Regina Symphony Orchestra
Short nameRSO
Former nameRegina Orchestral Society, Regina Choral and Orchestral Society, Regina Philharmonic Association
Founded1908
Principal conductorGordon Gerrard
Websitereginasymphony.com

The Regina Symphony Orchestra (RSO) was founded by Frank Laubach, in Regina, Saskatchewan, as the Regina Orchestral Society in 1908, giving its inaugural concert December 3 of that same year. Becoming the Regina Choral and Orchestral Society in 1919, and merging briefly with the Regina Male Voice Choir as the Regina Philharmonic Association in 1924, it returned to independent status as the Regina Symphony in 1926, presenting its first regular season (1927–1928) under W. Knight Wilson.

For many years an orchestra of 50 players, it grew to 70 in the 1960s. From 1929, its home was Darke Hall on College Avenue until it moved to the Saskatchewan Centre of the Arts in 1970.

The orchestra performs over 30 concerts every season to over 30,000 people over a 37-week season.[1]

King Charles III, as Prince of Wales, granted his patronage to the orchestra in September 2008, making the RSO the fourth orchestra in the world to be granted this honour by the heir to the Canadian throne.[2] In 2023 members of the orchestra were selected to play at his coronation.[3]

The orchestra has also performed with the South Saskatchewan Youth Orchestra (begun in 1977 under the RSO's sponsorship), the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, the National Ballet, the Regina Symphony Philharmonic Chorus (established in 1973) and Alberta Opera. The orchestra has also been broadcast regularly by CBC Radio.

Conductors

Regina Symphony conductors have been:

  • Frank Laubach 1908–1922
  • W(illiam) Knight Wilson 1923–1941 and 1945–1955
  • Arthur Collingwood 1941–1942 (Conservatory)
  • John Thornicroft 1942–1945 (Conservatory), 1955–1958
  • Paul McIntyre 1959–1960
  • Howard Leyton-Brown 1960–1971
  • Boris Brott 1971–1973
  • Ted Kardash 1973–1974
  • Timothy Vernon 1975–1976
  • Guest conductors 1976–1978
  • Gregory Millar 1978–1981
  • Simon Streatfeild 1981–1984
  • Derrick Inouye 1984–1989
  • Vladimir Conta 1989–1997
  • Victor Sawa 1997–2016
  • Gordon Gerrard 2016–

Concertmasters

Concertmasters have been:

  • Marion B. Kinnee 1926–1932, 1933–1935
  • Jean Eilers 1932–1933, 1935–1936
  • John Thornicroft 1936–1955
  • Lloyd Blackman 1955–1959 and 1960–1975
  • Elizabeth Boychuk 1959–1960
  • Malcolm Lowe 1975–1977
  • Brian Boychuk 1974–1975 (acting/assistant) 1977–1978
  • Howard Leyton-Brown 1978–1989
  • Brian Johnson 1989–1990
  • Guests 1990–1991
  • Carmen Constantinescu 1991–1992
  • Noel Laporte 1992–1998
  • Moshe Hammer 1998–1999
  • Eduard Minevich 1999–2012
  • Karen Constant 2012–2014 (acting)
  • Simon MacDonald 2014–2017
  • Christian Robinson 2017–2018 (acting)
  • Christian Robinson 2018–

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ "Financial Information « Regina Symphony Orchestra". www.reginasymphony.com. Archived from the original on 2012-03-12.
  2. ↑ Regina Symphony Orchestra: The Prince of Wales to be Royal Patron of the RSO; September 4, 2008
  3. ↑ "Buckingham Palace is pleased to announce further details of the twelve new compositions that have been written for the Coronation of Their Majesties The King and The Queen Consort at Westminster Abbey on Saturday 6th May 2023". The Royal Family. 16 April 2023. Archived from the original on 16 April 2023. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
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