We were pleased to sit down with the newly-elected Grand Rapids Symphony Board Chairperson Ric Roane to learn about his musical background, his history with the GRS, and why our orchestra is special to him.

 

GRSMA: The musicians deeply appreciate your service to the Grand Rapids Symphony. What led you to join the GRS Board of Directors? 

 

RIC ROANE: I have had the delight of volunteering on various committees of the GRS for nearly 35 years, going back to former President/CEO Peter Smith’s days when I prepared the guest artist's post-concert dinners several times. My law firm Warner has enjoyed a supporting relationship with GRS going back nearly to its inception. For the past sixty years, the partners of Warner have served on the GRS Board, so it was a natural fit for me to work toward this goal. As Chairperson of the GRS Board for this two-year term, my greatest delight is to do all I can possibly do to support our many talented musicians who create inspiring music that uplifts our souls and brings delight to our vast audiences in many different settings. For me, it’s all about the musicians. Serving as a volunteer with the GRS these three and a half decades has been the best way for me to give back to our Grand Rapids Symphony and to express my gratitude for the way in which music changed my life and formed my future.

 

GRSMA: Tell us about your musical background. Did you grow up playing an instrument?

 

RR: I grew up playing the clarinet, having first been exposed to symphonic music through the Seattle Symphony Orchestra and their Fifth Grade concert series. I thrived with my clarinet performance, competing in solo and ensemble contests, challenging and then retaining my first chair position in the high school band, and having an incredible opportunity to tour Europe during the summer of 1976 with a national choral, orchestra and concert band troupe of young musicians from all over the US. This tour followed our performance at the Bicentennial Celebration in Philadelphia on July 4, 1976, and a Carnegie Hall performance on July 6. All of these experiences provided a strong foundation for my love of music and performance, and led to college scholarships that helped lift me from an earlier life of poverty to the professional successes I enjoy today.  

 

GRSMA: Since relocating to West Michigan, what changes have you observed since living here?

 

RR: Oh my! Since my arrival in January 1987, in the middle of a snowstorm, and having just relocated from Los Angeles after completing law school, I’ve witnessed our city change in amazing ways. From the nascent renaissance of downtown Grand Rapids to the “cool city” we enjoy today, I watched and helped participate in the new Grand Rapids Art Museum (GRAM), the new Public Museum, the Van Andel arena, the downtown housing boom, and the creation and buildup of the Medical Mile. The staunch conservatism I experienced when fresh from Los Angeles some 38 years ago has melted away in some ways to a more welcoming and inclusive community where it’s far easier for so many of us, and for me as an “out” gay man to live, thrive and enjoy.

 

GRSMA: There are many new faces on stage. What welcoming words would you extend to our new musicians?

 

RR: I’ve made it a personal mission to meet as many of our musicians as possible, and our new Principal Clarinetist Georgiy Borisov and Principal Flutist Dominique Kim have been on my recent newcomer’s hit list. For those musicians with longer tenures, I hope to reach out to each of you for social and personal interaction and to hear from you about the ways in which the GRS Board can assist you in doing what you do best, which is to create and share beautiful music with our community.  

 

GRSMA: Since you started your term as GRS Board Chairperson, we were pleased to see your idea of connecting board members and the musicians. How is that going?

 

RR: My goal is to get to know as many musicians as possible, which is why we conceived and started the Board Buddies program last September. I do hope that all musicians who are interested in this pairing of board members with musicians will have the opportunity to enjoy these social and interactive relationships as they grow and forge stronger ties to those who love to support you.

 

GRSMA: Do you have a favorite GRS concert experience?

 

RR: My favorite GRS concert experience happens every Friday night during the Masterworks Series to which my husband Leandro Robles and I subscribe. From the moment we settle into our comfortable seats in the Loge and Jamie Crawford takes the stage to tune the orchestra, to the final crashing crescendo or soft strains of a work winding its way to conclusion, we are captivated and moved and thrilled with every note and every sound. A favorite experience of mine was conducting Leroy Anderson’s “Sleigh Ride” for the Holiday Pops, in a red sparkly tuxedo and red rhinestone tux shoes! I rehearsed and took that fun and playful role very seriously. It was a dream come true for me, twice! 

 

GRSMA: Since you have been practicing family law and domestic relations litigation for over thirty-eight years, are there certain skill sets that carry into your role as the GRS Board Chairperson? 

 

RR: In my role as a divorce lawyer, and as a divorce mediator, I am always looking for resolution to conflict, to problems, and to disagreements. It takes a great deal of patience, practice, and a bit of grace to do what I do on a daily basis. I believe that I am bringing those skills to my work as Board Chairperson, which includes being a good listener, an effective problem solver, and someone who helps meet and manage the challenges that orchestras experience in this modern age.

 

GRSMA: Are there any ideas that you have in mind for the Grand Rapids Symphony’s approaching 100th anniversary season?

 

RR: I have lots of questions, such as “How do we top having cellist Yo-Yo Ma perform with the GRS?”or "What should we do for this upcoming grand celebration?". I know this: that over the next five years leading up to the 100th Anniversary, hundreds if not thousands of hours will be spent in planning, preparing, rehearsing, vetting, and figuring out the best way to celebrate this amazing achievement of 100 years of symphonic music performance in Grand Rapids. What that looks like today is unclear, but what is certain to me is that with an army of volunteers, contributors, and our talented musicians, we will celebrate this milestone and hopefully the celebration will consist of a year-long succession of concerts, galas, gatherings, and performances around our community in recognition of this great achievement. 

 

GRSMA: If you could host a party and invite famous musicians, living or dead, who would they be, and what topics of conversation would you either encourage or avoid?

 

RR: Aaron Copland would be first on the list. Camille Saint-Saëns would be there, playing a massive pipe organ with his great Third Symphony, with the fourth movement on “repeat” for at least three rounds. Hildegard von Bingen and John Williams would be invited as well. And I’d try to fit in Bette Midler, Barbra Streisand, and Sir Elton John for some fun and variety. I would urge us to avoid talking about politics, religion, or diets, and encourage them to tell us stories about what inspires/inspired them to create the beautiful, haunting, story-telling music that they did.

 

GRSMA: Is there anything else that you wish to share?

 

RR: At that party noted above, we would have champagne simply because I love it as a symbol of celebration, and we would have a delicious buffet dinner of delightful, rich dishes, and simple ones as well. We would eat well during our conversations, and enjoy the manner in which food brings people together to share, communicate, and connect.