Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Michael Steinberg

The news came late Sunday that Michael Steinberg had died at 80 after three years of treatment for cancer. I'm so sad about this. I'd never met him, but he was the best and most graceful of program annotators. The initials M.S. at the end of the notes to a San Francisco Symphony program always made me smile with anticipation. Deepest sympathies on his passing to Jorja Fleezanis, his children, and other relatives and loved ones.
The official announcement notes the following:
In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to The Michael Steinberg & Jorja Fleezanis Fund to Spur Curiosity and Growth through the Performing Arts and the Written Word / attn. Shelli Chase / CHASE FINANCIAL / 7900 Xerxes Avenue South / Suite 910 / Minneapolis, MN 55431.
You can find more obituaries and tributes to Steinberg here:

4 comments:

Patrick J. Vaz said...

Edwin Outwater also wrote a nice tribute:

http://www.edwinoutwater.com/2009/07/27/michael-steinberg/

Elaine Fine said...

Thank you for posting this, Lisa. I spent a lot of time talking with Michael Steinberg during his days in Boston, particularly at Tanglewood, where I would do my best to pick his brain whenever it was possible. His brain was a vast and wondrous thing, and he was a very kind man.

Bruce Hodges said...

Lisa, a friend in Minneapolis sent this today, which I thought was beautiful in its simplicity:

http://monotonousforest.typepad.com/monotonous_forest/2009/07/a-steinberg-snapshot.html

Like you, I never had the good fortune to meet him, but his writing made so much music spring to life.

Lisa Hirsch said...

Elaine and Bruce, thank you so much.