton Symphony Orchestra performance season debuts The ESO Presents series with a dazzling pianist of natural spontaneity. Gabriela Montero, for one night only, joins your ESO and William Eddins on stage at the Francis Winspear Centre for Music for an unconventional evening of intense interpretations and astonishing impromptu soliloquies.

Having performed with musical luminaries Yo-Yo Ma and Itzhak Perlman at the inauguration ceremony for President Obama, Ms. Montero brings her internationally acclaimed stature and artistry to the Winspear Centre where she will open her orchestral performance program with Rachmaninoff’s enduringly popular Piano Concerto No. 2. She will then proceed with a solo program, connecting to her audience in a completely unique and powerful way through improvisational performance.

Often inviting audience members to suggest themes or melodies for elaborate improvisations, Gabriela says, "I connect to my audience in a completely unique way - and they connect with me. Because improvisation is such a huge part of who I am, it is the most natural and spontaneous way I can express myself.”

Concertgoers have a premiere opportunity to experience an imaginative fantasy world of instantaneously constructed musical creations and lush renditions of classical work. Ticket prices range from $20 – $65 (agency fees apply), and are available through the Winspear Centre Box Office at (780) 428-1414, or online at www.edmontonsymphony.com.

The next, and only other performance part of The ESO Presents series this season, will take place on June 1st, 2010. Prodigiously gifted organist Cameron Carpenter will stun concert patrons with his extraordinary musicianship and extreme athleticism not normally associated with the organ.

The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, marking its 58th season in 2009-2010, has taken its place as one of Canada's foremost orchestral ensemble. Its current roster includes 56 musicians from Canada and around the world, performing a wide-ranging repertoire from the great classical masterworks to pops and children's concerts. The presence of the orchestra and its enrichment of the community's quality of life are key elements in the stature and profile of Edmonton on the national and international scene.

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ESO introduces Interim Concertmasters

Musical First Chairs for 2009/10 Performance Season

Edmonton, AB … Last season, the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra (ESO) announced that Concertmaster Martin Riseley would be taking a leave of absence in 2009/10. The New Zealand native has returned to his homeland to take advantage of a rare teaching opportunity with the New Zealand School of Music in Wellington.

This season, three of the ESO's fine corps of first violinists will act as Interim Concertmasters. Broderyck “Broddy” Olson, Eric Buchmann, and Richard Caldwell will each sit in the Concertmaster's chair.

“We have an enormous resource of talent in this orchestra,” says ESO Music Director William Eddins, “and in the end, we decided to take full advantage of it. Broddy, Eric, and Richard all bring something different to the table, and each is an experienced and skilled leader. I’m looking forward to having the opportunity to work with each of them in the hot seat.”

Broddy Olson is the longest-serving member of the orchestra, and the ESO’s Assistant Concertmaster from 1966 until this year. Eric Buchmann joined the ESO in April 2006, and brings a wealth of experience with him. Richard Caldwell has been with the ESO since 1973, and has led numerous ensembles, most notably as one of the founding members of the Edmonton Chamber Orchestra (ECHO).

Aside from being the Principal First Violin, an orchestra Concertmaster acts as the player-leader of the orchestra, most particularly for the strings. He or she is responsible for bowings, which ensure the strings perform in unison to create the cohesive sound so crucial for the section of the orchestra that has the most musicians. Traditionally, the Concertmaster is the last musician to come out prior to the conductor, and is greeted with applause from the audience, prior to his/her leading the musicians in their final tuning before the concert begins.

Mr. Riseley returns to Edmonton to perform with the ESO on September 18th & 19th, 2009, in the Classic Landmarks Masters series opener The Red Violin. On January 14th, 2010, Martin will present some of his favorite “party pieces” for violin and orchestra, including music by Tchaikovsky, Gershwin, Saint-Saëns, Kreisler, Khachaturian, and Wieniawski in Violinissimo! Music Director Bill Eddins will conduct both programs.

For more details on the ESO’s 2009/10 performance season and to purchase tickets, visit www.edmontonsymphony.com.

