The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra (ESO) has announced a four-year extension of William Eddins’ contract as Music Director. Presently in his fifth season at the helm of the orchestra with one year remaining on his current contract, this extension will see Eddins conducting the ESO through the 2014-2015 season. This partnership, which began in September 2005, will mark a significant and stable period of artistic leadership for Eddins and the ESO. Since the professional establishment of the orchestra in 1952, only one other ESO Music Director reached the 10-year tenure, that being Uri Mayer, who held the position for 13 seasons, from 1981-1994.
Nurhan Arman, Music Director of Sinfonia Toronto, has announced the appointment of Canadian composer Heather Schmidt as the orchestra’s Composer-in-Residence for the 2009-2010 season. In making the announcement Maestro Arman said, “I am thrilled that Heather Schmidt will be closely involved with us this year. I am looking forward to leading the world premieres of her new Piano Concerto and a Cello Concerto that she is writing for us, and working on many other projects together throughout the season. This appointment re-emphasizes Sinfonia Toronto’s commitment to Canadian composers.”
Earlier this week, Executive Director Katherine Carleton presented the first of this year’s Orchestras Canada Betty Webster Awards to Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra, at the opening of their Toronto season of concerts. The festivities continue in October, when award winners Kathy Humphreys (General Manager of the Kamloops Symphony) and Jeff Alexander (President and CEO of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra) will be presented with their awards. We are proud to salute these leading citizens in the Canadian orchestral community!
The Toronto Symphony Orchestra has announced that Jennifer MacDonald will join the TSO Music Department as Artist Liaison/Assistant to Artistic Administration. Jennifer comes directly to the TSO from Ottawa where, for the past two seasons, she has been Artistic Administrator of the highly successful Ottawa Chamber Music Society. She holds a Bachelors degree in Music (piano) from Mount Allison and a Masters in Musicology from McGill.
