David Botwinik

David Botwinik (born 1920 in Vilna) is a composer of Yiddish music and a music teacher.

At the age of almost 13, he began his studies at the Yidisher muzik-institut conservatory in Vilna.
Later, he studied at the Conservatorio di Musica Santa Cecilia, Rome, Italy.
In 1956, he emigrated to Montreal, Canada and worked as a music teacher and choir director in the Jewish Peretz School and United Talmud Torahs.
For a short time, he published the magazine Der nayer dor (The New Generation) and
the satirical newspaper Der shmayser (The Spanker).

In 2010, his book From Holocaust To Life (Fun khurbn tsum lebn; פֿון חורבן צום לעבן) was published by the League for Yiddish (New York). This book contains 56 original compositions, including Yiddish Holocaust songs, children's songs and choral compositions, with lyrics by various poets and some by Botwinik himself. In 2017, a CD containing 15 songs was published under the title From Holocaust to Life, Yiddish Art Songs. The CD features internationally acclaimed singers Lisa Willson, John Packard, Ian DeNolfo and Louis Danto.

References 
 Book From Holocaust To Life (Fun khurbn tsum lebn) by David Botwinik, published by the League for Yiddish (New York) – biography included, 
 http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/646167730
 http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/982297338
 Biography of David Botwinik
 https://www.yiddishbookcenter.org/collections/oral-histories/interviews/woh-fi-0000215/david-botwinik-2011
 http://www.botwinikmusic.com/old/index.htm
 Pioneers’ Song - Lyrics: Shmerke Kaczerginski. Melody: David Botwinik. Yad Vashem website.

Category:1920 births
Category:Living people
Category:People from Vilnius
Category:Lithuanian Jews
Category:Lithuanian composers