Elie Siegmeister

Full biography Elie Siegmeister

Elie Siegmeister was an American composer , educator, and author. Born in 1909 in New York City, Siegmeister studied at Brooklyn College, the Institute of Musical Art (now Juilliard), and with Aaron Copland at the American Conservatory in Fontainebleau, France.

Siegmeister was known for his diverse musical style, which incorporated elements of jazz and folk music and often addressed social issues through his compositions. He wrote nine symphonies, several operas, and numerous other works for orchestra, chamber ensembles, and solo instruments. In addition to his compositions, Siegmeister also wrote a number of important books on music , including "Treasury of Early American Song" and "The American Musical."

Throughout his career, Siegmeister was a prominent advocate for the creation and performance of American classical music. He was a founding member of the Composers Collective of New York and served as the music director for the Federal Theatre Project's Living Newspaper productions during the Great Depression. He also taught at several universities, including the New School for Social Research, Columbia University, and Queens College.

Elie Siegmeister passed away in 1991 at the age of 82. He was remembered as a composer whose work was deeply rooted in the American idiom and who used his music as a vehicle for social commentary and political activism.