While absorbing the wonder of Jasper’s Dark Sky Preserve, there’s no better soundtrack than the beautiful, powerful sounds of violins, cellos, and double basses working in harmony. The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra Strings has, over the past 60+ years, established itself as one of Canada’s foremost ensembles and boasts a wide repertoire, performing everything from the great classical masterworks to pops and family concerts. And on the first weekend of the Jasper Dark Sky Festival, at 7 p.m. Oct. 13, these masterful musicians will gather on the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge’s Beauvert Plateau for the Symphony under the Stars. 

With conductor Bob Bernhardt at the helm, the ensemble will serve an enchanting international musical menu including Mozart, Dvořák and Sarasate in addition to Cole Porter and John Williams.  Beneath the open ceiling of stars, enjoy familiar melodies and delightful dances from Italy, Spain, Wales, Denmark and South America. 

Individual tickets are now available for purchase for:  

• Friday Evening of Jazz (Oct. 12) $89 per person* 
• Saturday Night Edmonton Symphony Strings Concert $119 per person* 
• Saturday Night Dinner & Edmonton Symphony Strings Concert $179 per person* 

 Although the Friday Night Jazz Event will be taking place indoors, the Saturday Night Concert will be taking place outdoors on the Beauvert Plateau so attendees must dress according to the weather. Blankets and hot chocolate complete the experience. As it happens, the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra became in 1959 the first symphony orchestra to ever perform in the Northwest Territories and their 1994 “Northern Lights” tour took the orchestra to Yellowknife, Whitehorse and Inuvik so the musicians know how to play in less-than-tropical temperatures.