Minnesota violinist Richard ‘Dick’ Adams has died

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US violinist Richard ‘Dick’ Adams died on 13 December 2023. He was a former assistant concertmaster of the Minnesota Orchestra (formerly Minnesota Symphony) from 1956 to 1991.

Adams began studying the violin at the age of six with his father, who was also a violinist in the Minnesota Orchestra. At 14, he made his solo debut with the Minnesota Orchestra and won the National Federation of Music Clubs’ Scholarship at the age of 16, which entitled him to four years of study at the institiution and with the teacher of his choice.

He went on to study at the Juilliard School, under the tutelage of Ivan Galamian, armed with a 1763 Gennaro Gagliano violin that was given to him by his uncle. Following his studies at Juilliard, Adams won the concertmaster position with the Dallas Symphony, but his military service intervened. Instead, he played with the Air Force orchestra for four years, performing as soloist around the US. He then went on to serve as concertmaster with the American Ballet Theater in New York.

Adams returned to Minnesota in 1956 to take up his position of assistant concertmaster with the orchestra there, performing in numerous venues in the state. In addition, he taught many pupils at the University of Minnesota, Hamline University, and privately. He left the Minnesota Orchestra in 1991 and moved to Florida to retire, as well as to play with the West Coast Symphony Orchestra. In 2008, he returned to Minnesota, where he made Bloomington his home with his wife Grace.

He is survived by his sister and his three children.

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