Harold Sumberg was an American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

-born Canadian violin

Violin

The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....

ist, teacher

Teacher

A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...

, conductor

Conducting

Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...

, and adjudicator

Adjudicator

An adjudicator is someone who presides, judges and arbitrates during a formal dispute. The term adjudicator essentially means a judge, without invoking the legal term. An ombudsman is a type of adjudicator in local government in the United Kingdom....

.

Born in Rochester, New York

Rochester, New York

Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...

, he studied violin with Carl Markees, Henry Holst, and Willy Hess

Willy Hess (violinist)

Willy Hess was a German violin virtuoso and violin teacher.-Biography:Will Hess was born in Mannheim in 1859. He was a student of Joseph Joachim and he also studied with his father, who was a pupil of Louis Spohr....

 at the Hochschule für Musik in Berlin (now the Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler

Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler

The " in Berlin, Germany is one of the leading music conservatories in Europe. It was established in East Berlin in 1950 as the ' because the older was in West Berlin...

). Sumberg taught for many years at the Royal Conservatory of Music (Toronto)

Royal Conservatory of Music (Toronto)

The Royal Conservatory of Music, also known as The Royal Conservatory, is one of the largest and most respected music education institutions in the world...

 and founded the Conservatory String Quartet

Conservatory String Quartet

The Conservatory String Quartet was a Canadian string quartet in residence at The Royal Conservatory of Music during the first half of the 20th century. The group actively performed in the Toronto area and regularly toured throughout the Province of Ontario. The quartet also notably toured to...

 in 1929.

He performed with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra

Toronto Symphony Orchestra

The Toronto Symphony Orchestra is a Canadian orchestra based in Toronto, Ontario.-History:The TSO was founded in 1922 as the New Symphony Orchestra, and gave its first concert at Massey Hall in April 1923. The orchestra changed its name to the Toronto Symphony Orchestra in 1927. The TSO...

 as principal second violin (1931-1957) and then associate concertmaster (1961-1975). He performed as a soloist and collaborated with many important musicians, such as Glenn Gould

Glenn Gould

Glenn Herbert Gould was a Canadian pianist who became one of the best-known and most celebrated classical pianists of the 20th century. He was particularly renowned as an interpreter of the keyboard music of Johann Sebastian Bach...

. In 1967 he recorded with Duke Ellington

Duke Ellington

Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington was an American composer, pianist, and big band leader. Ellington wrote over 1,000 compositions...

 on Ellington’s "North of the Border" album. He adjudicated at festivals including "Canadian Open Old Time Fiddlers' Contest" 1955-84.

Sumberg was also known for his collection of fine violin bows. He often played on a Collin-Mezin violin, though it was not the finest instrument in his collection.

He died in Toronto, Ontario in 1994. He was buried in the Mount Sinai Memorial Park.