Appreciated and beloved: Red Deer Symphony Orchestra celebrates 40 years

For 92.5 per cent of the RDSO’s existence, or 37 out of 40 years, one man has been a constant — music director and conductor, Juno Award-winning Claude Lapalme, who started in the role when he was just 28.

“I feel very privileged to have seen this big swath of history within the same organization in the leadership position,” he told rdnewsNOW ahead of the season’s opening ticket.

(Image Credit: Red Deer Symphony Orchestra)

“The RDSO considers itself very lucky to be in a market that appreciates what we do.”

Jump in the time machine back to 1987, which is when Lapalme says the organization was born out of the generosity of people.

A music conductor by the name of Howard Mar thought it’d be a great idea to start a symphony, and he secured some seed money — $165,000 — from the Red Deer branch (no. 35) of the Royal Canadian Legion to do just that. There were also two government grants and several private donations that came in.

Its venue from the start — the start being April 8, 1987 — is where they still call home, and that is the Red Deer Polytechnic Arts Centre. The facility had its own opening just a few months earlier, on Oct. 17, 1986, 40 years ago to the day that the RDSO will open its 40th season.

According to the City of Red Deer Archives, Mar previously served as assistant to the dean of visual and performing arts at RDC, but also as president of Central Alberta Theatre, president of the Red Deer Allied Arts Council, and as a board member of the Red Deer Concert Society, among others.

He led the RDSO for three years before resigning, which is when a national search led to Lapalme’s hiring.

Since then, Lapalme and his players have brought so much music to life for Red Deerians to enjoy in the flesh — from the masterpieces of Vivaldi and Beethoven, to the theatrical wunderbars of Hans Zimmer and John Williams.

Speaking of Williams, George Lucas once remarked that “music is the magic dust of movies,” and as they say, life is a movie — so it should include great music.

The RDSO in 2012. (Image Credit: Red Deer Symphony Orchestra)

Lapalme explains that the organization has come leaps and bounds as far as how polished and professional it is, in comparison with bigger and, frankly, richer orchestras in Calgary and Edmonton.

“Our players know it’s a good gig. They like the feel of the job, and there’s a lot of mutual respect among the musicians,” says Lapalme, adding the level of private instruction in Central Alberta has vastly improved.

That includes instruction from Lapalme and his team, who have spent countless hours showing Central Alberta youth how it’s done, and collaborating with them, as seen in the archival news footage below.

Looking forward to this season, those who attend are in for a treat, he continues.

“There’s a little bit of giving back. We feel we should give the audience something really, really comfortable and familiar,” says Lapalme.

“We’re also trying to work a lot of blockbusters in. There have already been a lot of comments from people saying they’ve always wanted us to do this or that.”

It all starts Oct. 17 with ‘A Symphonic Celebration,’ with amazing shows to come throughout.

That includes a holiday special on Dec. 5, ‘Diamonds Are Forever’ on Feb. 6 featuring 2026 Red Deer festival winner Emily Fakeley, and a Bach-centric show March 13 at Gaetz Memorial United Church.

The full slate can be found here.

But it hasn’t always been smooth sailing for the RDSO.

Claude Lapalme gives praise to his players during a show at the RDP Arts Centre during the 39th season. (Image Credit: rdnewsNOW/Josh Hall)

In spring 2024, Lapalme used the word ‘grim’ in telling rdnewsNOW the organization could soon be performing its swan song if it didn’t get municipal funding and other support.

Concluding the season in spring 2025, the RDSO put on a show entitled ‘If We Had A Million Dollars’ with just 12 musicians, both the name and the size of the performance indicating the RDSO’s then-financial reality.

A groundswell of support thankfully led the organization to secure sustainable funding and, later, to set sail on its 39th season with elation and renewed optimism.

So are there further heights for the RDSO to attain?

Lapalme says they’re planning seasons two years out, but that it’s difficult to predict what the scene looks like a decade from now, taking into account ever-changing demographics.

“We want to make sure we don’t expand too fast, and we have to grow in tandem with societal changes,” Lapalme says, sharing that more younger people are attending shows, which he believes to be a positive trend.

“We’d like, as much as possible, to be even better integrated into the artistic life of Red Deer.”

After all, he says, the RDSO’s members are “custodians of an ancient art form.”

“The balance between the museum-quality of what we do and the forward-looking creative newness of what can be done with the medium is a balancing act that is challenging, but always very satisfying.”

There are remaining tickets for all shows this season, but don’t wait to snap them up.

That goes for the Main Series, but there’s also community programming the RDSO offers.

On Oct. 17, there’s an open rehearsal, and on Halloween, catch the RDSO in ‘A Grave Occasion’ during their latest Symphony at the Snell [auditorium].

More details are at rdso.ca.

by Josh Hall

Appreciated and beloved: Red Deer Symphony Orchestra celebrates 40 years

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