The Red Deer Symphony Orchestra wants to spread some Schubert to help soothe some psyches during the pandemic.
Since live performances can’t happen this season, the RDSO is presenting the first of what will be a series of free online concerts posted to its website, www.rdso.ca.
You don’t have to be an RDSO subscriber to tune in to Quintessentially Schubert! as performed by guest pianist Tong Wang and four RDSO musicians — violinist Alison Zdunich, violist Dean O’Brien, cellist Janet Kuschak, and double bassist Graeme Mudd.
Their buoyant rendering of Franz Schubert’s Piano Quintet in A Major, D. 667 “Forellenquintett” (popularly known as The Trout Quintet) will hopefully provide listeners with some virtual escape — even though it’s nowhere near fishing season yet.
The online concert comes with some background notes, provided by music director Claude Lapalme.
“Finally being able to produce and release the Schubert Trout Quintet was a great thrill,” said Lapalme. And it required a new way of doing things.
Finding a suitable venue, getting various permissions, sharing musical information remotely before rehearsals, and “finding the best ways to be safe and juggling the different requirements of both musicians and a film crew was difficult,” he admitted.
But Lapalme is proud of the results. He hopes listeners enjoy the “beloved piece” by Schubert.
He’s now working on getting the next three videos produced. “There will be more. It’s important that we show everyone that what we are is all about music, so we are doing our best to spread the joy to as many people as possible until we can finally gather again.”
The Schubert concert video was produced by local videographer Harley Hay, and sponsored by Servus Credit Union.
The free performance will be available on RDSO’s website until the end of 2021.
“We just want to spread the music as far as possible so that everyone can enjoy it in these stressful times,” said the RDSO’s executive assistant Jennette Miller.