Regina Symphony Orchestra

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The Regina Symphony Orchestra (RSO) was founded in Regina, Saskatchewan as the Regina Orchestral Society in 1908 by Frank Laubach, 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.

Regina Symphony conductors have been:

Frank Laubach 1908-1922
Wilson 1923-1941 and 1945-1955
Arthur Collingwood 1941
John Thornicroft 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
Victor Sawa

Concertmasters have been:

Marion B. Kinnee 1926-1936
Thornicroft 1936-1955
Lloyd Blackman 1955-1959 and 1960-1975
Elizabeth Boychuk 1959-1960
Malcolm Lowe 1975-1977
Brian Boychuk 1976-1978
[[1]Howard Leyton-Brown] 1978-1989
Brian Johnson 1989-1990
Carmen Constantinescu.

The orchestra has 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. In May 1979 the RSO joined the University of Regina in a production of Madama Butterfly with Maria Pellegrini in the title role and Millar as music director. It was presented in Regina and Saskatoon. The orchestra has been broadcast regularly by CBC Radio.