The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra (ESO) is a Canadian orchestra based in Edmonton, Alberta. As the professional orchestra of Alberta's creative capital city it presents over 85 concerts a year of symphonic music in all genres, from classical to country. Currently in its 70th season, the orchestra is composed of 56 core professional musicians who perform 42 weeks per season and who play an active role in the musical life of Edmonton and elsewhere as performers, teachers and recording artists. The ESO also performs as the orchestra for Edmonton Opera and Alberta Ballet productions, and its recordings are regularly heard across Canada on CBC Radio 2. History The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra was initially formed as Edmonton's community orchestra and performed its first concert on November 15, 1920. The orchestra suspended operations in 1932 due to lack of funds, but was revived on October 31, 1952, when it was incorporated as a registered not-for-profit organization (the Edmonton Symphony Society), and gave its first performance on November 30, 1952. It made the transition to a fully professional orchestra in 1971. In 1973, it was decided to restrict the orchestra to "classical" size. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the ESO's budget was over $10 million, and its players were the highest-paid Canadian orchestral musicians west of Toronto. Music directors, conductors, concertmasters, and artistic leaders Music and artistic directors Michael Stern 2022- (Artistic Advisor) Alexander Prior 2017-2022 (Chief Conductor) William Eddins 2005-2017 (named Music Director Emeritus in 2017) Grzegorz Nowak 1994-2002 Uri Mayer 1981-1994 (named Conductor Laureate in 1994) Pierre Hétu 1973-1979 (artistic director), 1979-1980 (Principal Guest Conductor) Lawrence Leonard 1968-1973 Brian Priestman 1964-1968 Lee Hepner 1952-1960 Conductors Cosette Justo Valdés 2019- (2019 Assistant Conductor and 2021 appointed to Resident Conductor) Lucas Waldin 2009-2012 (Resident Conductor) Petar Dundjerski 2006-2008 (Assistant Conductor in Residence) Kazuyoshi Akiyama 2004-2005 (Principal Guest Conductor) Franz-Paul Decker 2003-2004 (Principal Guest Conductor) David Hoyt 1987-2002 (Resident Guest Conductor, Resident Conductor), 2002-2003 (artistic director) Peter Nero 1984-1985 (Pops Music Director) Daniel Swift 1983-1984 (Assistant Conductor) Yuval Zaliouk 1980-1981 (Interim Principal Conductor) Mitch Miller 1979-1982 (Principal Guest Conductor for Pops) Peter McCoppin 1978-1980 (Assistant Conductor) John Barnum 1973-1977 (Assistant Conductor) Ted Kardash 1971-1973 (Assistant Conductor) Tom Rolston 1960-1964 (Associate Conductor) Concertmasters Robert Uchida 2013–present Eric Buchmann (interim) 2010-2013 Martin Riseley 1994-2010 Eric Buchmann, Richard Caldwell, Virginie Gagné, Broderyk Olson (interim, in rotation) 2009-2010 John Lowry 2002-2003 (interim) James Keene 1972-1994 Charles (Karol) Dobiáš 1970-1972