Regina Symphony Orchestra

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 the orchestra consisted 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.