In an article in The New York Times (February 26), under the heading “Some Orchestras with Imagination,” James Oestreich lists six orchestras participating in the Spring for Music Festival at Carnegie Hall from May 7 through 12. Edmonton’s is the only one selected with a photograph of its leader, Bill Eddins.
A glimpse at the orchestra’s website confirms that it is indeed an orchestra with imagination. But so, no doubt, are many others. But it is probably the only one that celebrates its 60th anniversary this year. It was founded five years after the oil strike at Leduc had transformed the province’s economy. Albertans had never imagined large oil reserves existed beneath the wheat, nor the potential for an orchestra that would, 60 years later, perform at Carnegie Hall.
One hopes that the business pages of The New York Times will soon follow suit and single out Alberta as having an oil policy with imagination.
