Esther Joyce Wasserman was the precocious, eldest daughter of Ukrainian and Belarussian immigrants who settled in Cincinnati, Ohio, at the turn of the last century. She began studying violin at a young age and debuted nationwide before she was even ten years old, going on to enjoy an internationally-recognized career as a soloist. While Esther played at Carnegie Hall, Radio City, and in many other great concert houses of the United States, her rise was not without cost.
The story of Esther Joyce Wasserman, who adopted the stage name Joyce Rene, reveals the fiery spirit and grit it took to be a female virtuoso when most major symphonies engaged only male soloists. Spanning the jazz era and World War II, it is a spellbinding story of soaring triumphs and a devastating setback, and it is told here with great affection by her nephew, Steven Wasserman. America's Jewish Violin Sensation: The Life of Joyce Rene does more than just chronicle her rise and the tragic accident that ended her career; it portrays America in its own rise. This volume will reward those interested in the stories of immigrants, classical music, rising musicians, and the struggle of those who had to fight against anti-Semitism to pursue their desired careers.