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Charismatic, boogie-woogie piano sensation Michael Kaeshammer and the ESO perform uniquely stylized Christmas favourites, including Merry Christmas Baby, I’ll Be Home for Christmas, Marshmallow World, and Mary’s Boy Child. His prowess as a performer and onstage charm have made him an in-demand entertainer across North America and Europe. The performance will be opened by Jill Barber and her band.

Ticket Information

Our Resident Conductor Lucas Waldin appears in part thanks to the support of Enbridge.

Artist Info

Michael Kaeshammer, piano & vocals

Michael Kaeshammer has been called Canada’s triple-threat combo of piano virtuosity, vocal ability, and charisma. This potent combination has earned him international critical acclaim and a loyal and growing fan base. Mr. Kaeshammer's performances are a pure delight and his energy knows no bounds. He has piano technique to burn and has an acrobatic way with a grand piano. When Kaeshammer performs, it’s obvious he’s having a ball, playing superlative boogie-woogie, blues, jazz, and pop cross-over material. A reviewer of last year’s performance at the Tanglewood Jazz Festival noted: “drawing on a rock solid knowledge of the early piano greats, Kaeshammer does more than play the way they did. He entertains with a capital “E” the way they did… he taps into a part of music that's almost lost, connecting deeply with the audience on a gut level, so they are no longer just spectators in the music-making.” 

Lucas Waldin, conductor

The 2010/11 season marks the second for Lucas Waldin as Resident Conductor for the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra. This mentorship position is made possible through the Canada Council for the Arts and Enbridge. Mr. Waldin graduated in 2006 from the Cleveland Institute of Music with a Masters in Conducting. He has performed with L'Orchestre du Festival Beaulieu-Sur-Mer (Monaco), Staatstheater Cottbus (Brandenburg), and Bachakademie Stuttgart. Lucas was assistant conductor of the contemporary orchestra RED (Cleveland), director of the Cleveland Bach Consort, and a Discovery Series Conductor at the Oregon Bach Festival. In 2007, he was invited to conduct the Miami-based New World Symphony Orchestra in masterclasses given by Michael Tilson Thomas. In Lucerne in 2009, he also participated in a masterclass led by Bernard Haitink, with the Lucerne Festival Strings.

A native of Toronto, Lucas Waldin has spent summers studying in Europe, including studies at the International Music Academy in Leipzig, the Bayreuth Youth Orchestra, and the Acanthes New Music Festival in France. On this continent, he has studied under the renowned Bach conductor Helmut Rilling at the Oregon Bach Festival, and has attended conducting masterclasses with the Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra in Toronto. Mr. Waldin received a Bachelor of Music degree in flute performance from the Cleveland Institute, studying with Joshua Smith.

The ESO would like to thank Enbridge Pipelines for their commitment to the arts and this program by matching the funding provided by the Canada Council for the Arts.

Jill Barber, special guest

Since releasing her 2004 debut Oh Heart, Jill Barber’s warm songwriting and charming stage presence have won the hearts of fans, peers, and critics, amassing over 25 award nominations to date. Her second release, 2006’s For All Time, received two Juno nominations including Best New Artist. Released in October 2008, Jill Barber’s third album Chances is a lovely collection of timeless tunes delivered in Jill’s unique, glimmering voice. Featuring co-writes with Ron Sexsmith, Chances received critical and popular accolades across Canada. It has sold over 20,000 copies.

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