The son of composer Aaron Avshalomov, Jacob was born in China and received his general education there. He moved to the U.S. in 1937 and became a citizen in 1944. He studied music at the Eastman School of Music and taught at Columbia University. He also served as conductor of the Portland Junior Symphony. The style of his compositional work varies widely and includes Chinese and American folk idioms. Inscriptions at the City of Brass and Symphony: The Oregon are fine examples of his work. ~ Lynn Vought