04/12/2026
Our feature of the Milwaukee Symphony closes out with a spotlight shine on emeritus musician Robert Levine, who was Principal Violist for 38 years. In addition to sharing his viola talents with the orchestra, he has been extremely active within the AFM and ICSOM, and continues to hold the post of AFM Local 8 President - a position he's held for the last 25 years! We got to ask him a few questions and these were the memories he recounted.
•What is the biggest change you've seen in your orchestra over the course of your career?
My colleagues seemed to get younger and younger:-) More seriously: the individual level of playing has gone up, what was always a collegial atmosphere has gotten even more so, and the general tone of labor relations has improved. And our new hall has made a huge difference in our quality of life at work.
•What is your favorite piece or a piece you would have loved to play?
My favorite performance during my time here - maybe during my entire career - was in my first season (1987-88); a performance of the Dvorák Stabat Mater with our then-music director Zdenek Macal. People who were there still talk about it. I would have loved to have done more Sibelius.
•What is it like to experience your orchestra from the audience perspective?
I’m always impressed by how good it sounds.
•Knowing what you know now, what's something you would have told yourself in the early stages of your career?
Don’t watch the clock. And try to really participate mentally and emotionally in the music. It’s way too easy to just listen hard enough to be together and come in right. It’s much more satisfying to really try to experience the music. We work amongst some of the greatest expressive achievements of humanity; it’s a shame to not be aware of that.
📸: Margaret Butler Padilla (MSO English Horn)
