Sol Joseph

 Tomoko studied composition and theory, including counterpoint, with Sol Joseph. A Phi Beta Kappa scholar at the University of Chicago, Mr. Joseph joined the Conservatory after his stint in the U.S. Army during World War II. As a professor of music theory, he taught music form and analysis, harmony, counterpoint, and music literature; he also conducted the Conservatory orchestra.  

When he retired in 1977, Sol Joseph was awarded an honorary Doctor of Music degree, the second one granted with the first recipient being awarded in 1974 to Isaac Stern. By that time, she had a dozen years  of fond memories of him as a fellow faculty member, making her transition from student to colleague. Then when the Conservatory relocated downtown to the Civic Center area, one of the new constructed recital halls was named in memory of Sol Joseph. This intimate performance room seats 121, and its acoustics favor small ensemble performances. Whenever her students perform in that hall, Tomoko still sees Sol Joseph in her mind, and remember his support of her efforts throughout the years. 

Tomoko also knew another side of Sol Joseph: his Jewish background and musical life as an organist at Congregation Sherith Israel and pianist of the Jewish Folk Chorus. Occasionally she mused about their strangely linked war experiences: he as a Jewish army officer in Europe, she as a child in a country that fought his. Although they never talked about those years, neither harbored resentment against each other but secretly shook their heads about the dire ramifications of political hate. Even music sometimes abetted such anger as patriotic song could move people to fight for their countries. “What power music can have to polarize or to unite,” Tomoko sighed. Both she and Sol were musical uniters in their teaching and performance.  

Sol Joseph and Tomoko

When Tomoko was a student at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, she studied music theory including composition analysis, harmony, and counterpoint with Sol Joseph.

Sol Joseph was born in 1912 in Chicago, and was a Phi Beta Kappa music scholar at the University of Chicago. At the age of 24, Sol Joseph married Belle Rosenstein, and they had two sons. During World War II Sol served in the U.S. Army.

Mr. Joseph’s connection with the Conservatory started in 1948 after he and his family moved to California. Local classical musicians encouraged him to apply, and he became a professor of music There he taught music form and analysis counterpoint, harmony, and music literature for almost thirty years. Sol Joseph also conducted the Conservatory orchestra for a while. 

Sol Joseph’s teaching venues also included the University of California Extension an San Francisco’s Community Music School. In addition, Sol served as Congregation Sherith Israel’s organist and as the Jewish Folk Chorus of San Francisco’s pianist and later their conductor. Over the years Sol also conducted the San Francisco chorus and the Berkeley/Richmond Jewish Community Center Yiddish Folk Chorus. 

Sol Joseph died at age 90 in 2002, and Tomoko remembers him and his teaching to this day.

.