RINGWALL, RUDOLPH (19 Mar. 1891-26 Jan. 1978), violinist and conductor, was born in Bangor, Maine, son of Knute and Teckla Ringwall. He graduated from the New England Conservatory in 1913 and from 1913-15 and 1917-20 was a violinist with the Boston Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Karl Muck. In 1914-17 Ringwall played in a string quartet in San Mateo, Calif. with NIKOLAI SOKOLOFF. He also taught at the New England Conservatory from 1916-20, and from 1920-21 played with the Natl. Symphony Orchestra in New York City under Willem Mengelberg. He took a year off to study with Arnold Rose in Vienna in 1924.
Ringwall began his affiliation with the CLEVELAND ORCHESTRA in 1926 as assistant conductor from 1926-34, and associate conductor from 1934-1956. He performed as either assistant or associate conductor with Sokoloff, ARTUR RODZINSKI, Erich Leinsdorf, and GEO. SZELL. Ringwall also started and directed the twilight and summer pops concerts with the Cleveland Orchestra. In addition to his orchestra duties, Ringwall played in the CLEVELAND STRING QUARTET with Josepf Fuchs and others until 1936. He also hosted a radio program of classical and semiclassical records on WHK and WJW before and after his retirement. A witty and articulate speaker, he was often on the podium at local musical events.
He married Lucy Adams in 1915 and had two children: Rudolph, Jr. and Rosamond (Humel).