Étoile du Nord – Volume I

It occurred to me recently that in many ways that when we talk about orchestras much of what we refer to is somewhat … abstract.

What I mean is that when we write about orchestras we refer to administrations, board members, players, audiences, staff, etc.  But it’s hard for the written word to really capture the essence of all the people we talk about, so things end up being somewhat two dimensional.  We are a very visual culture so when we see something it somehow becomes more real to us.  When we see someone it is more humanizing then reading about a person.

I have decided to take advantage of modern technology and use my Flip handheld video camera and start a series of video posts about the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, the band at which I am currently Music Director.  Over the next 3 months I hope to interview people involved in all aspects of the organization and posts those video clips to SticksandDrones.  This will hopefully give a wide ranging perspective on this orchestra and its place in the Edmonton community.  I’ve picked the title “Étoile du Nord” for this series because I truly believe the ESO is a very bright star in the far, far northern sky.

First, a little background.  The ESO went professional in 1952 and it currently has an annual budget around $8.5 million dollars.  For many years the orchestra played in the Jubilee Auditorium by the campus of the University of Alberta, but in 1997 the ESO moved into the Francis Winspear Centre for Music, designed by Artec, and one of the best halls in this hemisphere.  Francis and Harriet Winspear were the main donors that helped the hall project get off the ground and it is a tremendous legacy for them in the city of Edmonton.  In 2002 the hall added a concert organ built by Létourneau (Quebec).  The story of how this organ came to be is legendary – evidently one day this crazy old man rolled up to the Winspear offices on his bicycle.  According to legend the conversation went something like this:

Crazy Old Man – “I see you’ve got a blank spot in the back of the hall.”

Winspear Rep – “Yep.”

COM – “We’re you planning to put an organ in there?”

WR – “Yep.”

COM – “Do you want one?”

The good Dr. Stuart Davis promptly instigated the purchase of the organ and this wonderful instrument is named after him.

The orchestra itself is made up of 56 members making it one of the smaller orchestras around, but due to a whole set of various circumstances the orchestra has been able to attract and keep excellent players over the years.  There is a strong sense of community within the band and the members are involved in a lot of outside activities such as chamber music, recitals, and ensembles such as Alberta Baroque.  The ESO is a working band.  Besides concerts under the ESO banner they are also the pit orchestra for both the Edmonton Opera (which shares offices in the Winspear Centre) and the Alberta Ballet. The season runs from mid-September through mid-June, plus there is an outdoor festival in late August/early September that is very popular.  There is a long tradition of championing Canadian composers and their music but it’s hard to pigeon-hole this ensemble.  Members of this band include dedicated Baroque junkies right on through extremely accomplished Jazz musicians, and because of that the ESO plays many different styles of music with aplomb.  For me I am especially proud of how the ensemble sounds in the Classical repertoire.  Pound for pound this orchestra plays Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven and their contemporaries as well as any comparable ensemble I’ve ever heard.

If the ESO has one issue that is a two-edged sword it is the fact that the ensemble is in Edmonton.  This is NOT a knock against the city itself.  Far from it – this municipality has nurtured this orchestra for almost 6 full decades, provided it with one of the best halls around, and the orchestra attracts world class musicians as soloists and guest conductors.  But Edmonton is so far north, and so far from any other major city (with the exception of Calgary which is 3 1/2 hours away by car) that the organization can feel a little removed from what else is going on in the classical music business.  This is both good and bad, and I’ll leave it up to the reader to speculate on that.  Shouldn’t be too hard.

There are many other things I could point out about the ESO but after a while it’s going to just be statistics, and that’s what I’m trying to avoid.  I want to bring to you the people rather than the numbers.  This first video posting is from our Friday night Afterthoughts, a wonderful tradition that draws a large crowd to the lobby of the Winspear after our Friday Night Masters Series Concerts.  This video was taken last Friday night (20 Feb, 2009).  Participants are the fabulous Canadian pianist, and my very good friend, Jon Kimura (Jackie) Parker, Canadian composer Gary Kulesha, and myself.  The session is moderated by our Publications Editor (and fellow progressive rock nerd) D.T. Baker.   The repertoire from the concert was: Bach – Brandenburg V, with our Principal Flute Liz Koch, Concertmaster Martin Riseley, and myself on harpsichord; Kulesha – Symphony #3, with Gary conducting; and Beethoven Concerto #1 with Jackie.

Enjoy!

[bliptv]1810116[/bliptv]

Send this to a friend