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Friday, September 18, 2009

The ESO's performance season opens with momentous music from film - Sept. 18 & 19

Classic Landmarks Masters
Momentous music from the world of film marks
the beginning of the 2009-2010 ESO performance season

The Red Violin
Friday, September 18th – 7:30 pm
Saturday, September 19th – 8:00 pm


Edmonton, AB … Your Edmonton Symphony Orchestra (ESO) opens the 2009-2010 performance season with film scores adapted into concert music by distinguished composers. ESO Music Director William Eddins begins his 5th season leading the orchestra through pieces rich in complex emotions and vivid landscapes. Special guests George Gao, Martin Riseley, Sara Davis Buechner, and Jeremy Spurgeon join your ESO on stage at the Francis Winspear Centre for Music.


In this Classic Landmarks Masters series opener, Tan Dun’s Crouching Tiger Concerto features one of the most innovative, exciting, and respected musical talents in the world today. Erhu master George Gao creates passionate sounds, exploiting the instrument’s expressive range in this Oscar-winning score.


Martin Riseley, currently on a one-year leave of absence as ESO Concertmaster, returns to the Winspear stage as guest soloist in John Corigliano’s Red Violin Chaconne. Derived from music of the Canadian film, The Red Violin - which received the 1999 Academy Award for Best Original Score – Riseley exposes the anger, betrayal, love, and sacrifice the violin brought to its owners as the history of the instrument unfolds in the film.


Gershwin’s Second Rhapsody, also original film music from the 1931 film Delicious, offers an intensely integrated and compelling piano persona that pianist Sara Davis Buechner tackles with ease. The stunning Davis Concert Organ is showcased in the Canadian premiere of Howard Shore’s new Fanfare for Organ and Brass, performed by organist Jeremy Spurgeon.


Following Friday's performance, join us for Afterthoughts, an informal discussion in the Main Lobby with Bill Eddins, Martin Riseley, George Gao and Sara Davis Buechner. Learn more about the performance on Saturday at Symphony Prelude – 7:15 pm in the Upper Circle (Third Level) Lobby.


Ticket prices for this performance range from $20 – $69 (agency fees apply). Student and senior $20 rush tickets are on sale, subject to availability, two hours prior to performance time. Tickets are available through the Winspear Centre Box Office at (780) 428-1414 or online at edmontonsymphony.com.


The next performance of the Classic Landmarks Masters series takes place on Saturday, October 3rd, with acclaimed American cellist Julie Albers, Bill Eddins, and your ESO in Brahms’ 2nd Symphony.


The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, marking its 58th season in 2009-2010, has taken its place as one of Canada's foremost orchestral ensembles. Its current roster includes 56 musicians from Canada and around the world, performing a wide-ranging repertoire from the great classical masterworks to pops and children's concerts. The presence of the orchestra and its enrichment of the community's quality of life are key elements in the stature and profile of Edmonton on the national and international scene.

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Thursday, September 17, 2009

Four cornerstone arts organizations bring you The Season on Stage

THE SEASON ON STAGE

Four leaders in the Edmonton arts scene join together to bring you an exceptional performance package


Four fabulous performances, one low price.


Edmonton, AB … Explore, Listen, Feel, Surrender. Four cornerstone arts organizations in Alberta, and leaders in the Edmonton arts scene, have come together to offer The Season on Stage. The Alberta Ballet, the Citadel Theatre, Edmonton Opera, and the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra invite all dance, theatre, opera, and music lovers to experience the diversity of the performing and musical arts in Edmonton with a special, limited time, ticket package offer.


Choice performances included in this ticket package are: the Alberta Ballet’s Romeo and Juliet, the Citadel Theatre’s As You Like It, Edmonton Opera’s Pirates of Penzance, and the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra’s Vivaldi’s Guitar Concerto.


