George Gershwin

Iconic American Composer and Pianist

George Gershwin was an American composer and pianist whose compositions spanned both popular and classical genres. Born on September 26, 1898, in Brooklyn, New York, Gershwin began his career as a song plugger in Tin Pan Alley and soon became a renowned composer for Broadway musicals. His most famous orchestral compositions include "Rhapsody in Blue" (1924), which seamlessly blended classical music with jazz influences, and "An American in Paris" (1928), a tone poem inspired by the time Gershwin spent in France. Both pieces are celebrated for their innovation and have become staples in the American music repertoire.