Red Deer
Red Deer Symphony Orchestra invites you to the 2024-2025 season!
The Red Deer Symphony Orchestra is a community-oriented professional performing arts leader dedicated to engaging, educating, and inspiring Central Alberta through music.
Despite a successful 2023-24 season featuring diverse musical performances and collaborations, the RDSO faces funding cuts and has launched an advocacy campaign for new operational funds. Historically supported by the City of Red Deer, recent policy changes have reduced available grants, impacting the orchestra’s budget and programming. Donations to the RDSO are being accepted online.
Join us with a Full Season Subscription!
The most music for the best price!
Not only do full-season subscribers get the first pick of the best seats, they also hear the most music for the best price. Buy a full-season subscription and you’ll receive all SIX of our Main Series concerts for the price of FIVE – you get an evening of Red Deer’s finest live music for free!
Full-season subscribers have the opportunity to save their seats before anyone else, and receive “Subscribers Only” benefits throughout the season. Additionally, subscribers receive $10 off extra single tickets: you can bring friends and share the music with them too!
Four-Concert Subscription
Curate your own season!
RDSO offers four-concert subscriptions for those who prefer to curate their own season, so you can enjoy a selection of RDSO’s exciting 2023-24 performances and get the satisfaction of knowing that you are actively supporting Central Alberta’s flagship performing arts organization!
Choose any four of RDSO’s six 2024-25 Main Series Concerts and save your seat in the concert hall!
Three-Concert Subscription
Curate your own season!
RDSO offers three-concert subscriptions for those who prefer to curate their own season, so you can enjoy a selection of RDSO’s exciting 2023-24 performances and get the satisfaction of knowing that you are actively supporting Central Alberta’s flagship performing arts organization!
Choose any three of RDSO’s six 2024-25 Main Series Concerts and save your seat in the concert hall!
In 1987, the population of this fair city was just under 55,000 and the Red Deer College Arts Centre had just 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 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.
There have been many changes in the last three decades: the population has grown and so has your symphony. Under the creative and 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 symphony orchestra, employing union musicians. We have moved from a four-concert season with a budget of $71,000 and an apprenticeship program, to a seven-concert season with a budget of over $500,000 and a range of musical education experiences.
Our community programs include the Dress Rehearsal program that is aimed at making the RDSO accessible to anyone, 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); and the budding Music + Explorers program, which is an El Sistema-inspired after school social development program that uses music as a lever to engage socio-economically challenged kids in North Red Deer in creative and artistic activities that improve their quality of life.
Although much has changed, 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 educational experiences with symphonic music for 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, the Rosedale Valley Strings, Soliloquy, and the Red Deer Youth Orchestra.
GET YOUR 50/50 TICKETS!!!! Winner could take home up to $25,000!!!
The Foundation for Red Deer Public Schools supports programs that have a significant impact on the LIFE CHANCES of students across the Division. By purchasing a ticket to support our 50/50 cash lottery you are giving students opportunities to have better life chances.
Ticket packages include:
- 25 for $50
- 10 for $25
- 1 for $10
From giving kids a Bright Start to school to reconnecting with students so they graduate and cross the Finish Line, the Foundation helps students who face challenges in school and makes things better. We motivate struggling students and inspire them to read and write through Reading College. For students who come to school without basic needs, we give them that needed Step Up.
With the support from The Foundation’s 50/50 Life Chances Raffle, you are providing a student with opportunities that will improve their life. They can’t always control the situations they’re in but with your help students will continue to have these chances.
Don’t miss your chance, CLICK HERE to buy your tickets today – Draw will be held on October 11! Good luck!
This raffle is open to all community members in Alberta who are over the age of 18.
Alberta
Clark Builders awarded construction manager contract to build patient tower, expand and renovate Red Deer Regional Hospital
Site preparation work is underway now that a construction contract has been awarded for the Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre redevelopment project.
The redevelopment of the Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre has been a priority infrastructure project since 2019. Over the last five years, significant work has been undertaken, including the development of the business case, extensive planning and coordination with multiple partners, public consultation, design and early site preparation. Following a competitive procurement process, Clark Builders has been awarded the construction manager contract to build the new patient tower and expand and renovate the existing hospital building in Red Deer.
Clark Builders will complete early site preparations such as demolishing the existing Annex building and surface parking lot. By early 2025, construction will begin on the new patient tower. Renovations will also begin in specific locations of the existing facility, with a focus on minimizing any disruption to hospital operations.
“This construction contract award is a significant milestone in moving the Red Deer Hospital project forward. To this point, all the work – planning, design, and procurement – propelling the project forward has been behind the scenes. Now, everyone will see the physical work as contractors set up offices, equipment, fencing and signage on site. I am excited to see progress on this project and for the people of Red Deer.”
Alberta’s government is committed to ensuring residents of the Red Deer region can access the care they need, when and where they need it. This project will not only expand and modernize the space, it will provide significant upgrades to services throughout the hospital, such as adding add 200 inpatient beds, increasing the size of the emergency room and adding six new operating rooms. Additionally, the redevelopment will add a new Medical Device Reprocessing department, new cardiac catheterization labs and a new centralized power plant.
“The Red Deer Regional Hospital redevelopment project is a priority for our government. We recognize there is an urgent need to increase capacity and expand services in central Alberta, and the awarding of this contract signifies progress being made towards ensuring patients can receive the health care they deserve close to home.”
“I am pleased to see this vital project advancing with the awarding of the construction manager contract to Clark Builders. This is good news for Red Deer and improving access to healthcare. With site preparations underway and visible construction on the new patient tower beginning soon, there is a strong future ahead for our city!”
A new ambulatory building will also be constructed as part of the Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre redevelopment, but as a stand-alone project to be delivered using a public-private partnership delivery method. A contract with the successful organization is expected to be in place by May 2025 and construction will begin shortly thereafter.
Quick facts
- Over the next three years, Alberta’s 2024 Capital Plan is providing $810 million toward a $1.806-billion investment for redevelopment of the Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre.
- Initial site preparation is currently underway with a separate construction management team (Shunda Consulting and Construction Management) that was engaged in June 2024 to complete early construction activities.
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