Building Bridges with Music: Stories from a Composer’s Life

From his early childhood in Nazi Germany, to emigrating to the United States at age ten, through his years in the United States Army following WWII, and his professional experiences as a composer, conductor, teacher, author, Samuel Adler relates his encounters with some of the most important personalities in the world of music, the arts, academia, religion, and even politics.

＂My life has been blessed with a most supportive family, many good friends, and a host of students who have made my teaching years rewarding and colorful. Building bridges with music seems to have been part of my destiny and I have embraced this enthusiastically whenever the opportunity presented itself.＂ --Samuel Adler

Dr. Samuel Adler, one of the greatest living composers and conductors of our time, is a legendary risk-taker. Born March 4, 1928, in Mannheim, Germany, at age 10 he narrowly escaped Nazi Germany during Kristallnacht, the ＂night of broken glass.＂ He came to the United States in 1939 and taught for 63 years at Juilliard and Eastman School of Music. He has published over 400 works, and given masterclasses and workshops at over 300 universities world-wide.

This treasured collection of his incredible stories thoroughly details all these events in his life and much more. Building Bridges with Music: Stories from a Composer’s Life (Expanded Second Edition) describes the rich life that Samuel Adler has lived. At 96, he continues to compose and speak his mind about many subjects. Including detailed discussions about his early life in Germany and his various collegiate teaching venues, this important volume includes Adler’s vivid recollections, and provides important essays on worship, music for the synagogue, and an interview on teaching. Musicians and laymen alike will enjoy this biography for its historical detail, musical insights, and particularly its many enjoyable stories.

This expanded second edition features a new foreword, a new final chapter that covers the five year-time period since the publication of the first edition, and a complete works list as well as expanded notes from the editor and publisher.

Samuel Adler, born on March 4, 1928, in Mannheim, Germany, is a distinguished composer and educator whose life and work extend far beyond the realm of music. Emigrating to the United States in 1939, Adler, a survivor of Kristallnacht, has become a towering figure in contemporary classical music and a beacon of resilience and creativity. He has composed over 400 published works, including operas, symphonies, concerti, oratorios, and choral pieces, performed globally. His books, such as ＂The Study of Orchestration,＂ are essential texts in music education.

Educated at Boston University and Harvard, Adler studied under legendary figures like Aaron Copland and Paul Hindemith and holds honorary doctorates from prestigious institutions. At the Eastman School of Music, he taught from 1966 to 1995, profoundly shaping generations of composers and continued his teaching legacy at the Juilliard School from 1997 to 2017.

Adler’s impact reaches far beyond music. As a Jewish immigrant, his life and work have bridged two centuries and multiple cultures. He has been honored with numerous awards, including induction into the American Academy of Arts and Letters. His contributions to music have earned him prestigious commissions and accolades, such as the ASCAP Aaron Copland Award for Lifetime Achievement.

Adler has conducted major orchestras worldwide and his friendships and collaborations with influential artists and thinkers have bridged cultures and eras.
Adler’s extraordinary journey from a Kristallnacht survivor to a globally celebrated composer and educator embodies the profound impact of art on society. His work continues to inspire and educate, highlighting the enduring power of music to transcend boundaries and connect humanity.