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 in music, Impressionism along with his elder contemporary Claude Debussy, although both composer ...

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 High S ...

Queens College Queens College (QC) is a public college in the New York City borough of Queens. Part of the City University of New York system, Queens College occupies an campus primarily located in Flushing. Queens College was established in 1937 and offe ...

, and

Columbia University Columbia University in the City of New York, commonly referred to as Columbia University, is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Churc ...

, receiving a doctorate in musicology."Arbie Orenstein"

New York Philharmonic Orchestra The New York Philharmonic is an American symphony orchestra based in New York City. Known officially as the ''Philharmonic-Symphony Society of New York, Inc.'', and globally known as the ''New York Philharmonic Orchestra'' (NYPO) or the ''New Yo ...

, 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 in music, Impressionism along with his elder contemporary Claude Debussy, although both composer ...

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). While working toward his doctoral dissertation he found and photographed 1100 pages of music manuscripts left by Ravel, including six previously lost pieces such as his Violin Sonata No. 1 . 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 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 the recognition of significant ...

. 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 at the City University of New York, founded when the College opened in 1937. The department's curriculum was originally established by Edwin Stringham, and a la ...

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 School of the Arts alumni Queens College, City University of New York alumni Ravel scholars {{US-music-bio-stub