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Library of Jewish Instrumental Music Opened in Philadelphia

February 19, 1965
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A library of Jewish instrumental music, first of its kind on the eastern seaboard, was opened here today at Gratz College. The Joseph Kutler Library was established by Dr. Claire Schaff in memory of her brother. A Gratz College graduate, Dr. Schaff teaches music at Rutgers University and the Philadelphia Musical Academy. The Library contains scores for large and small orchestras, chamber music, string quartets and solo instrumental works.

Establishment of the library has attracted interest in this country and overseas. Contributions of compositions are being received as are requests for scores for performances. The America-Israel Cultural Foundation has contributed a substantial number of compositions, and Issacher Miron, the foundation’s Israeli representative, has urged Israeli composers to contribute their scores.

The Kutler Library is a major element of the Jewish music library of the division of community services of the college. Shalom Altman, head of the music department and library director, said that little was known in the musical world of the creative contributions of Jewish composers to music and that the Kutler library would help to end this lack of knowledge.

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