Artists who have performed Jack Gottlieb's works include Seiji Ozawa and the Chicago Symphony, Sixten Ehrling and the Detroit Symphony, members of the New York Philharmonic, the Boston Symphony and the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Jennie Tourel, Adele Addison, Lee Venora, John Reardon, the Gregg Smith Singers, Seymour Lipkin, Mildred Natwick, Tovah Feldshuh, Felicia Montealege and Leonard Bernstein.

Born October 12, 1930 in New Rochelle, NY, Gottlieb was first encouraged to become a composer by Max Helfman, noted composer of synagogue music. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Queens College, NY [Phi Beta Kappa] in 1953, a Master of Fine Arts from Brandeis University, MFA, 1955, and a Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Illinois, 1964. His teachers of composition were Karol Rathaus, Irving Fine, Robert Palmer and Burrill Phillips. He also studied with Aaron Copland and Boris Blacher at the Berkshire Music Center, Tanglewood.

From 1958 to 1966 Dr. Gottlieb was Leonard Bernstein's Assistant at the New York Philharmonic. He taught at Loyola University, New Orleans in the summer of 1966, and from 1970 to 1973 he served as Music Director of Temple Israel, St. Louis, MO. During the 1960s and 1970s he was in residence nine times at MacDowell Colony, Peterborough, NH, and one time at Yaddo, Saratoga Springs, NY.

In 1967 his sacred service Love Songs for Sabbath was performed at the College of St. Catherine in St. Paul, MN, probably the first time in history that a full length Jewish service has ever been heard under Catholic auspices. In 1973, he was named Composer in Residence at Hebrew Union College. Two years later he was appointed the first full-time professor of music at its New York School of Sacred Music. Another historical first occurred in 2000 when Gottlieb’s synagogue music was integrated into an Episcopalian vespers service at St. Bartholomew’s Church, New York City.

In 1977, Gottlieb rejoined Bernstein as Publications Director of [now called] The Leonard Bernstein Office, Inc., a company that manages Bernstein's multi-musical legacy. Among other publications, he was the editor of Leonard Bernstein, Young People's Concerts (Anchor-Doubleday, 1992). Currently, he is consultant for the Bernstein Estate and Editor of Prelude, Fugue & Riffs, the Bernstein Newsletter. His numerous writings on Bernstein have appeared in many publications: jacket notes for recordings, concert programs, catalogs and on the Bernstein web-site..

His prize-winning works include Tea Party, a one-act opera with libretto by Erik Johns, winner of both a Ohio University opera competition and a National Federation of Music Clubs award (1955); Quodlibet: Kids' Calls, first prize, National Federation of Music Clubs contest (1957); String Quartet, BMI award, (1954), Brown University contest, first prize for In Memory Of..., Cantata (1960), his first published work; and a setting of the entire Biblical text of The Song of Songs, completed in 1976 with the assistance of a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. The Library of Congress selected his Presidential Suite for inclusion on its web-site: “I Hear America Singing” (2002).

His accomplishments as a composer of Jewish music have been recognized by the Park Avenue Synagogue, New York, for “outstanding contribution to liturgical music” (1964); by the Cantorial Alumni Association of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion for “his outstanding contribution to Jewish music” (1981); by the Cantors' Assembly of America (Conservative) for “his special talents as composer, musicologist and synagogue musician”(1981). In 1993 he was named first recipient of the Ahad Ha'am Award from The Center for Jewish Creativity & Culture “for enriching Jewish culture and enhancing the Jewish contribution to world civilization”and in 2003 he became an honorary member of the American Conference of Cantors (Reform).

Gottlieb has been a member of ASCAP since 1962. In 1978, he established Theophilous Music, Inc. as publisher of his music, the non-sacred works distributed by Boosey & Hawkes, Inc., and the sacred works by Transcontinental Music Publications. He is former, long-time President of the American Society for Jewish Music. Dr. Gottlieb is a reviewer and author of articles on musical topics, and annotator for concert programs and recordings. His lectures: From Shtetl to Stage Door and Sing Along, The Jewish Influence on Tin Pan Alley form the basis for Funny, It Doesn't Sound Jewish, a lecture-entertainment presented more than 50 times at such venues as the Library of Congress and the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, the Village Gate in New York City, various universities and Jewish centers. It has also been seen in Israel and Canada. Funny, It Doesn't Sound Jewish: How Yiddish Songs and Synagogue Melodies Influenced American Popular Music is the title of Gottlieb’s book (Library of Congress and SUNY Press (2004).

