A Brief Biography of George Gershwin

Early life

George Gershwin (originally Jacob Gershvin) was born on September 26, in Brooklyn, New York to Russin-Jewish immigrants Rosa Gershvin, and Morris Gershvin. George was named after his grandfather Jakov Gershowitz. He grew up with his older brother, Ira, who was also musically inclined. Soon after the birth of Ira and George, the Gershwin family was blessed with two more children, Arthur and Frances.

George Gershwin began playing music at a very young age, beginning when he was intrigued by the music played at a friend's violin recital. The family bought a second hand piano soon after. The hand-me-down piano was originally intended for his older brother, Ira, but sparked young George's interest at age eleven. Though playing the piano was second nature to George, he sought out help from proffesionals to enhance his preformance ability. Finally, his parents found the renouned piano instructor, Charles Hambitzer, who said in a letter to his sister,"I have a new pupil who will make his mark if anyone will. The boy is a genius." During his sessions with Hambitzer, he was introduced to many famous works, including pieces from Bach and Lizst. Through out his musical career, Gershwin studied with many instructors.

Early stages of Career

At age fifteen, Gershwin quit school to follow his dream of being a professional pianist. In the early stages of his career, he played in many new york night clubs and began a job as a "song plugger" at New York's Tin Pan Alley, where he earned a wopping fifteen dollars a week. Gershwin's first published work was in 1916, when he was only seventeen years old. His song,"When you want them, you can't get them. When you have them, you don't want them," earned him five dollars. At the age of eighteen, he quit his job as a song plugger to become a professional song writer.

In 1919, Gershwin became nationally recognized with his song, "Swanee." Al Jolsen, a broadway star, heard Gershwin preform the song at a party and decided to preform it on broadway. Starting in 1920 and lasting until 1924 Gershwin composed for a production by George White. The Band leader for these productions asked Gershwin to write an original jazz piece intended to heighten the genre's respectability. As legend has it, the piece completely slipped Gershwin's mind until he stumbled upon an announcement in the newspaper excitedly reporting that Whiteman's latest concert would include an original piece by George Gershwin.