Sunday, October 3, 2010 at 2pm

 

A profusion of birds, oppressive summer heat, a harvest celebration, and chilly night air. Your Edmonton Symphony Orchestra performs The Four Seasons in its Sunday Showcase series opener. Music Director William Eddins conducts from the harpsichord and is joined by Edmonton violinist Ewald Cheung in what can be considered one of music’s best-loved works. ESO Principal Clarinet Julianne Scott is featured in a charming set of variations on a popular work by Mozart, and a favourite among Haydn’s “London Symphonies” completes the afternoon program at the Francis Winspear Centre for Music.

 

Your Edmonton Symphony Orchestra brings Mediterranean spice to its opening concert of the Robbins Lighter Classics series with sultry songs and dances from Spain. On September 30th at the Francis Winspear Centre for Music, ESO Music Director William Eddins will be joined on stage by El Viento Flamenco, a group that keeps the vibrancy of Spain and tradition of Flamenco alive in Canada, while bringing their own distinct voice to the art form.

 

Atlantic Canada’s energetic El Viento Flamenco, will create a fiery night of rhythm and colour with their passion for the music and dance of the gypsies. With vocalists and a guitarist who hail from rock and roll, a percussionist inspired by Newfoundland folk to Punk rock, and dancers who have lived and studied all over the world, the group stands subtly but resolutely outside of flamenco tradition.

 

Midweek Classics

 

Robbins Pops

Friday, September 17 & Saturday, September 18 at 8 pm

 

Your Edmonton Symphony Orchestra opens its 2010-2011 Midweek Classics and Robbins Pops series with one of the world’s most exciting trumpet soloists, Jens Lindemann. Led by Resident Conductor Lucas Waldin on September 15th and legendary pops maestro Bruce Hangen on September 17th & 18th, the ESO performs a whirlwind of extraordinary music with the always entertaining trumpeter at the Francis Winspear Centre for Music.

In the spring of 2009, the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra announced that Concertmaster Martin Riseley would be taking a leave of absence for the 2009/10 performance season. The New Zealand native returned to his homeland to take advantage of a rare teaching opportunity at the New Zealand School of Music, and three of the ESO's fine corps of first violinists - Eric Buchmann, Richard Caldwell, and Broderyck Olson - acted as Interim Concertmasters. Following a successful first year in his post as Head of Strings at the School, Dr. Martin Riseley will continue in this role in the future, relinquishing his role of Concertmaster – a position he has held with the ESO since November 30th, 1994.

 

A groundbreaking performance in November 1971 made orchestral history. Now nearly 40 years later, British rock band Procol Harum returns to Edmonton to reunite with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra and Da Camera Singers (John Brough, Artistic Director) for one night only, one last time! History will repeat itself at the Francis Winspear Centre for Music with ESO Music Director Williams Eddins leading orchestral treatments of rock hits including Whiter Shade of Pale and Conquistador.