Calgary service dogs get a sneak peek at CPO rehearsal

A service dog enjoys a bit of classical music at a rehearsal of the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra on Friday.

Friday’s Calgary Phillharmonic orchestra rehearsal was simply adorable, although it had nothing to do with the musicians.

Several service dogs in training joined the orchestra and members of the Philharmonic chorus Friday.

The training is meant to get service dogs accustomed to behaving properly in large crowds with plenty of noise.

It’s become somewhat of an annual tradition for the orchestra, as music is meant for everyone.

“You get a variety of ages from what I’ve seen, and different levels of training” said CPO president and CEO Marc Stevens. “So some of them may be more distractable than others.

“Of course, they’re very distracting for our musicians and other folks who love seeing them there. So we have to keep our focus on, as well as them.”

Friday night’s concert featuring music from science fiction movies such as Star Wars, Interstellar and 2001: A Space Odyssey was sold out.

Saturday's 7:30 p.m. performance has around a dozen tickets remaining. For more information, go here.