Edmonton symphony tapped for momentous True North: The Canadian Songbook project

Edmonton symphony tapped for momentous True North: The Canadian Songbook project

World Famous Local Orchestra Chosen for 10-Symphony Album to Celebrate Canada's 150(th) Birthday

EDMONTON, March 22, 2016 /CNW/ - Eleanor McCain is about to make history.

In an unparalleled and ambitious move to celebrate the country's 150(th) birthday with her upcoming True North: The Canadian Songbook, the three-time East Coast Music Association Award nominee is traveling across Canada from St. John's, NL to Victoria, BC to record with 10 orchestras for inclusion on her 33-song project.

And the first stop is Edmonton, where on March 22(nd) she'll be recording with the world-renowned, 56-piece Edmonton Symphony Orchestra in a session produced by Emmy Award-winning producer Don Breithaupt, conducted by Martin MacDonald and recorded by orchestral engineer Jeremy Tusz.

"I'm thrilled to be working with the brilliant musicians of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra," McCain declared. "We'll be reimagining three songs by iconic Canadian songwriters through new orchestral arrangements, including one by Edmonton native Darren Fung (Great Human Odyssey). I couldn't imagine realizing my vision of True North: The Canadian Songbook without them."

Founded in 1920, The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra performs a wide-ranging repertoire from the great classical masterworks to pops and family concerts.

The ESO has also been at the top of the pop charts with Procol Harum Live With The Edmonton Symphony (certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America) and has also recorded albums with R&B legend Ray Charles, Winnipeg's Chantal Kreviazuk and homegrown rockers Tom Cochrane and Red Rider (The Symphony Sessions.)

"I am honoured to be realizing my vision of True North: The Canadian Songbook with the ESO," said McCain.

True North: The Canadian Songbook, is a musical celebration of 32 of the nation's best-known songs, plus 1 original, as interpreted by Eleanor McCain. It will feature some of the country's most distinguished performers and recording artists as special guests.

Song titles and guest artists will be announced at a later date.

"The idea for this project began in January 2014 and was to reimagine some of our most iconic Canadian songs in new arrangements for orchestra in celebration of Canada's 150(th) birthday," said McCain, who has five albums to her credit.

"But if you plan on recording with a Canadian symphony, how do you choose only one? That's when the dream happened: wouldn't it be great to do this with orchestras across the country and make it Pan-Canadian."

To fulfill this dream, Florenceville, NB native McCain will be trekking across the nation between the months of March and June to capture the dynamic and powerful sounds of 40-plus-piece orchestras based on arrangements provided by such stellar arrangers as Shelly Berger, Peter Cardinali, Darren Fung, Lou Pomanti, and Sarah Slean to name a few.

In addition to the recording, a coffee table book featuring picturesque Canadian landscapes captured by nationally prominent photographers will accompany the double CD. The album is also being offered as a standalone double CD with an enhanced booklet and as a digital download. The album and book are scheduled for release on Retriever Records in the spring of 2017 in time for Canada's Sesquicentennial birthday.

The project will also be captured on film for a companion documentary.

"I am so excited to start the orchestra recording sessions and to eventually share these wonderful arrangements of some of Canada's most iconic songs with everyone," McCain enthused.

Please visit www.EleanorMcCain.ca for further details.

Here's the list of participating orchestras and corresponding dates:

Date: March 22 (Edmonton)
Orchestra: Edmonton Symphony Orchestra

Date: March 24 (Halifax)
Orchestra: Symphony Nova Scotia

Date: March 26 (St John, NB)
Orchestra: Symphony New Brunswick

Date: April 4 (Winnipeg)
Orchestra: Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra

Date: April 24 (St. John's, NL)
Orchestra: Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra

Date: May 2 (Victoria)
Orchestra: Victoria Symphony

Date: May 4 (Vancouver)
Orchestra: Vancouver Symphony Orchestra

Date: May 10 (Kitchener-Waterloo)
Orchestra: Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony

Date: May 13 (Québec City)
Orchestra: L'orchestre symphonique de Québec

Date: June 13-14 (Ottawa)
Orchestra: National Arts Centre (NAC) Orchestra

SOURCE Eleanor McCain

Eleanor McCain

CONTACT: For further information, images and to arrange interviews with Eleanor Mccain, please contact: Deb McCain, 416-402-5681, deb@debmccain.com; Wonjay Chang, 647-349-2899, wonjay@debmccain.com


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