Patron Spotlight: Vince Krydynski
By: Morgan A. Jordan
Vince and his granddaughter Brice at the Philharmonic Holiday concert
One doesn’t have to spend a long time with Vince to know he’s got stories to tell. After moving back to Spartanburg in March of 2016, Vince has done more than share his number of stories; he’s also shared his passion for music in an extraordinary way.
“I grew up with music,” Vince says. “Chicago was the place to be, as far as blues was concerned. My friends and I would go down to Rush Street to hear all the great musicians of the time. Ella Fitzgerald, Ramsey Lewis, Dave Brubeck-I heard them all.”
Vince laughs and shakes his head as he adds, “Sometimes, we all would go out to drink beer and watch hockey before going to listen to music on Rush Street. There were a few times when all of us wondered how we would get home!”
After his early years of adulthood, Vince shared a love of music with his wife, Maryellen. They married young-she was twenty, and he was twenty-five. They spent many happy years together nurturing their own passions for art, music, and each other.
On top of being a nurse practitioner here in Spartanburg, Maryellen had a number of passions and talents. “Maryellen loved art,” Vince says of his wife. “She was a wonderful artist, and took a special interest in stained glass windows. Some of the designs at Our Risen Savior (Catholic Church of Jesus Our Risen Savior in Spartanburg), are ones she created.
Art and music has a special way of bringing people together, and after Maryellen passed away, Vince’s son and daughter-in-law, John and Frances Krydynski, purchased an adjacent Spartanburg Philharmonic season ticket for Father’s Day so that Vince could bring a guest to each concert.
With the extra season ticket in hand, Vince sent a letter to all of his family members with the dates for the Classics and Espresso Series. He asked them to pick a time that would suit their schedules to join him for a concert.
“I know they’re all busy, so this provided a time for us to get together”, Vince says. Over the past season, Vince and his family members have created special memories together over a shared love of music.
Vince particularly remembers taking his grandchildren to different concerts throughout the season. His 10-year-old granddaughter, Brice, enjoyed the Hub City Holiday concert in December. “Brice was interested because she knew some of the musicians on stage from her church and school. She really enjoyed the music.”
Vince brought his grandson, Jack Krydynski, to the “Espresso:Percussive Percolator” concert in February of 2017. “Jack is twelve and likes anything loud, so this was a perfect choice for him.”
“It’s important to give children the opportunity to enjoy all kinds of music. When they are introduced to music at a young age, it gives them the chance to share the experience with a loved one and may spark a lifelong interest.”
“I would like to see them take an interest in music,” Vince says of his grandchildren. “Music is not only for adults-it’s not stiff-collared or stuffy. Music is incredibly fun at any age, and it always has a story to tell-if you learn to listen.”