Frank Lewin facts for kids

Frank Lewin (born March 27, 1925 – died January 18, 2008) was an American composer and teacher. He created music for many different things, like movies, TV shows, plays, and even operas. He also taught music to students at famous universities.

About Frank Lewin

Frank Lewin was born in Breslau, Germany, on March 27, 1925. When he was 14, in 1939, his family had to leave Germany. They spent a year in Cuba before moving to the United States in 1940.

Frank loved music and studied it at several schools. He learned from many talented teachers, including Paul Hindemith at the Yale School of Music. He earned his music degree from Yale in 1951.

After his studies, Frank Lewin became a very busy composer. He wrote music for many popular TV shows, like The Defenders and The Nurses. He also composed music for plays by famous writers like William Shakespeare and Tennessee Williams. Imagine hearing his music in a play!

Besides TV and theater, Frank Lewin wrote music for big outdoor historical shows. These shows often tell stories about the past in a grand way. He also created many pieces for concerts, including two operas, which are like plays where people sing instead of speak. He wrote music for orchestras, and even concertos for instruments like the viola and harmonica.

Frank Lewin also shared his knowledge with others. He was a professor at the Yale School of Music from 1971 to 1992, where he taught students how to compose music for films. He also taught at the Columbia University School of the Arts from 1975 to 1989, teaching about music in modern media.

Frank Lewin lived in Princeton, New Jersey, from 1956 until he passed away on January 18, 2008.

What Music Did He Write?

Frank Lewin composed many different kinds of music. Here are some of the main types:

Operas

Operas are like plays where the story is told mostly through singing. Frank Lewin wrote two operas:

• Gulliver (1975)
• Burning Bright (1993), which was based on a book by John Steinbeck

Orchestral Music

This is music written for a large group of instruments called an orchestra.

• Evocation (1960)
• Concerto for Harmonica and Orchestra (1960)
• Concerto Armonico (1960), for viola and orchestra
• Concerto on Silesian Tunes (1965), another viola concerto

Music for Instruments

He also wrote music for smaller groups of instruments or even just one instrument.

• Dunlap's Creek (1953), for organ and English horn
• Music for the New Family of Violins (1965), for special violins designed by Carleen Hutchins

Choral Music

Choral music is written for a choir, which is a group of singers.

• Psalm 121 (1942)
• Psalm 148 (1949)
• Psalm 137 (1956)
• Requiem for Robert F. Kennedy (1969), a special piece of music to remember someone who passed away.

Solo Vocal Music

This is music written for one singer, often with piano or other instruments.

• Shall I Compare Thee (1949)
• A Dutch Lullaby (1952), based on the poem Wynken, Blynken, and Nod
• Innocence and Experience (1961), using poems by William Blake
• She Walks in Beauty (1994), based on a poem by Lord Byron

Music for Plays

Frank Lewin wrote music to be played during stage plays, helping to set the mood and tell the story.

• The Trojan War Will Not Take Place (1952)
• Summer and Smoke by Tennessee Williams (1954)
• The Tempest by William Shakespeare (1955 and 1967)
• Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare (1956)
• A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare (1958)

Historical Outdoor Dramas

These are large-scale plays performed outdoors, often telling historical stories.

• Beyond the Sundown (1975)
• Blue Jacket (1982)
• Trumpet in the Land by Paul Green (1984)

Music for Film and Television

Frank Lewin was well-known for his work in TV and movies.

• Wanted, CBS TV series (1955–56), he wrote the main theme song.
• The Nurses, television series (1961–63)
• The Defenders, television series (1962–65)
• J.T., CBS Children's Television Workshop movie (1969)
• The Plot Against Harry, feature film (1989)

Awards and Honors

Frank Lewin received several important awards for his musical work:

• He received fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts and the New Jersey State Council on the Arts. These are special grants that help artists create new work.
• He also won the Distinguished Artist Award from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts.