János Csaba

János Csaba

János Csaba passed away peacefully at 86 on July 15, 2024, with his beloved wife of 64 years, Jerry, at his side.

János was born in Kisujszállás, Hungary, on March 25, 1938, to János and Mária Csaba. He began studying violin at the Miskolc music conservatory at the age of 10. In 1956, following the unsuccessful Hungarian revolution, János set out to begin a new life, arriving in Canada in 1957 as an 18-year-old refugee.

János earned a B.A. in music at the University of Texas, where he met his wife Jerry. As students, they performed together in various ensembles on their respective instruments, viola and violin. They moved to Montreal in 1962, and soon after joined the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, playing in Place des Arts on its opening night in September 1963.

In 1968, János received a scholarship to study at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York, where he received an M.A. János and Jerry then moved to Ottawa in September 1969 to become founding members of the National Arts Centre Orchestra, where they performed together for the next 33 years. Beyond the NAC Orchestra, János contributed to the music scene in the national capital region as a teacher, a conductor, a chamber musician, and as principal violist in two local orchestras, l'Orchestre de chambre de Hull and the Ottawa Symphony Orchestra. On the fiftieth anniversary of the Hungarian revolution in 2006, János was recognised as one of 50 Hungarian-Canadians who had contributed the most to Canadian society, featuring in an exhibit of 50 portraits of Hungarian-Canadians by V. Tony Hauser that was launched at the National Arts Centre.

Beyond the time he devoted to his family and to music, János enjoyed a wide range of other interests. Starting from his youth as a competitive swimmer in Hungary, János took advantage of every opportunity to engage in sports; skiing, skating, cycling, tennis, swimming and water polo were among his favourites. He was also a skilled craftsman and carpenter, a lumberjack, a photographer, and a linguist, who cared for the environment, made wine for many years, and loved reading.

In addition to Jerry, János is survived by his daughters Kati (Nećko Krupalija) and Ilike, his grandchildren Amar and Ila, his sister Ilona Kardos, his nephew Gábor Kardos and niece Éva Kardos Nagy, as well as extended family. On Jerry's side, he was loved by his sister-in-law Terry Lee, her daughter Victoria Scavo, his brother-in-law Paul Kohler, and Paul's daughter Julie Salinas.

Many thanks go to all at Chapel Hill Retirement Residence for their care and support to János in his final months.

Donations welcomed to the Dementia Society of Ottawa, to the Canadian Cancer Society, or to the World Wildlife Fund.

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