On June 14th, the National Music Council of the United States honored composer, multi-instrumentalist, and music ambassador David Amram with the prestigious American Eagle Award at the organization’s 40th annual ceremony in New York City at the Music Publishers Association annual meeting and awards luncheon.
A genuine polymath, David Amram is regarded as an expert in more musical genres than any other artist in the world, perhaps in history. He plays more than 35 instruments, has composed more than 100 well-received classical works, conducted 75 of the world’s great orchestras, and has been a soloist with more than 40 orchestras. Amram introduced the French Horn to jazz, was Jack Kerouac’s musical collaborator for twelve years, composed two operas, scored twenty-five films, composed music for twenty-five Broadway shows, and has worked with artists as diverse as Leonard Bernstein, Bob Dylan, Lionel Hampton, Odetta, Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, and Eugene Ormandy.
The award to Amram was presented by Grammy, Emmy, and Peabody award-winning singer-songwriter Tom Chapin, “in recognition of his longstanding, unique, and global contributions to the creation, performance, and appreciation of the musical arts, and in celebration of his pioneering work as an American musical ambassador for peace and culture throughout the world.” Chapin charmed the crowd with a song he penned in tribute to Amram, a funny and touching tribute that the awardee adored.
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