George Gershwin (1898 – 1937)

George Gershwin Born in 1898 in Brooklyn, NY to Ukrainian Jewish immigrants Birth name – Jacob Gershovitz Began musical training at 13 His first song was published when he was 17 & it earned him $5.

George Gershwin Teamed up with his brother, Ira, in 1924 to write musical comedies for Broadway Went to Paris to study with the same teacher Aaron Copland took from. She denied giving him lessons because she feared that rigorous study would ruin his jazz-influenced style While in Paris, he wrote An American in Paris Died of a brain tumor at the age of 38

Gershwin’s Music “I Got Rhythm” Rhapsody in Blue (rhapsody – an instrumental composition of irregular form often incorporating improvisation) Piano Concerto in F An American in Paris – a tone poem for orchestra Porgy and Bess - Folk opera based on a book about life among black people in New Orleans; Includes the song “Summertime”