ITEA Journal Volume 49 Number 2 (Winter 2022)

In Memoriam:
By Jerry Young

Ron Munson (1942 - 2021)

ITEA Life Member Ron Munson passed away on November 30, 2021, in Traverse City, Michigan from complications of the COVID-19 virus. After a successful career as a performer, educator, and event facilitator, he spent the last few years of his life in northern lower Michigan living just a little over a mile away from the Interlochen Center for the Arts. It was here that he found inspiration for his professional musical life during the summer of 1958 as a camper at the National Music Camp.

Ron Munson and Tom Riccobono with four of the five tubas that Mr. Munson donated to the Interlochen Center for the Arts. (Photo Courtesy: Tom Riccobono and the Interlochen Center for the Arts)

Ron started his undergraduate music studies at Wichita State University while serving as Principal Tuba of the Wichita State University. A prodigious young artist, he left Wichita State University before finishing his degree to serve as tubist with the Brass Arts Quintet in New York City. He performed with that ensemble in Carnegie Hall and in a variety of other prestigious venues, as well as for countless Young Audiences concerts. During his time in New York, he was an all-around free-lance musician and also performed with the American Shakespeare Festival Orchestra. After his time in New York, he went on to perform with the San Antonio Symphony and the Minnesota Orchestra before joining the "President's Own" United States Marine Band from 1966 to 1970. Upon completion of his tour of duty with the USMB, he attended Emporia State University, where he completed both his undergraduate and master's degrees while serving as a graduate teaching assistant and performing with the faculty brass quintet. His performing career concluded with the position of Principal Tuba and Contrabass Trombone with the Seattle Opera, simultaneously serving as extra and substitute tuba for the Seattle Symphony. His principal teachers were Arnold Jacobs, William Bell, Harvey Phillips, Abe Torchinsky, Joe Novotny, and Irving Sarin.

Throughout his career and well beyond his time as a performing artist, Ron was a dedicated and enthusiastic music educator. He held positions at Trinity University, the University of Northern Iowa, Pacific Lutheran University, and the University of Puget Sound, and he had an expansive private brass studio in the greater Seattle area for more than thirty-five years. While operating his private studio, he became one of the most influential low brass personalities in the Northwest United States and was heavily involved in the organization of TubaChristmas® activities, organizing and producing the "Harvey Phillips Northwest Big Brass Bash," and producing several Regional Conferences for ITEA.

Ron's enthusiasm for the Interlochen Center for the Arts went far beyond his 1958 summer experience. His generosity towards Interlochen and the students who study there is legendary. After experiencing focal dystonia in the late 1970s, it became impossible for him to continue to perform. Several years after his struggles with that condition began, he started donating tubas to the Interlochen Center for the Arts. He donated a total of five artist-quality instruments (PT-10 and Yamaha 822 F tubas and Meinl-Weston 2145, Hirsbrunner "Yorkbrunner," and Alexander CC tubas), all available for student use. He also donated a very historically significant Conn tuba to the Greenleaf Collection, an important instrument collection that is housed at the Interlochen Center for the Arts. His generosity, however, did not start and end with tubas. In 2018, because of persistent vision problems, he decided that he would no longer drive. He sold his car and gave all the proceeds to student scholarships at Interlochen. Over the past three years he sponsored the appearance of several prominent guest artists (including Gene Pokorny and Richard White, among others) for the benefit of all Interlochen students, assisted low brass students in obtaining high quality personal instruments, and counseled both students and alumni with career advice. Additionally, his final instrumental donation to ICA was made in the fall of 2021 - a complete set of Wagner tuben. Ron was a constant presence at student and guest artist performances on the Interlochen campus. The final performance he attended was Interlochen alumna, Carol Jantsch's, November 5, 2021 workshop performance of the new tuba concerto by Wynton Marsalis.

Ron is survived by his younger brother, Dic Munson (Pam), his son, Daniel Munson, and grandchildren, nephews and nieces, as well as a host of friends from the professional tuba community around the world and hundreds of former students. He was preceded in death by his parents, a brother, and his wife, Debbie.

Gifts in memory of Ron may be made to Interlochen Center for the Arts at: Interlochen Center for the Arts, Ronald Munson Memorial Gifts, P.O. Box 199, Interlochen, MI 49643, or 231.276.7623, or www.interlochen.org/memorial . Gifts made in Ron's memory will help to support student scholarships. For gifts made online, Ron's name may be typed in the Honoree name field or in the general comment box.

In Memoriam contributed by Jerry A. Young

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