San Francisco Violinist Daniel Kobialka has Died, Aged 77

A former Principal Second Violinist for the San Francisco Symphony and founding member of the Midsummer Mozart Festival Orchestra has passed away

Mr. Kobialka received a personal invitation from Leonard Bernstein to be concertmaster in the premiere performances of Bernstein's "Mass" — for the 1971 opening of the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C.

He founded his own recording company, LiSem Enterprises, Inc., in 1981 and performed as concertmaster for Symphony of the Hills in Kerrville, Texas.

In his 60s, Mr. Kobialka was diagnosed with IBM, a progressive muscle-wasting disease, that he fought for many years.

We offer our condolences to Mr. Kobialka's family, friends, colleagues, and students.