Detroit’s new boss is married to one of his players
NewsTis the season for renewal.
Anne Parsons is retiring after 17 years as president and CEO of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra.
She will be succeeded by her vice president and general manager, Erik Ronmark.
He’s 44, and married to DSO violinist Adrienne Ronmark.
The next wage round should be interesting.
I sincerely hope that the couch they have in the living room is of high quality and comfortable enough to sleep on should negotiations ever go awry.
Truly unbelievable.
Why? Rather common, I would think.
He didn’t marry a viola player. So he isn’t that desperate.
Readers may note that since Erik has been General Manager, there has not been a peep of labor strife at the DSO. That is due in large part to the management understanding the perspectives and needs of musicians and communicating shared interests clearly and transparently across the organization. A refreshingly wise decision by a Board to recognize talent within and invest in a continuation of positive work culture.
What a bizarre, narrow angle on the hiring of a new CEO. One might also find it salacious that Erik still actively plays chamber music.
“Detroit’s New Boss is a Musician”
Nice to see that they’ve promoted from within, which rarely happens with US orchestras.
Almost as bad as the Music Director and Concertmaster being married. But no sane Board would ever allow that to happen, right?
It’s actually pretty common to have relationships like this. For instance, Yannick Nézet-Séguin resides in Montreal and Philadelphia with his husband Pierre Tourville, a violist in the Orchestre Métropolitain of Montreal, which Yannick conducts.
Riccardo Muti, director of the CSO, and his wife, Maria Cristina Mazzavillani, the founder and director of the Ravenna Festival, where Muti has conducted.
I’m sure there are many more.
This is yet another example of the great neo-liberal confidence-game of present-day classical music in America — where, on the surface, it’s supposedly all about BIPOC, BLM and DEI; but in reality, almost all of the jobs — like, literally, almost ALL of the jobs — are now going to Russians, Europeans, and denizens of the former British Empire. But hey, no worries, let’s all be good, guilt-ridden liberals and file into another Zoom meeting or hotel ballroom in Denver, Chicago or Los Angeles, for an annual meeting of the League of American Orchestras — where their CEO, Mr. Simon Woods, of London, England, can tell us all what horrible people we are.
A CEO’s major responsibility is fundraising, whether they want to believe that or not. What exactly is his experience with this aspect of the job heretofore?
The DSO appears to have 12 full-time development staff. I’m sure that Mr. Ronmark will make good use of their experience and talent.
The Ronmarks’ have already been through this polarization to an extent from the 2010 strike. We all know Norman is sarcastically joking but the truth is Erik and Adrienne are professionals and they will choose to do what best respects all parties, (FYI, to those who think there is a problem with their positions).
The people of the DSO trust them, and there are time tested reasons for this, that include dedication, drive, and endurance.
Erik, personally brings a different perspective to the role of administrator. He, and Adrienne know what it takes to create an organization from the ground up, it’s called New Music Detroit. Erik has learned how to apply what he knows from this experience to the DSO, (including extensive fundraising skills) this is just one reason why he has been singled out.
BTW, New Music Detroit has survived and thrived for over a decade now. That is no small feet, and anyone who scoffs at this has no idea what it takes.
Erik, a note to you, congratulations many times over. You have earned your place and you will prove it to be right.