Edmonton Symphony Orchestra


The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra is a Canadian orchestra based in Edmonton, Alberta. As the professional orchestra of Alberta's creative capital city it presents over 85 concerts a year of symphonic music in all genres, from classical to country. Currently in its 74th season, the orchestra is composed of 56 core professional musicians who perform 42 weeks per season and who play an active role in the musical life of Edmonton and elsewhere as performers, teachers and recording artists. The ESO also performs as the orchestra for Edmonton Opera and Alberta Ballet productions, and its recordings are regularly heard across Canada on CBC Radio 2.

History

The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra was initially formed as Edmonton's community orchestra and performed its first concert on November 15, 1920. The orchestra suspended operations in 1932 due to lack of funds, but was revived on October 31, 1952, when it was incorporated as a registered not-for-profit organization, and gave its first performance on November 30, 1952. It made the transition to a fully professional orchestra in September 1971. In 1973, it was decided to restrict the orchestra to "classical" size.
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the ESO's budget was over $10 million, and its players were the highest-paid Canadian orchestral musicians west of Toronto.

Music directors, conductors, concertmasters, and artistic leaders

Music and artistic directors

In September 1997, the Edmonton Symphony Society and the Edmonton Concert Hall Foundation successfully completed a two-decade, $45 million capital campaign, and the ESO moved from the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium into its new concert hall, the acoustically superb, 1716 seat Francis Winspear Centre for Music. The inaugural gala, at which the ESO performed Mahler's Symphony of a Thousand with the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, took place on September 13, 1997.

Programming and special events

Each season, almost 30,000 students experience the orchestra's music at the Winspear Centre. The Young Composers Project, with local composers as mentors, allows select high school students to compose orchestral works and hear them in performance. The orchestra's annual outdoor Symphony Under the Sky Festival is a popular destination for Edmontonians on Labour Day weekend.
The ESO's history and the varied nature of its programming reflect its imaginative commitment to its community.
  • In 1972, the Procol Harum album Procol Harum Live: In Concert with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra and its hit single "Conquistador" became the first orchestral recording to achieve international platinum sales.
  • In 1985, the ESO premiered Malcolm Forsyth's Atayoskewin at the opening of Shell Canada's Scotford Refinery.
  • In 1980, to celebrate Alberta's 75th anniversary, the orchestra toured the province.
  • In 1986, the ESO performed at Vancouver's Expo 86.
  • In 1994, the orchestra undertook a five-city tour of northern Alberta, the Yukon and the Northwest Territories.
  • In 1996, the ESO became the first Canadian orchestra to play on a First Nations Reserve.
  • On May 8, 2012, the ESO made its Carnegie Hall debut, its first performance outside of Canada.

    Special concerts

Special ESO concerts drawing sold-out houses have featured, among others, k.d. lang in 1985, Tom Cochrane and Red Rider in 1989, The Arrogant Worms in 2002, Corb Lund in 2005, Paul Brandt in 2006, Video Games Live in 2007, Nikki Yanofsky in 2008, reunion concerts with Procol Harum in 1992 and 2010, Ben Folds in 2012 and 2014, and Ian Tyson on the 100th anniversary of the Province of Alberta on September 1, 2005. In March 2011, the ESO presented a memorable concert devoted exclusively to the music of Frank Zappa, and in December 2005, the orchestra returned to the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium to present two sold-out Christmas concerts with Christian singer/pianist Michael W. Smith. The orchestra continues this tradition of working with musicians from a variety of musical genres. In December 2012, the orchestra performed two Christmas concerts with the Barenaked Ladies. In December 2017, the orchestra performed four Christmas concerts with Jann Arden.

