Violinist.
Born at Klatava Nova Ves, Czechoslovakia (Slovakia) on 6 August 1914, son of Karl Dobias and Katarina Ambrova, he came to Canada in 1931 and was a scholarship student at the Royal Conservatory. Between 1960 and 1969 he was a member of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and during the 1960s he played in various string ensembles, including the Soloway String Quartet and with Glenn Gould at the Stratford Festival. In 1970 he became Concert Master of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra. He came to Winnipeg in 1972 to become the Concert Master of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet and Associate Concert Master of the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra. He received a City of Winnipeg Community Service Award (1975). He founded the Slovak National Violin Competition (1996) and the Karl Dobias International Violin Competition (1997). He died at Winnipeg on 17 March 2001. His cremains were spread in Klatova Nova Ves, Slovakia, and in Toronto.
Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 17 March 2001.
The Unknown Arts, Slovaks in Canada in the Year 2000, www.slovak.com.
This page was prepared by Ian Stewart.
Page revised: 17 August 2024
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