Hop on the bus to Edmonton with the Calgary Phil for a behind-the-scenes look at our collaboration with the ESO
By Zoltan Varadi
Prior to 2023’s joint performances of Alberta in Harmony: Moving Mahler in both Calgary and Edmonton, the last occasions in which Alberta’s two largest orchestras performed together had been at the opening of their respective home venues. The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra joined in on the celebrations for the completion of the Jack Singer Concert Hall in 1985, and the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra returned the favour when Winspear Centre opened its doors in 1997. Thankfully, post-Moving Mahler, it didn’t take quite as long for the Calgary Phil and ESO to get together again. Just before we flipped the calendar from April to May, the musicians of the Phil, along with production and administrative staff, travelled to our provincial capital for the first of two new Alberta in Harmony dates — 30 April in Edmonton and 2 May in Calgary. Though the concerts are now in the rearview mirror, we saved you a seat on the wayback bus for a glimpse at all the hard work and great fun that led up to the Edmonton date of Alberta in Harmony: The Planets.
On the Road Again: Two charter buses departed Calgary on 28 April, the day before the Edmonton concert. The musicians passed the three-hour trip in a variety of ways: chatting, snoozing, catching up on email, and even recording an episode for their self-produced podcast. No practicing, though, as their tools of the trade were either stowed below or on a separate truck carrying the larger instruments.
Photos — 1. Assistant Principal Bassoon Michael Hope travels in style. 2. First Violin Jeongah Choi and Assistant Principal Horn Maxwell Stein eschew the view for a chat 3. Concertmaster Diana Cohen, Assistant Principal Clarinet Laurie Blanchet, and Natalia Peric, clarinet, refuel at Gasoline Alley.
Smiles and Hugs: Warm welcomes and quick catch ups were the order of the day between Calgary Phil and ESO colleagues before they settled into the first rehearsal – which took place just 40 minutes after the buses arrived in downtown Edmonton. Orchestral organizations are all about tight timing!
Photos — 1. ESO Principal Oboe June Kim + Calgary Phil Assistant Principal Oboe David Sussman. 2. First Violins Laura Veeze, ESO + Olga Kotova, Calgary Phil.3. ESO Assistant Principal Viola Ethan Filner + Calgary Phil violist Alisa Klebanov. 4. Principal Cellos Arnold Choi, Calgary Phil + Rafael Hoekman, ESO.
Down to Business: Volumes of violins and violas, a haul of horns and harps, double timpani trouble, rows of cellos, a bigggg back line, and so on… Over the course of three rehearsals, the musicians of the Calgary Phil and the ESO squeezed onto the Winspear stage, preparing to sail John Luther Adam’s Become Ocean and lift off for Gustav Holst’s The Planets..
Clockwise from top left: 1. Well over 100 musicians squeezed onto the Winspear Centre stage. 2. Conductor Naomi Woo turns her attention to the cello section — violas and violins in the foreground. 3. A backline so big it doesn’t all fit in one frame – woodwinds + brass. 4. Principal Timpanists Barry Nemish (ESO) and Alexander Cohen (Calgary Phil).
Music in Motion: Conductor Naomi Woo led both the Edmonton and Calgary performances of Alberta in Harmony. A versatile presence on the podium, Phil fans will recall Woo’s previous appearances with the Orchestra on programs as varied as A Tribute to Whitney Houston (2023) and The Lark Ascending (2025). With Woo at the helm, the Calgary Phil and ESO successfully navigated the roiling seas of Become Ocean and the powerful pull of cosmic forces in The Planets.
Parks & Rec: Thanks to our hosts with the most – Winspear Centre and the ESO – we shared a great meal and continued the camaraderie off stage — several musicians and staff from both organizations even spent the afternoon of the concert at Commonwealth Stadium’s recreation facilities for friendly rounds of soccer and frisbee.
Photos — 1. Calgary Phil Principal Horn Nikolette LaBonte and ESO Assistant Principal Horn Ryan Garbett at Winspear’s welcome dinner. 2. ESO Concertmaster Robert Uchida and Calgary Phil First Violin Edmund Chung share a moment after rehearsal. 3. From dinner companion to soccer opponent: Ryan Garbett attempts to get one past Calgary Phil Assistant Principal Trumpet Miranda Cairns. 4. With the evening’s looming performance of The Planets undoubtably on his mind, Calgary Phil double bassist Matthew Heller aims for orbit. 5. Calgary Phil Principal Trumpet Adam Zinatelli threads the needle.
That’s a Wrap: As the big night arrived, the Calgary Philharmonic and Edmonton Symphony Orchestras joined forces at a sold-out Winspear Centre for a thrilling, dazzling, and, yes, harmonious joint performance on 30 April. The following morning, your Calgary Phil, hopped back on the bus and got ready to do it again with the ESO at the also sold-out Jack Singer Concert Hall on 2 May.
A huge thank to Winspear Centre and Edmonton Symphony Orchestra for being such great hosts and partners, National Bank for their generous support as Concert Sponsor for both shows, and the City of Edmonton for showing us a great time.
Photos (l – r): 1. Annemarie Leenhouts-Petrov, President and CEO of Winspear Centre and Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, and Marc Stevens, Calgary Philharmonic President + CEO, at a pre-concert reception. 2. A full house at Winspear Centre greets the orchestras. 3. Homeward bound and ready to do it all over again in Calgary the following day.
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