David Botwinik ( yi, דוד באָטװיניק; 12 December 1920 – 9 February 2022) was a Lithuanian-born Canadian composer of Yiddish music and music teacher.
Born in
Vilna,
Central Lithuania, he began his studies at the Yiddish music conservatory in Vilna at around age 13. Shortly before, he studied at the Conservatory of Music Santa Cecilia, Rome. In 1956, he emigrated to
Montreal, Canada where he worked as a music teacher and as a choir director of
Jewish Peretz School and
United Talmud Torahs. For a short time, he published the collection of songs ''Der nayer dor'' (The New Generation) and the satirical newspaper ''Der shmayser'' (The Spanking).
In 2010, his book From Holocaust To Life (
Yiddish
Yiddish (, or , ''yidish'' or ''idish'', , ; , ''Yidish-Taytsh'', ) is a West Germanic language historically spoken by Ashkenazi Jews. It originated during the 9th century in Central Europe, providing the nascent Ashkenazi community with a ver ...
: פֿון חורבן צום לעבן, ''Fun khurbn tsum lebn'') was published by the League for Yiddish (New York). This book contains 56 original compositions, including Yiddish Holocaust songs, children's songs and choral compositions, with lyrics by various poets and some by Botwinik himself. In 2017, a CD containing 15 songs was published under the title From Holocaust to Life, Yiddish Art Songs. The CD features internationally acclaimed singers Lisa Willson, John Packard, Ian DeNolfo and
Louis Danto Louis Harry Danto (May 2, 1929 - July 23, 2010) was a lyric tenor and cantor. He was acclaimed for his cantorial music, concert appearances and recordings of Italian, Russian, and French opera repertoire. Danto performed throughout North America, E ...
. His son, Alexander, a Yiddish language lecturer at the
University of Pennsylvania, is producing a second CD of his music including songs from children and adults.
Botwinik died in Montreal on 9 February 2022, at the age of 101.
David Botwinik obituary
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References
External Links
* Book ''From Holocaust To Life'' (Fun khurbn tsum lebn) by David Botwinik, published by the League for Yiddish (New York) – biography included,
Holocaust Survivors and Victims Database
* http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/646167730
* http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/982297338
Biography of David Botwinik
* https://www.yiddishbookcenter.org/collections/oral-histories/interviews/woh-fi-0000215/david-botwinik-2011
* http://www.botwinikmusic.com/old/index.htm
Pioneers’ Song
- Lyrics: Shmerke Kaczerginski
Shmaryahu "Shmerke" Kaczerginski ( yi, שמערקע קאַטשערגינסקי; October 28 1908 – April 23 1954) was a Yiddish-speaking poet, musician, writer and cultural activist. Born to a poor family in Vilna and orphaned at a young age, Kac ...
. Melody: David Botwinik. Yad Vashem website.
* https://germanic.sas.upenn.edu/people/alexander-botwinik
1920 births
2022 deaths
Lithuanian centenarians
Lithuanian composers
Lithuanian expatriates in Italy
Lithuanian Jews
Men centenarians
Musicians from Vilnius
Soviet emigrants to Canada
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