Orchestral Works: Horton Hatches the Egg (1951, withdrawn); Pieces of Seven, Overture (1962, withdrawn); Articles of Faith for Orchestra and Memorable Voices (1965); Psalmistry, for Choir, Soloists and Jazz Ensemble (1979, revised 2000); Scenes from the Song of Songs, Cantata (1997).

Chamber works: Clarinet Quintet (1952, withdrawn); Pastorale and Dance, for Violin & Piano (1953); String Quartet (1954); Twilight Crane (1961, revised 2000) for Woodwind Quintet & Narrator; Letting Go, Vocalise for Soprano Saxophone (or Flute) & Piano (1997); Fantasy on High Holy Day Themes for Solo Violoncello (1998); Sessionals for Brass Quintet (1998); Rick’s Place, Piano Trio (2005); Belly-Dance for Bassoon & Piano.

Piano and Organ works: Sonata for Piano (1960); Judge of The World, Organ Postlude  (1975), The Voice of the Lord in the Storm, Organ Prelude (1988); (revised 1996), 13 Diversions for Piano Four-hands; Two Interludes: Travel to the Garden & The Family Together (1996); A Rag, A Bone and A Hank of Hair (2000); Gershwin Medley: 3 by 2, for Piano Four-hands (2000).

Choral works: (sacred and secular, with keyboard unless otherwise indicated): Quodlibet: Kids' Calls (1957); Love Songs for Sabbath, Friday Evening Service (18 sections, 1965); Shout for Joy: Psalms 95, 84 and 81(1967); New Year's Service for Two-Part Choir (20 settings, 1970); Three Candle Blessings (1970); Mi Chamocha, (“Who is like unto You?,” 2 High Holy Day settings, 1970); Verses from Psalm 118 (1973); Sharing the Prophets, A Musical Encounter (14 sections, 1975); Set Me As A Seal, with violin (or flute) & piano (1976, rev.1991); Two Affirmations: Tsur Yisrael & Hatsi Kaddish (“Rock of Israel” & ”Half-Kaddish,” keyboard or brass sextet, 1976); Psalmistry (24 psalm texts for Chorus, Soloists and Jazz ensemble, 1977); Yevarechecha (“May you be blessed,” 1977), a cappella; For Dad on Mother's Day (Youth Choir & piano, 1978); Waiting On Line (words by the composer, 1988); Presidential Suite, 7 pieces for a cappella chorus (1989); V’nislach (“May they be forgiven,” 1990); No Damn Place For Us (words by the composer, 1994); Kedushat Hayom (“Sanctification of the Day”), 4 a cappella motets (1999); May the Words (a cappella, 1999); Your Hand, O God Has Guided (1999); Grant Us Peace, anthem (2000); Two Nigunim for Two-Part Singing (with piano): "Quiet Nigun" and "American Nign" (2004), In the Palace of Time, for Mixed Choir and Organ or with Organ & Brass Sextet (2005), "M'nucha v'simcha" (from In the Palace of Time); Three Frankenstein Portraits, settings of poems by Edward Field for mixed a cappella chorus & soloists (2006).

Sacred solos (1974-78): May We Lie Down; Tefilot Sheva (“Seven Prayers”); Adon Olam (“Lord of the world”); Anim Zemirot (“Sweet Songs”)*; Blessed Be the Name*; Ma Tovu (“How goodly”)*; Shachar Avakeshcha (“At dawn I seek You”)*; Ki Eshmera Shabbat (“For I will observe the Sabbath”); Y'rushalayim (“Jerusalem”); Zog nit keynmol (“Never say again”); Shalom Aleichem (“Greetings to you”) with Candle Blessing*; Kedusha (“Sanctification”); Shehashalom Shelo (“That peace will be his”); Eicha Ashir (“How can I sing?”); Mi Sheshikein (“May He whose presence”);Veahavta (“And you shall love”); Hashkiveinu (“Cause us to lie down”)*; May the Words; Because I Love, A Blessing for All Occasions.
*Also arranged for Voice & Brass sextet.

