The MIT Institute of Music and Dramatic Arts fondly remembers the legacy of Professor Emeritus Jeanne Shapiro Bamberger, who passed away peacefully from natural causes on December 12, 2024 at her home in Berkeley, California, at the age of 100.
During his 30 years at the institute, Bamberger found ways to use computers to engage students and assist them in learning music. A trained pianist, fascinated by the idea of using technology to gain insight into music education, Bamberger ultimately helped transform the way music is taught at MIT and elsewhere.
Bamberger was born on February 11, 1924 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Her mother, Gertrude Shapiro (née Kullberg), was born into a Romanian-Jewish family, studied child psychology, and was active in the League of Women Voters. Her father, Mose Shapiro, was of Lithuanian and Polish Jewish descent and was a groundbreaking pediatric cardiologist.
In 1969, Bamberger began a 32-year career at MIT, initially in the former MIT Education Department. While at MIT, Bamberger became the first woman to receive tenure in the Department of Music and Dramatic Arts. She was known as a pioneer in using computer languages to teach children music. She also used computer innovations to study how children, and by extension all humans, learn music, and this vector in particular became her life’s work.
Ahead of his time, Mr. Bamberger worked at the MIT Artificial Intelligence Laboratory in the 1980s and was with the MIT Educational Research Division from 1975 to 1995, where he developed computer languages (MusicLogo and Impromptu). She became associate professor of music and theater arts in 1981, earned tenure shortly thereafter, and served as chair of the department from 1989 to 1990. During this period, she continued to perform as a concert pianist, participating in concerts with the MIT Symphony Orchestra, and actively performing chamber music both at MIT and in the community. She also taught at Harvard University School of Education.
Institute Professor Marcus Thompson said: “During her time with us as a senior professor, she was clearly a crown jewel. For someone who studied piano with the historical legend Arthur Schnabel, who studied with and knew Darius Milhaud, one of at least one of the French Six, and worked with French composer and conductor Pierre Boulez, she was one of our faculty members who continued to advocate for the construction of new music. At a time when we were under pressure to grow and she was our only senior woman, we saw the possibility of a graduate program in music when we finally saw the need to do better.” Both a dedicated music building and a graduate music program became a reality.
Bamberger loved her job and was loved and admired by her students and colleagues. Kenan Sahin Distinguished Professor Evan Ziporin says she was “a huge asset to our section. Without her contributions, MIT Music and Theater Arts would not be where we are today. She’s also a pretty cool person. I mean, how many 90-year-old academics end up collaborating with Herbie Hancock and taking that work to the White House?”
Ziporin added that “among seven million singular accomplishments,” Bamberger has published numerous articles and books, including “The Art of Listening.” Co-authored with Howard Brofsky, “The Mind Behind the Musical Ear,” “Developing Musical Intuition,” and “Discovering the Musical Mind.”
While at MIT, Bamberger supervised many students and assisted many more with their studies. SM’98, PhD ’00, operations researcher, pianist, current professor of engineering at King’s College London, and Bamberger’s mentor, Elaine Chu says, “I wouldn’t be where I am today without Jeanne. Jeanne, a child prodigy turned music philosopher, was involved in music and AI long before music and AI became popular. She cared deeply about people and was passionate about how we learn. I’ll never forget the day I came in and complained to her about something that wasn’t going well. Instead of telling me what to do, Jeanne said, “What are you going to do about it?” He encouraged them to reflect on and cultivate their own independence. ” (Chu spoke at length about the role that inspired Bamberger in a 2016 interview.)
All in all, Bamberger had a creative, rich mind and liked to ask probing questions, traits she passed on to her descendants and community. That was her excitement and passion.
When he was a professor at MIT, Bamberger was a force to be reckoned with. In addition to her long and fruitful academic career, in which she published four books and nearly 20 book chapters, she was also politically active, supporting the anti-Vietnam War and civil rights movements. She continued to teach and publish well into her nineties, building a strong community of peers and colleagues to the end.
In 2002, Bamberger became professor emeritus at MIT and moved to Berkeley, California, where he continued to teach in the music department at the University of California, Berkeley.
She was 100 years old and was predeceased by her ex-husband, Frank K. Bamberger. She is survived by two sons, Joshua and Paul (Chip); four grandchildren – Jereme, Kaela, Eli, and Noah; and many caring relatives and friends.
