RMSO director wins Lieutenant Governor’s Award

By Laureen F. Guenther Times Contributor

Carlos Foggin, founder and music director of Rocky Mountain Symphony Orchestra, received a Lieutenant Governor’s Emerging Artist Award on June 4.

Emerging Artist Awards, which come with $10,000, are given to 10 awardees every second year, “to encourage promising artists at an early stage of their careers,” according to the Lieutenant Governor’s website.

“The award was given in recognition of my work as an orchestral conductor, as well as my work to bring orchestral music to regions typically underserved by professional performing arts,” said Foggin.

Rocky Mountain Symphony Orchestra (RMSO), which Foggin founded in 2016, plays annually in Strathmore and in numerous nearby communities.

Foggin sees the award as both an affirmation of his work and a validation of its purpose.

“The award gives credence to my past work,” he said, “and the platform I’ve been given allows for greater visibility for my craft, the orchestra and professional touring arts in rural Alberta.

“The recognition proves that the work we are doing is important (and) … encourages us to keep going,” he added. “We really hope that this award will help people in Strathmore and other towns realize what we offer, and be encouraged to get involved, whether as a patron, a volunteer or a musician.”

RMSO looks forward to performing its fifth season, but with differences. Winds and brass instruments aren’t permitted to perform, and the musicians who do perform must be social-distanced.

“We have changed our programming this fall from large orchestra concerts and replaced them with smaller concerts featuring just the strings,” Foggin said. “It’s a great opportunity for us to explore some oft-neglected repertoire and allows us to fit the entire string section on stage.”

The orchestra also applied to the Calgary Foundation, and received a grant to install HD livestreaming equipment in the Polaris Centre, the RMSO’s performing base. The orchestra plans to livestream future concerts, allowing them to reach wider audiences than social distancing rules allow in-person.

“This also creates an opportunity for us to keep in touch with our patrons (more often) in our touring towns like Strathmore, who might have one or two opportunities per season to attend a live concert in their hometown,” Foggin said. “The streaming service will enable folks to watch concerts at home, keep in touch with the orchestra, and will also be an additional source of subscription revenue (for the RMSO).”

The RMSO’s next Strathmore concert is scheduled for March 20, 2021.