Don Berner Big Band with Special Guest Melissa Aldana

The Cause

We will be bringing in Blue Note recording artist and Grammy nominee Melissa Aldana as a special guest in March of 2024 as part of the Don Berner Big Band concert season

Who Will it Benefit?

The benefits of this are widespread. Beyond benefiting Edmonton's international reputation and elevating the musicians involved, the opportunity for young music students to see an incredibly competent and capable female guest star featured in Edmonton's flagship jazz orchestra not only inspires them, but empowers female students. As well, the regular core audience of this concert series seeing someone who is a world class musician perform with locally based musicians will change their perceptions of both their city and the cultural assets it has. Further, Ms. Aladana is of Chilean nationality and this can help empower and include a marginalized sector. Edmonton as a whole benefits culturally as anytime we can have these sorts of exchanges it improves our sense of civic pride, our reputation, and our aspirations,