Details

A bewitching concert story about a little girl who loves to sing, who moves to a town where music is forbidden. Adapted by DANDI Productions from the 2003 Governor-General’s Award-nominated book The Maestro, this enchanting story combines original music with works by Verdi, Mendelssohn and more.

(A) Dress Circle Adult $29 / Child $17
(B, C & F) Orchestra & Terrace Adult $27 / Child $16
(D) Upper Circle & Choir Loft Adult $21 / Child $13
(click map for interactive seating chart)

Tickets subject to applicable service charges.

Thank you to our series sponsor:

Thank you to our media sponsor:

The next Esso Symphony for Kids performance is May 8, 2010.

Program Information

Featuring excerpts from:

VERDI
La forza del Destino: Overture

VILLA LOBOS
Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5: Aria (Cantilena)

MASSENET
Thaïs: Meditation

PIERCE / McKEAG / GILBERTSON
Hannah's Song

WALDTEUFEL
Estudiantina

IPPOLITOV-IVANOV
Procession of the Sardars

SAINT-SAËNS
Danse Macabre

DAVE PIERCE
Heroic Music

LISZT
Les Préludes

PIERCE
Perfect Music

MENDLESSOHN
Symphony No. 5 "Reformation": 1st movement

BEETHOVEN
Ode to Joy

Musical arrangements and original score by Dave Pierce

Adapted from the 2003 Governor General's Award-nominated book The Maestro.
Story and Script by Judd Palmer
Commissioned by Dandi Productions
Original Music and Orchestrations by Dave Pierce & Donovan Seidle
Puppets by The Old Trout Puppet Workshop
Performed by Dandi Productions
Original compositions commissioned with the generous support of Canada Council.
Story and Puppets commissioned with the generous support of Alberta Foundation for the Arts

A bewitching concert-story about a little girl who loves to sing, who moves to a town where music is forbidden: a town named Hamelin, about thirty years after the infamous Pied Piper has led all of Hamelin’s children away. Hannah breaks this musical silence with the help of a gossipy rat and her own passion for grand music.

Artist Information

William Eddins, conductor

William Eddins is in his fifth season as Music Director of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra. A native of Buffalo, New York, he currently resides in Minneapolis with his lovely wife Jen, a clarinetist, and their two boys Raef (AKA Raefster; Munchers) and Riley (AKA Squeaky; The Imp; Dr. No).

Bill has been playing piano since he was five when his parents bought a Wurlitzer Grand piano at a garage sale. He started conducting during his sophomore year at the Eastman School of Music, and most of the '80s were spent trying to decide whether to pursue a career in conducting or piano. The quandary was answered for him when he realized that the life of a poor, starving pianist was for the birds. In 1989 Bill decided to study conducting with Dan Lewis at the University of Southern California, from whence he managed to land assistant conductor posts with the Chicago Symphony and the Minnesota Orchestra in 1992.

Bill has many non-musical hobbies including: cooking, eating, discussing food, and planning dinner parties. He is also quite fond of biking, tennis, reading, and pinball. Unfortunately, due to pianistic paranoia his days in the martial arts are long over.

Bill is committed to bringing classical music to the greater public. He has started a podcast – Classical Connections – which is dedicated to exploring the history of classical music and highlights live chamber music performances in which Bill has taken part (check it out for yourself at Bill Eddins' website). He has also produced a solo piano CD – Bad Boys, Volume I – which features Beethoven's "Hammerklavier" Sonata and Albright's Nightmare Fantasy Rag. His latest recording, on the Naxos label, features American music for cello and orchestra.