Biographical Note
Alex North (born Isadore Soifer) was born in Chester, Pennsylvania, on December 4, 1910, to Russian-Jewish parents. His early studies at the Curtis Institute and The Julliard School were augmented by a period of study in the Soviet Union. North ultimately became the first American member of the Union of Soviet Composers. Upon his return to the U.S. in 1935, North began studies with Aaron Copland and later with Ernest Toch. His relationship with modern dancer Anna Sokolow resulted in numerous compositions for dance. At about the same time, North began collaborating with director Elia Kazan, for whom he scored music for such iconic stage works as Death of a Salesman and A Streetcar Named Desire. North composed numerous concert works and was commissioned by Benny Goodman and Leonard Bernstein. While enlisted in the Army during the Second World War, North composed film scores for the Office of War Information and was mustered out at the war's conclusion as a Captain. Kazan made the move with North to Hollywood in the early 1950s, and it was from here that North became one of the most successful composers of his generation. He was a mentor to numerous composers, including Jerry Goldsmith and John Williams, and also became the first composer to win an Honorary Academy Award. In 2016, the Library of Congress added his recording of A Streetcar Named Desire to its National Recording Registry. Alex North died in California on September 8, 1991.