Arbie Orenstein (born 1937) is an American musicologist, author, academic and pianist, known as a scholar of the life and works of the composer

Maurice Ravel Joseph Maurice Ravel (7 March 1875 – 28 December 1937) was a French composer, pianist and conductor. He is often associated with Impressionism along with his elder contemporary Claude Debussy, although both composers rejected the term. In ...

and, more generally, as an expert on Jewish music.

Life and career

Orenstein was born in New York and was educated at

the High School of Music and Art The High School of Music & Art, informally known as "Music & Art" (or "M&A"), was a public specialized high school located at 443-465 West 135th Street in the borough of Manhattan, New York, from 1936 until 1984. In 1961, Music & Art and the Hig ...

Queens College Queens College (QC) is a public college in the Queens borough of New York City. It is part of the City University of New York system. Its 80-acre campus is primarily located in Flushing, Queens. It has a student body representing more than 170 ...

, and

Columbia University Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...

, receiving a doctorate in musicology."Arbie Orenstein"

New York Philharmonic Orchestra The New York Philharmonic, officially the Philharmonic-Symphony Society of New York, Inc., globally known as New York Philharmonic Orchestra (NYPO) or New York Philharmonic-Symphony Orchestra, is a symphony orchestra based in New York City. It is ...

, retrieved 2 April 2015 He is known as a

Ravel Joseph Maurice Ravel (7 March 1875 – 28 December 1937) was a French composer, pianist and conductor. He is often associated with Impressionism along with his elder contemporary Claude Debussy, although both composers rejected the term. In ...

scholar, and his books include ''The Vocal Works of Maurice Ravel'' (1968), ''Ravel: Man and Musician'' (Columbia Univ. Press, 1975) and ''Ravel: Lettres, Ecrits, Entretiens'' (Flammarion, 1989), translated into English as ''A Ravel Reader'' (Columbia Univ. Press, 1990). As a pianist, Orenstein has recorded the world premieres of works by Ravel. " A Ravel centenary recital : six world premieres of works by Maurice Ravel"
WorldCat, retrieved 2 April 2015 He has also accompanied concert artists. In 1998 the French government awarded him the medal of Chevalier of the

Ordre des Arts et des Lettres The ''Ordre des Arts et des Lettres'' (Order of Arts and Letters) is an order of France established on 2 May 1957 by the Minister of Culture. Its supplementary status to the was confirmed by President Charles de Gaulle in 1963. Its purpose is ...

. Orenstein is a professor of music at the

Aaron Copland School of Music The Aaron Copland School of Music is one of the oldest departments at Queens College, founded when the College opened in 1937. The department's curriculum was originally established by Edwin Stringham, and a later emphasis on the analytical sy ...

at Queens College, where he has taught for 45 years, focusing on European music history and Jewish music. He is the editor of the Jewish music journal ''Musica Judaica'' and regularly contributes to the French journal ''Cahiers Maurice Ravel''.

Notes

1937 births American musicologists Living people The High School of Music & Art alumni Columbia University alumni Queens College, City University of New York alumni Ravel scholars {{US-music-bio-stub