Irvin Kersher (1923-2010), Director and Settlement 100 Honoree

Irvin Kershner, director of classic sci-fi films The Empire Strikes Back and Robocop II and James Bond film Never Say Never Again, passed away earlier today. Settlement honored Kershner back in 2006 as part of the School's Settlement 100, a roster of diverse individuals whose time at Settlement Music School helped shape their lives.

Below is an excerpt from a profile on Kershner in the Fall 2006 edition of Settlement's Notes newsletter.

Millions know him as the man who directed what is widely considered to be the best of the Star Wars movies - The Empire Strikes Back. And while Irvin Kershner, who studied violin, viola (as suggested by “headmaster” Johan Grolle) and composition at Settlement Music School, is best known as a movie man (he’s directed Connery, Woodward, George C. Scott, Streisand, Dunaway and Richard Harris among others), he has done a little bit of everything and he credits it all to his first exposure to the arts at Settlement. First, he wanted to be a composer, but World War II broke out. When he came back after 3 years as a fighter bomber, he studied visual arts at Tyler School of the Arts at Temple, then to NYC, then to Provincetown where he studied with Jackson Pollack. After that, Kershner accepted a job as a still photographer on a State Department film project in Iran which ultimately led to an assignment as a director and cinematographer of documentaries in Iran, Greece, and Turkey with the Unites States Information Service. Later, as a film teacher at USC he met a student named George Lucas and the rest, as they say, is history.

One of “Kersh’s” most memorable Settlement Music School experiences came when he was 10 years old, nervously awaiting his student recital. In the second row was Albert Einstein, then a board member of the School, smiling. “I was sweating, shaking. He was the most famous man in the world and I played for him. Afterward he told me how good I was — which wasn’t true. But I got through it.”

Kershner attended the School's 98th Anniversary Gala, and continued to speak well of his time here. Here he is pictured with fellow Settlement 100 honoree opera singer and vocal coach Badiene Magaziner.

How You Can Support Settlement and Local Music

Around these parts, we like to talk about how many people have been influenced by their time at Settlement Music School. When you've been around for more than 100 years, you're bound to have some kind of effect on your community. We hope that our Settlement 100 project a few years ago showed just how influential the School has been in Philadelphia.

But part of the reason we've been able to have such an impact is because of where we are. Philadelphia is a musical town. And not just classical and jazz, either, although the city is no slouch in that department. From American Bandstand to The Sound of Philadelphia, Will Smith to The Roots, Chubby Checker to Hall & Oates, Frankie Avalon to The Hooters, tons of great music has come out of this city.

David Uosikkinen, drummer from The Hooters, is celebrating that musical history with a project he's called In the Pocket: Essential Songs of Philadelphia. He's put together a revolving lineup of local musical talent, and is revisiting songs recorded in Philadelphia or written and performed by Philadelphians.

And the best part is that proceeds from the sale of these recordings come back here to Settlement Music School, supporting the kinds of programs that make Philadelphia's music scene the vibrant thing that it is today.

Dave was recently featured on CBS 3's Talk Philly, talking about the project and Settlement. Click here to see the video.

For more info on In the Pocket, and to purchase check out: http://songsinthepocket.org/