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Biography of Ben Steinberg
Composer Contact:
Email: bensteinberg@sympatico.ca
Canadian composer Benjamin Steinberg was born January 22, 1930 in Winnipeg, Canada to a musical family. He started as a boy soloist at eight in the synagogue choir conducted by his father, Cantor Alexander Steinberg. By age 12, he began conducting choirs himself. Ben
He was educated at the University of Toronto (B. Mus 1961) and at the RCMT (Royal Conservatory of Music, Toronto). During the years 1948-51 and 1957-60 he studied composition with John Weinzweig, piano with Samuel Dolin, and voice with Weldon Kilburn. After teaching (1953-8) in public schools in the Toronto area, and studying music education at the University of Toronto, he served
as head ofthe music department at Winston Churchill Collegiate Institute (1961-4)and in the same capacity at Forest Hill Collegiate Institute, Toronto(1964-86). He was director of school music 1950-60 and music director 1960-9 at Holy Blossom Temple. In 1970, he became music director at Temple Sinai.
His method for youth choirs, Together Do They Sing (New York 1961), was commissioned and published by the Union of American Hebrew Congregations. Steinberg's music includes six sacred services; a memorial service; thirteen cantatas for chorus and orchestra;other works for choir and/or soloist and organ or orchestra;instrumental chamber works; Some titles include such outstanding pieces as The Vision of Isaiah (1970) for tenor, choir, and organ or instrumental ensemble and Yerushalayim (1973) for soprano, choir, and orchestra.
His Echoes of Children (1979), a cantata for soloist, narrator, chorus, and orchestra, won the International Gabriel Award and has twice been televised on PBS and was broadcast on CBC, the Canadian National Network.
Steinberg was invited by the city of Jerusalem to be an artist-in-residence at "Mishkenot Shaananim" in 1978 and 1980, an honor "reserved for composers, artists or writers of international stature." In 1983, he received the Kavod (Honour) Award of the Cantor's Assembly, and that same year an award from The American Harp Society. He was the first to receive the "Shomer Shira" Award of the Guild of Temple Musicians in 1992.
A number of temples, synagogues, congregations and organizations in the US and Canada have commissioned some 18 works from Steinberg between 1980 and 1991. Many famous artists, such as Richard Tucker, Ed Asner and Herschel Bernardi have performed his works.
Steinberg is noted in Canada and the US for his lectures on Jewish music history at major universitites and centers, including Cornell University. He has presented Jewish music on the CBC, has published articles, and has given many lecture-recitals or conducted music in Australia, Canada, Japan, Israel and the USA. Steinberg is also a contributor to the Encyclopedia of Music in Canada. (1981;1992).
Steinberg has served as Music Chair of the Canadian Jewish Congress in Toronto for 27 years, and helped found the Jewish Music Society of Toronto; the Commission on Synagogue Music of the UAHC. Currently he is President, The Guild of Temple Musicians.
Steinberg released his Friday evening service "Shomeir Yisrael" on Arkay Records.
Information for this article came from:
"Steinberg, Ben." Encyclopedia of Music in Canada. "http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/". Accessed September 25, 2006
"Ben Steinberg." IN Find a Composer, Canadian Music Centre. http://www.musiccentre.com/. Accessed November 5, 2006.
For More Information About Ben Steinberg
Ben-Asher, Jerry. "Composer-in-Residence Performs, Lectures at Temple B'nai Abraham," The Jewish News --New Jersey, June 23, 1988, p.
_____. "Music Notes: B'nai Jeshurun's cantor honored in song," Jewish News. Whippany, N.J.: Apr 1, 1999.Vol.LIII, Iss. 13, p51.
_____. "Music Notes: Celebrating Israel's 50th in song," Jewish News. Whippany, N.J.: Jun 25, 1998.Vol.LII, Iss. 26, p40.
_____. "Music Notes: Yiddish standards elicit hums and tears,"Jewish News. Whippany: Jun 24, 1999.Vol.LIII, Iss. 25, p40. Brandt, Joshua. "Prolific composer joins Rodef Sholom for weekend event," Jewish Bulletin of Northern California. San Francisco: Oct 22, 1999.Vol.103, Iss. 42, p27.
"Cantorial cultural concert at Summit synagogue," Jewish News. Whippany, N.J.: Mar 10, 2005.Vol.LIX, Iss. 10, p41.
Friedman-Romell, Beth. "Composer is musical 'Johnny Appleseed': Ben Steinberg plants love for Jewish music in congregants," The Cleveland Jewish News. Cleveland, Ohio: Jun 8, 2001.Vol.80, Iss. 11, p49.
Gluck, Peggy I. "Composer to appear at Sherith Israel in S.F.," The Northern California Jewish Bulletin, April 8, 1988, p.
Hershenson, Roberta. "Young Voices Learn a Cantata From Its Composer and a Cantor," The New York Times, May 20, 1990, pWC37.
Levenson, Gabriel. "Curious Gather for Curacao Birthday Celebration," Jewish Exponent. Philadelphia: Nov 15, 2001.Vol.210, Iss. 21, p51.
Rothstein, Edward. "Music: 200 Singers in Jewish Festival," The New York Times, May 31, 1983, pC15. Strohl, Marguerite. "Ben Steinberg," The American Organist, Jan 1982, Vol. 16, p30-31.
Tilman, David F. "In Record Time: Anticipating a Memorable Memorial," Jewish Exponent, Philadelphia: Dec 9, 1999.Vol.206, Iss. 24, p58.
______. "In Record Time: Hearing the Beat of Jerusalem 3000," Jewish Exponent. Philadelphia: May 16, 1996.Vol.199, Iss. 20, p8X.
Ziblatt, Shoshana. "Poet-temple leader gives voice to women in Judaism," Jewish Bulletin of Northern California. San Francisco: Jul 14, 1995.Vol.144, Iss. 27, p10.
Other Biographical Sources:
Composium Directory of New Music. Annual index of contemporary compositions. 1981 edition. Sedro Woolley, WA: Crystal Musicworks, 1981.
Composium Directory of New Music. Annual index of contemporary compositions. 1982/83 edition. Sedro Woolley, WA: Crystal Musicworks, 1983.
Discovering Jewish Music. By Marsha Bryan Edelman. Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society, 2003. Entries begin on page 349.
International Who's Who in Music and Musicians' Directory. 10th edition. Cambridge, England: International Who's Who in Music, 1984. Earlier editions published as Who's Who in Music and Musicians' International Directory.
International Who's Who in Music and Musicians' Directory. 12th edition, 1990-1991. Cambridge, England: International Who's Who in Music, 1990. Taylor and Francis International Publication Services, Bristol, Pa.
Source Citation: Biography and Genealogy Master Index. Farmington Hills, Mich.: Thomson Gale, 1980- 2006.
(Go Back to "American Judaism's Lost Legacy" Ten Composers Page)
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