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| Michael Massey has been a fixture in Edmonton’s classical music scene for over 45 years. He has inspired thousands of young musicians through the Edmonton Youth Orchestra Programme and countless others through musical performance. Michael is an accomplished and versatile musician: he is a pianist, a conductor, an orchestrator, a programmer, and a teacher — but most of all, he is a mentor and role model for young musicians in Alberta.
Michael was born in London, England, in July 1945. At age 12, he moved with his family to Canada and started a new life in Edmonton. Two years later, he began formal piano studies under Jean-Pierre Vetter, developing as a musician and appreciating the power of a good teacher. Vetter had a way of bringing music to life for him. After earning a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Alberta under the guidance of Professor Alexandra Munn, Michael moved to Switzerland, spending two years at the Geneva Conservatory studying with the renowned pedagogue, Louis Hiltbrand, where he was awarded the Premier Prix de Virtuosité and performed twice as soloist with L’Orchestre de la Suisse Romande. Michael would go on to establish himself as a soloist, teacher, accompanist, and chamber musician throughout Canada. Since 1977, Michael has been Music Director of the Edmonton Youth Orchestra Programme. Since that time, the orchestra has flourished and grown, doubling from one to two orchestras: an Intermediate Orchestra for musicians aged 11 to 16, and a Senior Orchestra which starts musicians at age 14 and sees them play up to age 25. The EYO Program, which is comprised of the top players from northern Alberta, is considered to be among the best in Canada. After nearly 40 years of heading the youth orchestras (the 2016-2017 season will be his 40th year), Michael has been a conductor, teacher, and mentor to over 6000 young musicians. His innovative, wide-ranging, and demanding repertoire selections challenge and stretch his students’ abilities. Michael’s time, energy, and dedication to the Edmonton Youth Orchestra Programme have resulted in wide acclaim and drawn large and diverse audiences. The Senior Orchestra played for Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh in 2005, and has toured in Australia, Austria, Great Britain, Los Angeles, Ontario, Quebec, and Alberta. Michael remains one of Edmonton’s most influential artists. He continues to perform with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra while mentoring students and leading both Edmonton Youth Orchestras. Michael’s influence on the musicians of today and tomorrow will only continue to grow, as his students and the alumni of the EYO pass their love of music on to others, in Alberta and beyond. In 2016, for his long service to the Province he was awarded the Alberta Order of Excellence – the highest honour the Province of Alberta can bestow on a citizen. |
Michael Massey
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| Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) |
Intermezzo in A major Op.76 no. 6 Capriccio in C sharp minor Op. 76 no. 5 |
| Claude Debussy (1862-1918) |
Images, Bk. 2 Cloches à travers les feuilles Et la lune descend sur le Temple qui fut. Poissons d’or |
| Nicolai Medtner (1880-1879) |
Sonata Reminiscenza Op. 38 no. 1 Fairy Tale in B flat minor Op. 20 no. 1 Fairy Tale in E flat major Op. 26 no. 1 Fairy Tale in F sharp minor Op. 35 no. 4 |
Recipient of the Alberta Order of Excellence, the highest honour bestowed upon a citizen by the Province, Michael Massey has additionally received the Lifetime Achievement in the Arts Award by the City of St. Albert.
Tickets
Adult $15 / Student $10. Tickets available in advance and at door, passes accepted.