Rocky Mountain Symphony Orchestra (RMSO) is ready to trade in YouTube for the real deal again, as it announced it will return to in-person concerts starting this fall.
After more than a year of mostly online concerts, the Balzac-based orchestra will return to in-person performances for its sixth season of operations, starting with a concert focusing on German classical music Oct. 29 and 30.
“We are cautious,” said Carlos Foggin, RMSO’s music director. “We are excited to at least be able to do something.”
As part of the German Masters concert on Oct. 29 and 30, Foggin and his orchestra will host an ode to Ludwig van Beethoven, as last year marked the famous German composer’s 250th birthday. Foggin said the plan was to put on the concert in 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic meant no live shows were permitted, which meant paying tribute to Beethoven and his music had to wait.
“Now we can have a belated birthday party for Beethoven at the concert series,” he said.
The Beethoven-focused concert, hosted at the Polaris Centre for the Performing Arts in East Balzac, is taking a charitable approach to the first show on Oct. 29. It will not be open to the public, but rather people can visit RMSO’s website and purchase a ticket for an essential worker.
“As a special thank you to the frontline workers who helped keep our hospitals, buses, grocery stores, schools, and other essential services up and running over the past year, our first concert is exclusively for them,” the website reads.
Foggin said RMSO initially planned to kick off its sixth season in September, but with continued uncertainty surrounding an ongoing spike in COVID-19 cases in Alberta, he felt it would be better to wait and see how the situation develops.
The composer added with ongoing discussion about proof of vaccination requirements, he feels it is better to wait and see what the Province and other music venues do before making any concrete decisions.
“We are currently stuck in a political issue that we don’t want to be a part of,” he said. “Will we probably have to require people to be double-vaccinated to come? If I was a betting man, I would probably say yes. It’s not going to be our decision.”
If the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra or other musical organizations take such steps, Foggin said RMSO will have no choice but to follow suit. He said 80 per cent capacity will be necessary for each show to turn a profit.
“I just don’t know how we are going to get around it,” he said. “We just don’t want to be the bad guys. We want to play concerts, but we don’t want to get caught in the political decisions, which has been hard for us.”
While there are still many decisions to be made, Foggin is excited to host concerts again. After the German Masters event in October, he said people can look forward to six more RMSO events during the 2021-22 season.
RMSO formed in 2016 as a way for people in rural communities outside Calgary to experience classical music in a live and informal setting. Since forming, RMSO has performed more than 50 concerts in 18 venues. The orchestra has been based out of the Polaris Centre for the Performing Arts since 2019.
More information on the the orchestra’s happenings can be found by visiting rockymountainsymphony.ca
Jordan Stricker, AirdrieToday.com
Follow me on Twitter @Jay_Strickz
