1. George Gershwin Patricia Hosein

2. Gershwins Youth George Gershwin was born in Brooklyn New York on the 26th of September in 1898 to Russian immigrants Morris and Rose Gershovitz. His brother Ira also had an affinity for music and the brothers often worked together. Acquired a taste for piano music around age six, and received lessons by Charles Hambitzer. Hambitzer introduced him to the works of Debussy and Ravel. He later studied with Rubin Goldmark and Henry Cowell. Gershwin dropped out of high school at fifteen to work with Jerome K. Remick

3. Accomplishments His first hit was Swanee in 1918 and sold over two million records its first year. In 1919 Gershwins first Broadway show, La, La, Lucille ran for 100 performances. After this he had many musical successes including Lady, Be Good (1924), Funny Face (1927), and Of The I Sing (1931) Rhapsody in Blue, a piece for piano and orchestra, was written in 1924 and quicklly became his most famous piece. Porgy and Bess, another extremely famous Gershwin piece, premiered in 1935.

4. Timeline 1989 – Gershwin born in Brooklyn, New York. 1912 – Began studying the piano. 1918 - He completed his first show, La La Lucille 1934 – Rhapsody in Blue 1935 – produced opera Porgy and Bess 1936 – went to Hollywood to begin composing songs for flims. 1937 – July 11 th, 1937, Gershwin died during an operation for his brain tumor in Hollywood California.

5. His Music Influenced greatly by the French composers in the early twentieth century. His symphonic works are similar to the works of Maurice Ravel. Fused the jazz with the mainstream popular music of the times. Often used dramatic orchestration, jazz rhythms and popular vocal styles. Used symphony orchestras to play jazz. Forerunner to the Big Band sound. Used folk opera in works like Porgy and Bess.

6. Music Samples! http://www.alevy.com/gershwin.htm

7. Classic Songs Include: Summertime Rhapsody in Blue It Ain't Necessarily So Bess, You Is My Woman' I Got Plenty O' Nuttin Embraceable You