Playing Level: Very Good
Joseph Russo was born in Belgrade, Serbia, in 1896. He was a part of a large family, with 8 brothers and sisters. He started to study music at an early age and continued to play his violin for many years. Joseph left Serbia to study medicine in Lyon, France, where he married a French woman and became a French citizen. He finished medical school and was a certified surgeon, all along continuing to play his violin.
When World War II broke out, and France was occupied by Germany, Joseph was not allowed to practice as a doctor. All his tools were confiscated but he was lucky to be able to escape to the South of France to the free zone there with his violin!
Joseph and his wife survived the war and later lived in Biarritz, where he could only practice dentistry. When he tried to look for his family in Serbia, he discovered that all were killed by the Nazis.
Since then, Joseph never played his violin again. He could not touch it. Joseph did in 1974, age 78. He left his violin as a legacy to his son and his wife, Rosaline. Rosaline Russo-Lugato gave us the violin so we may remember the Russo family for many years to come.
