Musical triumph: Edmonton Symphony, fans bask in afterglow of ESO’S date at Carnegie Hall
ESO musicians, fans thrilled by Carnegie Hall
New York – Puffing a cigarillo outside the Hilton in New York City, violinist Richard Caldwell basked in the afterglow of musical triumph.
“It gives you the willies,” the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra player said of his experience walking onstage at Carnegie Hall. “You feel like this is the World Series.”
The ESO made its debut in the famous concert venue Tuesday as part of the 2012 Spring for Music festival, which celebrates the best in unusual classical-music programming. For many, perhaps all, of the orchestra’s musicians, as well as conductor Bill Eddins, the night has been etched into their memory as a career highlight.
“You do this week in and week out and, after 39 years, you don’t get nervous anymore,” said Caldwell, who plays in the first violin section. But at Carnegie Hall, “you walk out onstage, people are cheering and you get the chills.”
The violinist is lucky he made his entrance in the proper footwear. On the way to the airport in Edmonton, Caldwell looked down and realized he was wearing one dress shoe and one slipper. That’s how he had to travel to New York. “I could have kicked myself.” Slipper-gate has become a running joke among the musicians, many of whom snapped pictures of the violinist’s feet. Richard’s wife, Gillian Caldwell, a cellist, just shakes her head.
Gillian said she was thankful ESO executive director Annemarie Petrov did an onstage interview with host radio station WXQR at the start of the show. Gillian needed time to collect herself. She was the third musician to walk onstage and was blown away by the cheering and flurry of waving red scarves. “It was overwhelming,” she said. The night was equally unforgettable for many of the Edmontonians who made the trek across the continent to watch the concert.
“It was a dream come true,” said fan Shirley Forbes. “Because you knew their excitement. It was marvellous to be in that beautiful building and know that is our symphony.”
Marlene Astley hasn’t been to the symphony since her husband died. Carnegie Hall has helped her move on. “It was incredibly beautiful,” she said. “The audience was so responsive. They showed their love for the symphony.”
The ESO was one of just six orchestras selected to participate in the festival. The orchestra played on Day 2 of the six-day event and attracted the who’s who of the scene here, including Steven Reineke, music director of the New York Pops, and New Yorker critic Alex Ross. Many prominent Edmontonians were among the hometown contingent, including Mayor Stephen Mandel, former senator Tommy Banks and MP Rona Ambrose.
“It was really a thrill,” Ambrose said Wednesday. “And there was so much pride in the room.” Ambrose paid her own way to New York to attend. “So many Edmontonians paid out of pocket and I wanted to show equal support.”
“It was marvellous to be in that beautiful building and know that is our symphony.”
ESO fan shirley forbes
The excitement of being in New York continues for ESO musicians staying to see Broadway shows, go to a Yankees game or catch up with old friends.
Double bassist Jan Urke is attending the final recital of his former music student, Taddes Korris, who’s finishing an undergraduate degree at the Manhattan School of Music. “It’s perfect timing,” Urke said. He doesn’t usually teach beginners. Urke accepted Korris as a 17-year-old student six years ago because he knew the boy’s mother, a former symphony employee. “He caught on like a house on fire,” Urke recalled.
Now 23, Korris is about to begin his master’s degree in orchestra performance at the Manhattan school. He’ll be studying under Tim Cobb, principal double bassist of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra.
“Jan was great,” Korris said. “He always had profound and wise things to say. He always got the big picture. He gave me a really solid foundation. Super supportive, everything you’d want in a teacher.”
The two are friends now, sharing a mutual love of double bass.
“Taddes is curious and he’s a bit of a bass nerd,” Urke said. “He knows more about repertoire and instruments and stuff than most professional players do.”
Korris is delighted his old teacher will be at the recital.
“It’s so cool that it coincides with the Edmonton Symphony being here. I hold a really important spot in my heart for Alberta, because of the musicians who’ve supported me.”