The Elie Siegmeister Society

c/o The Prof. Edgar H. Lehrman Memorial Foundation
for Ethics, Religion, Science & the Arts

10 Nob Hill Gate, Roslyn, NY 11576
Tel. Mondays: (516) 626-0238
Other days after 10am: (516) 256-4209
FAX: (516) 256-4210

e-mail: ljlehrman@gmail.com

Elie Siegmeister (Jan. 15, 1909-Mar. 10, 1991) was, in the words of Robert Sherman,
"one of our giants." The composer of 9 operas, 9 symphonies, ballets, chamber works,
and over 100 songs, he was also the inspiring teacher of numerous composers, including
Stephen Albert, Sy Brandon, Herbert Deutsch, Daniel Dorff, Barry Drogin, Gerald Humel,
Lauren Keiser, Stephen Lawrence, Leonard Lehrman, Roger Nierenberg, Joseph Pehrson,
Michael Shapiro, Richard White, and many others.

On the occasion of his 90th birthday, The Elie Siegmeister Society was founded by
Leonard Lehrman and Helene Williams. Members were invited to contribute $10 a year (or more)
in support of the following goals, as many as possible to be achieved by
January 15, 2009, the date of The Elie Siegmeister Centennial:
1) publication & distribution of a complete catalog of works by and about Elie Siegmeister
including scores, books, articles, letters, recordings, tapes, videos, and oral histories
2) premieres and recordings of all unperformed and unrecorded Siegmeister works
3) completion and publication of an authorized biography of Siegmeister
4) preparation and publication of a critical edition of Siegmeister's works
5) an annual report on performances, recordings, and publications of Siegmeister's works
and progress toward all of the above.

For a list of Siegmeister performances and recordings by the founders of the Society, please go to
http://www.courtstreetmusic.org/HWLLSiegmeister.html

Click here for the latest issue of the Elie Siegmeister Society Newsletter.

In 2008, we are offering the following premiums:

Capstone CD #CPS-8667 Helene Williams Sings More Songs of Love (1999), incl. 3 of Elie's;
Original Cast CD #OC 6055 Abel Meeropol Centennial Concert (2003), incl. 8 numbers by Elie;
Metropolitan Philharmonic Chorus Concert at Great Neck House, 2/26/06 CD, incl. 4 by Elie;
Manhattan premiere of "I Have A Dream" & world prem. of "Lonely Star" 1/15/89 DVD.
This last item has been generously licensed by Carl Fischer, with fees waived.

For contributions of $35 or more, choose any 1 item.
For contributions of $50 or more, choose 2.
For $75 or more, choose 3. For $100+ get all 4.
Tax-deductible checks should be made out to:
The Prof. Edgar H. Lehrman Memorial Foundation -
with the memo: Elie Siegmeister Society

In 2009, the following performances of Siegmeister works are planned:

Fri. Jan. 2 8pm BargeMusic: music by Elie Siegmeister & his students
----voice & piano recital: Helene Williams & Leonard Lehrman
Sun. Jan. 4 2:30pm Great Neck House
----voice & piano recital: Helene Williams & Leonard Lehrman
Sat. Jan. 10 11am National Opera Association convention, Washington DC presentation
----by Elizabeth Kirkpatrick Vrenios, George Shirley, Helene Williams & Leonard Lehrman
Sun. Jan. 11 3pm Great Neck Library choral & solo vocal concert
----including I Have A Dream cantata
----Ivan Thomas, Lars Woodul, Helene Williams, Diana Solomon-Glover,
----Metropolitan Philharmonic Chorus;
----Leonard Lehrman, cond.; Mimi Stern-Wolfe, piano
Thu. Jan. 15 7pm Massapequa Library (Bar Harbor) American Chamber Ensemble
----woodwind music - Naomi Drucker et al - plus guest artists
----Nancy Deutsch, Helene Williams & Leonard Lehrman
Mon. Jan. 19 3pm United Methodist Church of Huntington/Cold Spring Harbor
----choral & solo vocal concert: including I Have A Dream cantata
----Ivan Thomas, Lars Woodul, Helene Williams, Diana Solomon-Glover,
----Leonard Lehrman, cond.; Mimi Stern-Wolfe, piano
Thu. Jan. 22 2pm Bethpage Public Library
----voice & piano recital: Helene Williams & Leonard Lehrman
Sun. Jan. 25 3pm Downtown Music Productions: repeat of I Have A Dream cantata
----at St. Marks-in-the-Bowery, Manhattan
Tue. Feb. 17 time TBA Brooklyn College Conservatory
----voice & piano lecture/recital: Helene Williams & Leonard Lehrman
Sun. Mar. 8 3pm Syosset Public Library
----voice & piano recital: Helene Williams & Leonard Lehrman
Sun. Mar. 29 Alan Mandel performs Piano Concerto at National Gallery, Kenneth Slowik, cond.
Sun. Mar. 29 2pm Hofstra Celebrates Elie Siegmeister, Monroe Auditorium
----Robert Spiotto narrates "Dick Whittington & His Cat." Other performers to include
----Donna Balson, Chandler Carter, Herbert Deutsch, Nancy Deutsch, Naomi Drucker,
----Tammy Hensrud, Gregory Mercer, Leonard Lehrman, Helene Williams
----and the Bell Choir of United Methodist Church of Huntington/Cold Spring Harbor
Sun. Mar. 29 RI performance of "Abraham Lincoln Walks at Midnight"
Sun. Apr. 19 3pm Queens College (probably Choral Room) choral & vocal music,
----including ensemble conducted by James John
Wed. May 6 8pm [tentative] NYU music by Elie Siegmeister & his students
Sat. May 9 8pm Hofstra Orchestra, cond. David Ramael, to include a Siegmeister work
TBA Columbia University, Casa Italiana, music by Elie Siegmeister & his students

Click here for photographs of the 1989 French premiere of Siegmeister's opera, The Mermaid in Lock No. 7

Click here for the transcript of Bruce Duffie's March 1987 interview with Siegmeister.

© 2008 Leonard Lehrman | last update July 18, 2008