Gershwin, Copland, Bernstein: Jewish Roots in American Music

Sidney Krum Young Artists Concert Series Admission: $10 YIVO members: $7

From American classical music to Broadway show tunes, Jewish-American composers defined much of American popular music in the 1920s-50s. In this lecture-concert, Orin Grossman (Fairfield University) and the artists of the Sidney Krum Concert Series explore three giants of American music and the Jewish influences on their work: Aaron Copland (1900-1990), George Gershwin (1898-1937), and Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990). Works performed and discussed will include Copland’s “Vitebsk,” Gershwin’s “Mischa, Yascha, Toscha, Sascha,” and Bernstein’s “I Am Easily Assimilated.”

The Sidney Krum Young Artists Concert Series is made possible by a generous gift from the Estate of Sidney Krum.

About the Speaker

Orin Grossman is professor emeritus (Fairfield University), pianist and popular music lecturer specializing in American and European music. As a pianist he has performed the music of George Gershwin around the world, including St. Petersburg, where he performed the Russian premiere of Gershwin’s “Second Rhapsody” with the St. Petersburg Philharmonic. Over the years, Grossman has developed a reputation for a unique presentation style that seamlessly combines performance and discussion. He is a frequent speaker for “One Day University,” and delivers talks in New York City, and other cities on a regular basis. Grossman became Assistant Professor of Fine Arts at Fairfield University in 1975 and in 1991 was named Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. After ten years as the Academic Vice President at Fairfield, he returned to the faculty in 2009 as Professor of Visual and Performing Arts, where he retired in 2012. Grossman studied music at Harvard University and earned his Ph.D. in Music from Yale University.