Bruce Ridge

Bruce Ridge (born January 1, 1964) is an American symphonic bassist and arts advocate. He is the former Chairman of the International Conference of Symphony and Opera Musicians (ICSOM)[1] and a member of the North Carolina Symphony. In 2014, he was re-elected to a fifth term as ICSOM Chairman, making him the longest-serving Chair in the organization's history [2] Ridge served as ICSOM Chair from 2006 until August, 2016.

In 2008, Ridge was invited by the Federation International des Musiciens to address the first International Orchestra Conference in Berlin, Germany. He was also invited to speak at the Second International Orchestra Conference in Amsterdam [3], as well as the third International Conference in Oslo. In March 2009, he was invited to testify before the United States Congress during a hearing on the Economic and Employment Impact of the Arts and Music Industry [4]. Ridge's speeches and articles have been published in numerous countries, and he has been quoted in newspapers across the United States, as well as in the American Foreign Press.

As chairman of ICSOM, Ridge became an international leader on issues affecting arts organizations and met with countless orchestras across America, from San Juan to Honolulu. He served as a faculty member for many sessions of the League of American Orchestras "Orchestra Leadership Academy" as well as on the faculty for the League's music director search seminars. He has appeared as a guest speaker on the history of symphony orchestras in America at The Colburn School of Music in Los Angeles and Roosevelt University in Chicago.

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