The Edmonton Symphony has recently learned that it’s the second Canadian orchestra ever to receive an invitation to perform at the new Spring for Music Festival at New York’s fabled Carnegie Hall. The ESO will make the trip in May 2012, as part of the festival’s 2nd annual season; the Orchestre symphonique de Montreal will be part of the festival’s inaugural season in May 2011, joining orchestras from Albany, Dallas, Oregon and Toledo, and the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra.

Spring for Music is a concentrated festival of concerts by North American symphony and chamber orchestras presented annually at Carnegie Hall to broad music-loving audiences at affordable prices, sold through a unique marketing structure and with an artistic profile built around innovative and creative programs. The festival is designed to allow participating orchestras to showcase their artistic philosophies through distinctive and adventurous programming in one of the world’s most competitive musical environments. In pre-concert talks, each participating orchestra will describe how that night’s program relates to its artistic philosophy. The festival becomes a musical laboratory with lively and attentive audiences that can foster greater innovation in each orchestra’s home market.

“We’re freakin’ thrilled,” says music director Bill Eddins, who has never performed at the legendary concert hall. “It’s a cool opportunity for orchestras who wouldn’t normally be performing at Carnegie Hall,” says ESO managing director Annemarie Petrov.

The ESO will release more information next year about the New York concert, which coincides with the orchestra’s 60th anniversary.