People
Notable People
Jerome Gross - Surgeon and Renowned Violinist
10300 Lake Shore Boulevard
Dr. Jerome Gross was a practicing surgeon at Mount Sinai, Cleveland Metropolitan General and Women’s hospitals. However, Dr. Gross was probably best known as an accomplished violinist. He had been a student of Tosha Seidel and Oscar Shumsky and studied chamber music with Arthur Loesser, an internationally known pianist. Despite the medical profession's heavy demands, Dr. Gross found time to practice from one to six hours daily. At City Hospital (MetroHealth), where he was head of surgery, he practiced in the morgue, the only soundproof room in the building.
He made frequent recital and orchestral appearances throughout the country and often made solo appearances with the Cleveland Philharmonic. He appeared with the Cleveland Orchestra under George Szell's direction, exhibiting such extraordinary talent that Szell said that if Dr. Gross had desired, he could have been concertmaster of any orchestra in the country. He often played for Bratenahl community concerts.
Gross founded the Cleveland Friends of Music, a non-profit organization that arranged opportunities for talented young musicians. The organization also provided scholarships for aspiring young artists and arranged benefit concerts.
Self-taught in the Russian language, Dr. Gross became friends with and backed such Russian artists as violinist David Oistrakh and cellist Matislav Rostropovich.
His prized possession, which his wife called “the second Mrs. Gross,” was a Golden Stradivarius violin called the Kiesewetter and dated 1731. The Kiesewetter Stradivarius, circa 1723, is an antique violin fabricated by Italian luthier Antonio Stradivari of Cremona. The instrument derives its name from its previous owner, German composer and violinist Christophe Gottfried Kiesewetter. To Dr. Gross, it symbolized everything excellent and perfect in the world of art.
Jerome Gross was born in Russia on May 15, 1904. He grew up in Cleveland and began studying the violin at age 10. The eldest of five brothers who became doctors and musicians. He worked his way through Adelbert College, Fordham University, and the Western Reserve University School of Medicine by playing in theater orchestras and hotel string quartets.
Jerome married Janet Moss in 1938. On November 25, 1913, Janet was born to Herman and Florence Moss and grew up at 10305 Lake Shore Boulevard. Jerome and Janet had two children: David, born on December 10, 1938, and Kathleen (Lucatorto), born on January 22, 1941. Both attended the Bratenahl School.
Dr. Gross had been in ill health for some time and died on February 15, 1969, in Los Angeles while visiting relatives. Gross wrote his epitaph: “Here lies a man who did not accomplish all he set out to do. His goals were too many and too high, and he knew it. But he had a darn good time trying!” Janet died on September 14, 1996, and was buried alongside Jerome in Mayfield Cemetery.