Jewish composers shaping the American musical identity.
ONLINE
Thursdays, 10:00-11:30am (ET), June 12 - July 3
"Summertime, and the livin' is easy"
– George and Ira Gershwin
"Oh, my love, my darling, I've hungered for your touch"
– Alex North
Course Description:
Since the 1890s, as Americans began forging their own identity in classical music, Jewish composers have played an outsized role in shaping what would come to be known as "the American sound." This course explores how Jewish musicians—often immigrants or first-generation Americans—navigated questions of identity, assimilation, and tradition as they helped define the sonic landscape of the United States. From concert halls to Broadway stages and Hollywood studios, Jewish composers like Aaron Copland, George Gershwin, Alex North, and Elmer Bernstein found ways to weave together European heritage, American folk influences, and Jewish musical sensibilities. Alongside them, we'll also examine figures like William Grant Still and Florence Price to understand the broader tapestry of American music. Through engaging audiovisual materials and personal anecdotes, we'll uncover how Jewish creativity helped give voice to a nation in search of its sound.
Thursdays, 10:00 - 11:30 am (ET)
Emanuel Abramovits is a Mechanical Engineer with an MBA, Concerts promoter since 2000, responsible for many shows by international artists in Venezuela, like Itzhak Perlman, Gustavo Dudamel, Sarah Brightman, Roger Hodgson (Supertramp), Kansas, Megadeth, Dream Theater, Slash, Backstreet Boys, ASIA, Journey, Kenny G and all main local Symphony Orchestras. Designed and staged many original events, like MOZARTFEST, PINK FLOYD NUESTRO TRIBUTO (Event of the Year winner), OFRENDA PARA VYTAS, EL CAMINO DE SANTIAGO LLEGA A TI (world premier), etc..Cultural Director at UNION ISRAELITA DE CARACAS from 2008 to 2019, in charge of documenting Holocaust survivors’ stories, the history of the local Jewish Community, art exhibitions, lectures, film cycles, orchestral concerts, Limmud contents, etc. Recent exhibitions included the History of Yiddish Culture in 2017 and the History of Jewish Music in 2018.
