“Lucio Rossetti, a retired violinist of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra as well as a revered teacher and champion of the musicians union, died Thursday. He was 106,” writes Jeremy Reynolds in Thursday’s (3/2) Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “Born Jan. 2, 1912, in Lettopalena, Italy, Mr. Rossetti immigrated to the U.S. around age 9. During the Great Depression his parents sent him back to Italy, where he attended the Boccherini Conservatory.… In 1934, he joined the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, then under the baton of Antonio Modarelli. Mr. Rossetti would perform with the orchestra for 43 years, with conductors including Otto Klemperer, Fritz Reiner, Leopold Stokowski, Charles Munch, William Steinberg, Andre Previn and others…. Mr. Rossetti performed with other professional ensembles in Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio, and he was a strong supporter of the musicians union. Although he was retired for longer than he actually performed with the symphony, he continued to pay his [union] dues … through the end of 2018. After retiring from the PSO, Mr. Rossetti taught violin, guitar and accordion. He lived on a 52-acre farm … where he grew most of his own food…. Mr. Rossetti is survived by his wife of 78 years, Rose Nese,” and three daughters.
Posted March 30, 2018
