With each gift, there is a meaningful connection to be made, and a story to be told: a memory, a promise, a new beginning, a grateful bequest. We look forward to including your story as we write the next chapter of the Edmonton Recital Society together.
With every donation, we strengthen our foundation, embrace new challenges, and seize opportunities to give back to our community. Your support helps us nurture existing relationships while building new ones, fostering a sense of connection and collaboration.
Edmonton Music & Speech Arts Festival
Children and Youth Music Scholarships
Heather Bedford-Clooney
Executive Director
OUR PAST: The Roots of Excellence
The Edmonton Recital Society was founded in 2006 as a non-profit society, and in 2007 received registered charity status, with a commitment to enriching Edmonton’s cultural life through exceptional classical music performances with artistic connections to our city. For almost 20 years, we have showcased talented emerging artists, hosted internationally renowned musicians with ties to our city, and fostered a thriving community of classical music enthusiasts.
OUR PRESENT: Elevating Edmonton’s Cultural Landscape
Today, the Edmonton Recital Society continues to be a cornerstone of the city’s classical music scene. We support professional musicians by providing a platform for artistic excellence and innovation. Through our recitals and outreach programming, we bring world-class music to audiences of all ages, while creating opportunities for emerging professional artists, and giving back to the community to foster music education and enrichment opportunities, building on our legacy. Our efforts also focus on diversity, equity and inclusion, ensuring our performances and outreach initiatives are a source of inspiration and connection for all.
OUR FUTURE: Building a Legacy for Generations
As we approach our 20th anniversary, we envision a vibrant future with plans to expand our programming, deepening community engagement, and enhancing support for professional musicians. We aim to be a leader in creating cultural experiences that resonate with diverse audiences while cultivating the next generation of classical music enthusiasts. By securing sustainable funding and partnerships, we are committed to growing our impact and leaving a lasting legacy.
IMPACT OF OUR DONORS
Thanks to the generosity of our donors:
- Since the 2022–23 season, we have hosted seven master classes, providing over 20 student participants the opportunity to benefit from the expertise and insights of our internationally acclaimed artists.
- We have had the privilege of premiering three new works, each of which contributes to the enrichment and expansion of the classical repertoire
- We have enriched the lives of countless children and youth, young adults and seniors through friends of ERS, donors, patrons, sponsorships and partnerships.
TESTIMONIALS
Youth Orchestra of Northern Alberta (YONA)
Children and Youth Scholarships and Program Funding
A Thank You Message from YONA Students:
Grant Partnership
Offsetting Funding for Professional Artists to Perform on both our ERS Stage and at Nursing Homes Across Alberta.
Neda Yamach (violin, centre) and Meran Currie-Roberts (cello, right) at Shepherdís Care Millwoods Manor for a Concert in Care event. Supplied Edmonton
“We have been privileged to work with the Edmonton Recital Society to feature their established and emerging artists in concert. ERS stands out as an organization which understands the value of partnerships with other arts organizations and in investing in the marginalized and diverse communities that our audiences belong to. Because of our collaborations, we have brought the highest level of professional music to the audiences who need it most.
The Health Arts Society of Alberta presents local professional artists in performance for Albertans living in care. Our audiences include residents in long term care, palliative care, psychiatric care and retirement facilities.”
Meran Currie-Roberts
Executive & Artistic Director
MacEwan University, Conservatory of Music
Grant Partnership
New Canadians of All Ages Learning English Through the Power of Music
Maureen Ha, Senior Program Manager
Conservatory of Music, MacEwan University
“ERS has been an invaluable long-term partner and sponsor to the Conservatory of Music, consistently supporting our mission to provide high-quality music education. Through their generous contributions, ERS has funded student scholarships and vital program initiatives, enabling us to cultivate the next generation of musicians
In the challenging 2021/22 academic year, ERS played a critical role in helping us adapt to unprecedented circumstances. With their substantial financial support, we were able to successfully pivot music programs to an online platform, ensuring our students continued to receive exceptional instruction and opportunities despite the challenges posed by the pandemic. We are deeply grateful for ERS’s ongoing commitment to our success and growth.”
Feedback collected at program survey:
“I have found that the preschool age has been largely forgotten during COVID, and it was wonderful to have an on-demand option that was offered at no cost. My daughter looked forward to these videos, which we watched weekly, and she loved Miss Elizabeth.”
