State Senator Richard H. Finan

Office: President, Ohio Senate
Legislative Committees: Rules, chair; Reference, vice chair; Joint Legislative Ethics, chair; Legislative Service Commission, chair; Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board, chair.
Years in Office: Ohio Senate, 1978 to present; Ohio House of Representatives, 1973-1978
Personal: Born Cincinnati, 1934. Graduate of University of Dayton, 1954; University of Cincinnati College of Law, 1959. Married, 4 children.
Arts Support: May Festival, Cincinnati Symphony
Favorite Artists: Beethoven, Miles Davis
Proudest Creative Achievement: Renovation of the Ohio Statehouse
On the Arts in Ohio: “The role of the arts is totally underestimated in Ohio. The Arts Council helps to define it. I want it there for me, my family and my grandchildren.”



Imagine an evening of remarkable conversation between Bach and Neruda, Händel and Lorca, a dialogue using ancient instruments of the Andes and the stunning voices of 10 men from Chile. Barroco Andino will perform free concerts in Cleveland October 20 and 21 and in Columbus on October 22. The group’s Ohio tour is supported by the Ohio Arts Council and Arts Midwest.

Barroco Andino was founded in 1974 when a group of young musicians decided to fuse classical European culture with the folkloric expressions of Latin American cultures. The group built their repertoire with work by Händel, Bach, Vivaldi and others and interpreted them with South American folkloric instruments such as the zampoña, charango, tiple, quena, palahüito, as well as the guitar, acoustic bass and mandolin. The current group of 10 musicians has expanded its repertoire to include work by composers of later periods such as Mozart, Tchaikovsky and Prokofiev and has incorporated a vocal component and work by Latin American composers.

The tour is made possible through the Ohio Arts Council’s International Program, an effort to bring together people from diverse cultures to encourage greater international understanding through the arts. The program is recognized among state agencies as a leader in fostering cultural exchanges.

For information about concert times and locations call 614/466-2613.

In August, Governor George Voinovich announced three appointments to the Ohio Arts Council Board. Barbara S. Robinson of Bratenahl, current OAC chair, and Mary T. Wolfe of Perrysburg were reappointed to terms ending in 2003. René Glidden of Athens replaces Dora J. Wilson, also of Athens, whose term expired. Glidden attended the University of Iowa. She serves on the Ohio University Libraries’ National Advisory Council, is on the board of trustees of The Dairy Barn Cultural Arts Center and is First Lady of Ohio University. Her board term will end in 2003.