Emanuel Amiran-Pougatchov

Emanuel Amiran-Pougatchov was born in 1909 in Warsaw

Emanuel Pugaczow was born in Warsaw on 8 August 1909 to parents born in Ukraine. His father, Shneur Zalman Pugaczow, founded Hebrew schools in Warsaw and Moscow. In 1914 the family moved to Russia, and in 1921 it left Moscow on its way to the Land of Israel.

He began piano and music studies in Moscow and later studied at a conservatory in Berlin. The family reached the Land of Israel in 1924, where he worked in tobacco fields, construction and a factory. From 1928 to 1930 he studied with Solomon Rosowsky in Jerusalem, and later studied composition and music education at Trinity College of Music in London.

From 1930 he taught music in Tel Aviv schools, kindergartens and teacher seminaries. In 1945 he founded the State College for Music Educators in Tel Aviv with Leo Kestenberg. In 1948 he was the IDF officer in charge of music and helped found the IDF Orchestra.

In 1949 he became the first inspector of music education at the Ministry of Education and Culture. From 1951 he led annual school choir gatherings across the country, and he was among the founders of ACUM. His work included holiday songs, symphonic and choral music, theater music and over 600 folk songs. He died on 18 December 1993.