In last Thursday’s (1/26) Observer & Eccentric (Livonia, Michigan), Karen Smith writes, “Francesco DiBlasi, founder and former conductor of the Livonia Symphony Orchestra, died Tuesday of heart failure at St. Jude Convalescent Center in Livonia. He was 85. … Rose Kachnowski, president of the Livonia Symphony Orchestra, said DiBlasi left a great legacy. … [DiBlasi] was third trumpet for the Detroit Symphony Orchestra for seven years in the 1950s. … During the latter part of his playing for the DSO, he founded and conducted The Pontiac Symphony and the Detroit Little Symphony, a summer group that performed concerts at Metropolitan Beach, and he revived and conducted the Michigan Opera Company. … On June 4, 1973, DiBlasi and his wife, Nelda, founded the Oakway Symphony Orchestra as a community orchestra to give talented young musicians the opportunity to play with seasoned performers under professional direction. … In 1988, the symphony board voted to change the name to the Livonia Symphony Orchestra because of Livonia’s known support of the arts, a well-established school music education program, and the interest shown by prominent community leaders.”
Posted February 2, 2012
