Kalman Bloch
Encyclopedia
Kalman Bloch was principal clarinetist of the Los Angeles Philharmonic
for more than 40 years.
He studied with Simeon Bellison
, a notable clarinetist for the New York Philharmonic
. He left New York for Los Angeles during the Great Depression
, after Otto Klemperer
, then music director of the Philharmonic.
Bloch also performed on several film soundtracks, including those of Sunset Boulevard
, North by Northwest
, and The Wizard of Oz
.
Bloch was brought before the House Un-American Activities Committee
(HUAC) for his and his wife's (artist Frances Bloch's) progressive activities in Southern California after WWII. He refused to name names, instead telling the committee that he "simply believed in humanity." He was refused travel rights for the Philharmonic's world tour that same year.
Bloch taught clarinet at Pomona College
and Cal State Fullerton and wrote several books on symphonic repertoire for clarinet. Until his death in 2009 he was an active teacher and member of the Los Feliz Woodwind Ensemble along with famed member of Frank Zappa
and the Mothers of Invention, Bunk Gardner. He also played for conductors Arnold Schoenberg
and Igor Stravinsky
upon their move to Los Angeles along with many other artists and intellectuals during Hitler's reign in Europe.
.
His son, Gregory Bloch (died 1989) played violin and mandolin for It's a Beautiful Day
, the 1970s prog-rock band String Cheese, the progressive Italian rock group Premiata Forneria Marconi
(PFM) from 1975–1978, and the Saturday Night Live
Orchestra in 1978.
His daughter, Michele Zukovsky
, is currently the principal clarinetist with the Los Angeles Philharmonic
. During his tenure with the orchestra they shared the chair and played together for many years under, most notably, Zubin Mehta
, now conductor of the Israeli Philharmonic.
His grandson, Stefano Bloch (by son Gregory), is an urban geographer formerly of UCLA and currently Ph.D. with the University of Minnesota
.
Los Angeles Philharmonic
The Los Angeles Philharmonic is an American orchestra based in Los Angeles, California, United States. It has a regular season of concerts from October through June at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, and a summer season at the Hollywood Bowl from July through September...
for more than 40 years.
He studied with Simeon Bellison
Simeon Bellison
Simeon Bellison , born in Moscow, he was naturalised American after settling in the US in 1921.An early clarinet choir in the United States was established in 1927 by Simeon Bellison, then first clarinetist of the New York Philharmonic; from an initial eight members, the group's size grew by 1948...
, a notable clarinetist for the New York Philharmonic
New York Philharmonic
The New York Philharmonic is a symphony orchestra based in New York City in the United States. It is one of the American orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five"...
. He left New York for Los Angeles during the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
, after Otto Klemperer
Otto Klemperer
Otto Klemperer was a German conductor and composer. He is widely regarded as one of the leading conductors of the 20th century.-Biography:Otto Klemperer was born in Breslau, Silesia Province, then in Germany...
, then music director of the Philharmonic.
Bloch also performed on several film soundtracks, including those of Sunset Boulevard
Sunset Boulevard
Sunset Boulevard is a street in the western part of Los Angeles County, California, that stretches from Figueroa Street in downtown Los Angeles to the Pacific Coast Highway at the Pacific Ocean in the Pacific Palisades...
, North by Northwest
North by Northwest
North by Northwest is a 1959 American thriller film directed by Alfred Hitchcock, starring Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint and James Mason, and featuring Leo G. Carroll and Martin Landau...
, and The Wizard of Oz
The Wizard of Oz (1939 film)
The Wizard of Oz is a 1939 American musical fantasy film produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It was directed primarily by Victor Fleming. Noel Langley, Florence Ryerson and Edgar Allan Woolf received credit for the screenplay, but there were uncredited contributions by others. The lyrics for the songs...
.
Bloch was brought before the House Un-American Activities Committee
House Un-American Activities Committee
The House Committee on Un-American Activities or House Un-American Activities Committee was an investigative committee of the United States House of Representatives. In 1969, the House changed the committee's name to "House Committee on Internal Security"...
(HUAC) for his and his wife's (artist Frances Bloch's) progressive activities in Southern California after WWII. He refused to name names, instead telling the committee that he "simply believed in humanity." He was refused travel rights for the Philharmonic's world tour that same year.
Bloch taught clarinet at Pomona College
Pomona College
Pomona College is a private, residential, liberal arts college in Claremont, California. Founded in 1887 in Pomona, California by a group of Congregationalists, the college moved to Claremont in 1889 to the site of a hotel, retaining its name. The school enrolls 1,548 students.The founding member...
and Cal State Fullerton and wrote several books on symphonic repertoire for clarinet. Until his death in 2009 he was an active teacher and member of the Los Feliz Woodwind Ensemble along with famed member of Frank Zappa
Frank Zappa
Frank Vincent Zappa was an American composer, singer-songwriter, electric guitarist, record producer and film director. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa wrote rock, jazz, orchestral and musique concrète works. He also directed feature-length films and music videos, and designed...
and the Mothers of Invention, Bunk Gardner. He also played for conductors Arnold Schoenberg
Arnold Schoenberg
Arnold Schoenberg was an Austrian composer, associated with the expressionist movement in German poetry and art, and leader of the Second Viennese School...
and Igor Stravinsky
Igor Stravinsky
Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky ; 6 April 1971) was a Russian, later naturalized French, and then naturalized American composer, pianist, and conductor....
upon their move to Los Angeles along with many other artists and intellectuals during Hitler's reign in Europe.
Family
Kalman Bloch is related through his wife Frances (died 2000) to violin virtuoso Jascha HeifetzJascha Heifetz
Jascha Heifetz was a violinist, born in Vilnius, then Russian Empire, now Lithuania. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest violinists of all time.- Early life :...
.
His son, Gregory Bloch (died 1989) played violin and mandolin for It's a Beautiful Day
It's a Beautiful Day
It's a Beautiful Day is a band formed in San Francisco, California in 1967, the brainchild of violinist David LaFlamme.LaFlamme, a former soloist with the Utah Symphony Orchestra, had previously been in the band Orkustra, and unusually, played a five-string violin...
, the 1970s prog-rock band String Cheese, the progressive Italian rock group Premiata Forneria Marconi
Premiata Forneria Marconi
Premiata Forneria Marconi is an Italian progressive rock band. They were the first Italian group to have success abroad, entering both the British and American charts. Between 1973 and 1977 they released five albums with English lyrics...
(PFM) from 1975–1978, and the Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
Orchestra in 1978.
His daughter, Michele Zukovsky
Michele Zukovsky
Michele Zukovsky is an American clarinetist.Zukovsky is the principal clarinetist with the Los Angeles Philharmonic. She has performed with the Boston Pops, the St. Petersburg String Quartet, the Lincoln Center Chamber Players, and at the Mostly Mozart Festival. She has taught at the California...
, is currently the principal clarinetist with the Los Angeles Philharmonic
Los Angeles Philharmonic
The Los Angeles Philharmonic is an American orchestra based in Los Angeles, California, United States. It has a regular season of concerts from October through June at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, and a summer season at the Hollywood Bowl from July through September...
. During his tenure with the orchestra they shared the chair and played together for many years under, most notably, Zubin Mehta
Zubin Mehta
Zubin Mehta is an Indian conductor of western classical music. He is the Music Director for Life of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra.-Biography:...
, now conductor of the Israeli Philharmonic.
His grandson, Stefano Bloch (by son Gregory), is an urban geographer formerly of UCLA and currently Ph.D. with the University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
.