2000-2005: Wedding Chant, Sh'ma Koleinu ("Hear our voice"). Songs of Godlove, 51 Solos & Duets in Two volumes (incorporates the above titles plus others).

Concert Songs: Hoofprints, 3 songs (Tennessee Williams, 1954);Two Blues for voice & clarinet (Tennessee Williams, 1954); Heavenly Grass (Tennessee Williams, rev. 2000); Downtown Blues for Uptown Halls, 3 songs for female voice, clarinet & piano (words by the composer, 1967, revised 1999); Three Night Songs: May We Lie Down (1973), Acquainted With the Night (Robert Frost, 1975) and It Is Evening (1977); The Song of Songs, 5 arias for soprano & 1 for baritone(1976); I Think Continually (Stephen Spender, 1978); Light and Splendour for voice, flute & clarinet (Leonard Cohen, 1981); a scene from Shakespeare, Henry V: The English Lesson, duet for soprano & mezzo (1993) and incidental music (also a song cycle) for Twelfth Night (1995).

Song cycles: Songs of Loneliness (7 poems by Constantine Cavafy, 1962); Haiku Souvenirs (5 poems by Leonard Bernstein, 1967); yes is a pleasant country (13 poems by E. E. Cummings, 1998).

Cabaret songs (words by the composer): Poor Little Penny, Let the Whole World Change, The Columbus Avenue Waltz, Period Piece, Mama's Cooking, The Front Porch, It’s A Nice Place To Visit, My Ex Wife, Santo Domingo, Come On, Baby, One In a Million (words by Dan Kael), Reminders of You, I'm a Het, Love Was a Drug, A Perfect Little Scene, So Int'resting!, Junk Mail, Candy Machine, Present Arms!, Mumbles, Face Value.

Stage works: Tea Party, one-act opera; The Movie Opera (words by the composer, 1982, revised 1994); Death Of A Ghost (based on The Canterville Ghost, words by the composer, 1988); Monkey Biz'nis, A Musical Diversion in One Act for three male singers (1991-93); and After the Flood, A Musical Journey in Two Acts (1990-91, rev. 2001) for a cast of six (SATTBB), words by JG, book by Roy Friedman.

Source book listings:
American Composers, A Biographical Dictionary by David Ewen (G. P. Putnam's Sons, NY, 1982).
ASCAP Biographical Dictionary (1966)
Biography International, (South Asia Pub. Co., 1989).
Baker's Dictionary by Nicolas Slonimsky (Schirmer Books/Macmillan, NY, 1978 & 2000).
Blackwell Companion to Jewish Culture (Routledge/Taylor & Francis, London, 2nd edition, 2003).
Contemporary American Composers, E. Ruth Anderson, compiler (G. K. Hall & Co., Boston, 1979).
Dictionary of American Composers, Neil Butterworth, editor (Routledge, 1984; 2nd edition, 2003).
Dictionary of Contemporary Music, John Vinton, Editor (E. P. Dutton & Co., NY, 1971).
Dictionary of International Biography, Vol. XIX, (Cambridge, England,1986).
The Encyclopedia of American Music by Edward Jablonski (Doubleday & Co., Inc. 1981).
The Harvard Biographical Dictionary of Music (Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA, 1996).
International Book of Honor (American Biographical Institute, 1984).
International Who's Who in Music (Cambridge, England, 1984).
The New Grove Dictionary of American Music, H. Wiley Hitchcock, Stanley Sadie, Editors (Macmillan Press, Ltd., London, 1986).
(Jerusalem, 1983).
Who's Who in American Music (Jacques Cattell Press, 1986).
Who's Who in American Jewry, 1980.
Who's Who in World Jewry, 1985.