Local classical music lovers plan to rally at the CBC Calgary building Friday, April 11, to express their displeasure with the public broadcaster’s decision to disband its radio orchestra and drastically reduce the amount of classical music programming on CBC Radio 2.

“We had a really special thing going on here,” says University of Calgary music student Darren Young, referring to the CBC’s 70-year-old radio orchestra — the last radio orchestra on the continent. “It’s something that made Canada great for the classical music scene.” The orchestra will be disbanded by the end of this year.

The orchestra’s end, coupled with CBC’s plan to reduce classical music programming in the fall, has sparked a wave of outrage from classical music lovers across the country. Protest rallies have already been held in most major cities, and a “Save Classical Music at the CBC” Facebook group is full of fiery messages berating the broadcaster for its controversial decisions.

The CBC says the new Radio 2 programming will draw from a “broader, richer and diverse spectrum of music: classical, jazz, folk, world, R & B, singer-songwriter and roots.” Classical music programs will still be broadcast from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day — “which, for a lot of people, means that it’s just not listenable,” says Young, one of the organizers of the Calgary rally. “The programming of classical music has always been at a time where it’s opportune for people to listen.”

The rally will be at 10 a.m. in front of the CBC building at 1724 Westmount Blvd. N.W.

According to newly released spring BBM ratings, Radio 2 captures 4.2 per cent of the Calgary listening audience. Radio One, meanwhile, topped the Calgary ratings, capturing 9.8 of the audience — beating out Country 105 (9.5),Vibe 98.5 (9) and CJAY 92 (7.3).

In related CBC news, the public broadcaster recently announced that it’s axing its Calgary Newsworld operation and moving it to Toronto. Thirty-two people will lose their jobs, but the CBC says it will add “approximately 25 new assignments for television journalists based in Calgary and Edmonton."