Composers in residence

John McPherson was the orchestra's fourth Composer in Residence and wrote two major works during his residency:
  • Concerto for Two Horns "Mountain Triptych"
  • Triune
Robert Rival, the orchestra's third Composer in Residence wrote six major works for the orchestra during his residency:
  • Delights & Discords
  • Northwest Passage Variations
  • Symphony No. 2 "Water"
  • Achilles and Scamander
  • Lullaby
  • Whirlwind
Image:AllanGilliland.JPG|thumb|right|135px|Allan Gilliland
Allan Gilliland, the ESO's second Composer in Residence composed nine major works for the orchestra, as well as a colorful new orchestration of Canada's national anthem. Before his residency, Gilliland had been commissioned to write two works for the ESO. Following his residency, he was commissioned to write two jazz-flavoured works: a rhapsody for piano and orchestra, and a suite for trumpet and orchestra.
  • Dreaming of the Masters III
  • Dreaming of the Masters II
  • Above the Fold
  • Calixa Lavallée O Canada
  • Dreaming of the Masters I
  • Gaol's Ruadh Ròs – A Celtic Concerto for Two Harps
  • Always Be True
  • Violin Concerto
  • A Wild Symphonic Ride
  • Loch na Beiste
  • On the Shoulders of Giants
  • Shadows and Light
  • Winspear Fanfare
  • Trumpet Concerto
Image:JohnEstacio.jpg|thumb|right|135px|John EstacioJohn Estacio was the ESO's first Composer in Residence. He also produced nine major works for the orchestra during his residency:
  • The Twins and the Monster
  • The Brass Ring
  • Frenergy
  • Concerto for Piano, Violin and Cello
  • Wondrous Light
  • Borealis
  • Victims of Us All
  • A Farmer's Symphony
  • ''Alegria''

    Canadian commissions

The ESO has a long tradition of commissioning and performing works by Canadian – and particularly Albertan – composers. On April 29, 2005, the ESO presented a highly acclaimed concert of music by five contemporary Alberta composers – Allan Gordon Bell, John Estacio, Malcolm Forsyth, Allan Gilliland and Jeffrey McCune – in Southam Hall at Ottawa's National Arts Centre as part of the Alberta Scene festival. In May 2012, the ESO performed the US premieres of music by its first three Composers in Residence at Carnegie Hall's second annual Spring for Music festival.
Works commissioned by the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra include:
  • Louis Applebaum Concertante / Prelude / Incantation / Sinfonia / Evocations for Two Pianos and Orchestra
  • Violet Archer Prelude - incantation / Sinfonia
  • Allan Gordon Bell Symphonies of Hidden Fire
  • Patrick Cardy Trobadores
  • George Fiala Overtura Buffa
  • Malcolm Forsyth Symphony No. 2 '... A Host of Nomads...' / Requiem for the Victims in a Wartorn World / Siyajabula! We Rejoice! / A Ballad of Canada
  • Allan Gilliland Dreaming of the Masters II
  • Stewart Grant Symphony
  • Ronald Hannah Suite of orchestral dances: the common air that bathes the globe
  • Jacques Hétu Concerto for Organ
  • Yuri Laniuk Palimpsesty
  • Raymond Luedeke Tales of the Netsilik
  • Rod McKuen The Ballad of Distances - Symphonic Suite, Opus 40
  • François Morel Neumes d'espace et reliefs
  • Jeffrey McCune Aquamarine / Dance Suite / Overture Sauvage
  • John McPherson Walk in Beauty
  • Kelly-Marie Murphy Utterances
  • Cha Ka Nin Memento Mori
  • Randolph Peters WildFire
  • Laurie Radford a tangle in the throat
  • Manus Sasonkin Musica post prandia
  • Robert Turner ''Shades of Autumn''

    Commercial discography and videography

;Procol Harum Live: In Concert with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra
;Music by Haydn, Debussy, Wirén

;McKuen The Ballad Of Distances: Symphonic Suite, Opus 40

;Scarlet and Gold / L'Escarlet et L'Or - Alberta R.C.M.P. Century Celebrations, 1874-1974

;Music by Wolf, Purcell, Adaskin, Warlock

;Music by Ibert, Françaix, Rameau

;Orchestral Suites of the British Isles

;Great Verdi Arias

;Great Tenor Arias

;Music by Forsyth and Freedman

;Canadian and Russian Overtures

;Anthology of Canadian Music, Volume 27

;Harp Concertos

;Great Orchestral Marches

;Works for Cello and Orchestra

;The Symphony Sessions

;Music by Britten and Willan

;Russian Sketches

;Electra Rising: Music of Malcolm Forsyth

;Music by Smetana and Janáček

;P.J. Perry and the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra
;Semi-Conducted / Three Worms and an Orchestra
;Frenergy: The Music of John Estacio

;Steve Bell in concert with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra
;Carl Czerny - A Rediscovered Genius

;Logos Futura

;A Concert for New York

;''True North - The Canadian Songbook''