Theodore Levy

American violinist, cornetist, pianist, composer, and conductor (born December 4, 1876 in Salt Lake City, UT – died December 6, 1923 in Philadelphia, PA) Levy joined Sousa's Band as a cornet player in 1896 and Arthur Pryor's Band when it was founded in 1903. Around the same time he became Assistant Musical Director for the Victor Talking Machine Co. in Camden, NJ. Levy played violin as a member of the Victor String Quartet and the Victor Symphony Orchestra, but also served as a pianist and conductor for many Victor recordings between 1908 and 1923, occasionally also playing organ, melodian, celesta, marimba, xylophone, and cornet. He died at age 47 in a Philadelphia hospital after a tonsillectomy.