Alberta Ballet presents

Romeo and Juliet

November 6 & 7, 2009

Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium

Choreography: Jean Grand-Maître

Accompanied by the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra


Alberta Ballet’s three-year Shakespeare Cycle opened with Kirk Peterson’s magnificent Othello and was followed by Christopher Wheeldon’s critically acclaimed triumph A Midsummer Night’s Dream. This season we conclude the cycle with an encore presentation of Grand-Maître’s intense and riveting Romeo and Juliet, set to one of the most brilliant scores ever written for ballet, by the great Sergei Prokofiev.


“Collaboration is at the heart of creating art. Along with our other partnerships this season, we are proud to be able to share in this great opportunity to allow our audiences to experience some of the best of what Edmonton’s arts community has to offer.”

– Darryl Lindenbach, Executive Director, Alberta Ballet


Edmonton Opera presents

Pirates of Penzance

Gilbert and Sullivan

February 6, 9, & 11, 2010

Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium


Back by popular demand, Gilbert and Sullivan’s timeless classic returns to the stage for a delightful meander through the world of England’s most notorious, yet generous, pirates. As to be expected from Gilbert and Sullivan, this sunny delight in the midst of winter owes its hilarity to a series of misunderstandings, impossibly ludicrous rules, and the indomitable (if misguided) spirit of young love. The high-jinx, high silliness, and high notes on the high seas will be steered by Conductor/ Director team Peter Dala and Robert Herriot, who brought the laughs to Edmonton Opera audiences in recent productions of Daughter of the Regiment and H.M.S. Pinafore. Join us in February for our own version of a winter cruise, and don’t miss the adventure in this topsy-turvy world of fools!


“It’s a great package for people who want to try a little bit of everything – we have such wonderful art in this city and Edmontonians will really benefit from getting to try it all this season. Arts partnerships in Edmonton have always been a foundation of our business, and this is a wonderful new extension of collaborating.”

- Mary Phillips-Rickey, General Manager, Edmonton Opera


The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra presents

Vivaldi’s Guitar Concerto

March 26 & 27, 2010

Francis Winspear Center for Music

William Eddins, conductor

Manuel Barrueco, guitar


“A superior musician,” wrote the New York Times of Manuel Barrueco, a classical music guitarist who makes his ESO debut playing Vivaldi’s haunting Guitar Concerto. Barrueco will also demonstrate his world of talent, musicianship, and technical acuity performing Sierra’s Folias, based on Spanish dances of the 16th and 17th centuries. Bill Eddins and the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra will complete the program with Respighi’s popular Ancient Airs and Dances and Petroushka, a ballet based on the Russian tale of a puppet brought to life.

“We feel this to be a terrific offer for patrons of the musical and performing arts, to have a full range experience of the high calibre artistic talent that resides in our city. Through the partnership of these four flagship arts groups, people can enjoy a taste of everything. And for newcomers, what a perfect way to experience it all.”

- Annemarie Petrov, Managing Director, Edmonton Symphony Orchestra


The Citadel Theatre presents

As You Like It

April 17 – May 9, 2010

Maclab Theatre

By: William Shakespeare

Directed by: James MacDonald


What is a young noblewoman to do when she and her father are banished from their home on pain of death? Rosalind retreats to the Forest of Arden where nature and love are her happy salvations. Fearful of discovery, she disguises herself as a boy, only to fall madly in love with a handsome, lovesick gentleman, Orlando. A romantic comedy ahead of its time, Shakespeare’s As You Like It features delightful characters, mischievous encounters and deliciously witty repartee.


Featuring the participants of the 2010 Citadel/Banff Centre Professional Theatre Program.

“The Citadel has high regard for the work of our arts partners, Edmonton Opera, the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, and the Alberta Ballet, and we’re excited to be working together to offer Edmontonians a great mix of live performance opportunities this season.”

– Penny Ritco, Executive Director, Citadel Theatre


Only 100 ticket packages available! Packages can be purchased at TIX on the Square beginning September 8th, 2009. Four tickets, four performances, all for one low price of $170 (plus fees). Call 780-420-1757, toll-free 1-877-888-1757, or visit www.tixonthesquare.ca.

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