History of the RDSO

Founding Sponsor - Royal Canadian Legion, Branch #35, Red Deer

Founders

It was the end of 1986 – beginning of 1987, the population of this fair city was just under 55,000 and the Red Deer College Arts Centre had newly opened its doors when a gentleman by the name of Howard Mar took his vision of a community symphonic orchestra in Red Deer, enlisted the financial support to the tune of $165,000 from the Red Deer’s Royal Canadian Legion Branch #35, rallied his friends and fellow patrons of the arts, gathered a group of musicians both amateur and professional and... created the Red Deer Symphony Orchestra. Dr. Alan Johnson, former head of Obstetrics at the RDRHC and the first president of the RDSO said of the beginning: “It was mostly Howard, really. As far as my involvement was concerned and you can quote me - I’ve been at many deliveries before but this one has got to be one of the biggest.” Mr. Mar was the parent; the community delivered and nurtured the creation.

Much has changed in the last two decades: our population has grown and so has our symphony. Under the creative & talented guidance of Maestro Claude Lapalme, the caring guardianship of many, many board members and volunteers throughout the years, the support of numerous patrons, sponsors and funding agencies, the RDSO has matured from a community based, semi-professional orchestra to a fully professional one, employing union musicians. We’ve moved from a four-concert season with a budget of $71,000 and an apprenticeship program, to a six-concert season with a budget of over $500,000 and a full range of children’s music education programs. Not only do we have the Rehearsal program (open to music students and their teachers), the Choir Kids program (where children in the Red Deer schools get a chance to publicly perform their songs arranged by our Maestro and played by the symphony), the Symphonic Show N’ Tell Program (where our Maestro and musicians introduce symphonic instruments and music to classrooms in Central Alberta) but also this year we are launching our Woodwind Program again sending our musicians into the schools, this time to workshop with the budding young players.

But although much has changed in twenty years, much has also remained the same. We are still run by a volunteer board that works very hard to keep the music playing. We are still financially reliant on the generosity of our local patrons and businesses. We still hold to the original vision of providing education of symphonic music to Central Alberta. We still share the stage with amateur musicians, groups from around the area such as the Red Deer Royals, the Red Deer College Choir, the Lindsay Thurber Composite High School’s choirs and this year... The Rosedale Valley Strings. And finally, we still hold to the grand vision “to provide a season of orchestral performances for the residents of Red Deer and Central Alberta”... furthermore, under the magical baton of our beloved Maestro Lapalme... to provide a creative, brilliant and inspiring season of performances, not only for this, our 20th year... but for many more seasons to come...

Without further ado we invite you to sit back, relax and enjoy your Red Deer Symphony Orchestra. Thank you for helping to making the vision a reality!