Books and CDs
Lessons in Gratitude (book)
Lessons in Gratitude tells the story of Aaron Dworkin, a MacArthur Fellow, social entrepreneur, educator, multimedia artist, and poetjournalist, who has dedicated his life’s work to changing the face of classical arts in the world. The themes of persistence, passion, and loyalty shine through stories of a lifelong search for identity and the obstacles of race, culture, and class. Readers will learn how the author greets these challenges and how they drove him to make a difference for people who are shut out of opportunity. Persistence in the face of multiple obstacles ultimately led Dworkin to create the Sphinx Organization, whose mission is to transform lives through the power of diversity in the arts.
Aaron’s unique journey, which begins with his adoption by a white Jewish couple from Chicago at two weeks of age, leads him to the ultimate reunification with his birth family at the age of 31. Lessons of Gratitude is a coming-of-age story that examines the difficulties of biracial identity across generations and the challenges that mixed-race families still face today. It is also a painful and honest adoption memoir, further complicating the narrator’s experiences of racial identity throughout his life and shaping his experiences with his own children. Through his work in the arts and the impact of this work, Dworkin has been able to “pay forward” the first thing that offered him unconditional love — music.
The Poetjournalist (album)
This unique recording of poetry captures the tapestry that comprises the mosaic of our diverse society through the lens of MacArthur Fellow, author, filmmaker, and social entrepreneur Aaron Dworkin. This collection explores six overarching pillars: African-American History, The Arts, The Power of Women, Identity, Mental Health, and Childhood through the unique prism of Poetjournalism, a term originated by Aaron, in which a news story or other experience is expressed in poetic form, incorporating elements of emotion, opinion, and creative illustration.
Born to a Black Jehovah’s Witness father and White Irish Catholic mother and immediately being given up for adoption to a White Jewish couple who already had a birth son provided a backdrop to humanity steeped in the exploration of identity and connection. While some of the poems in this collection are autobiographical, the majority were developed through Aaron’s role as Poetjournalist-in-Residence of the Rodham Institute, Charles H. Wright Museum of African-American History, Ovation TV, Complexions Contemporary Dance Company, Shar Music and the Max M. and Marjorie S. Fisher Foundation.
As a violinist in addition to spoken word artist, Aaron utilizes ingredients of rhythm, alliteration, and asymmetric rhyme in his work as he conjures vivid imagery connecting the reader to both familiar and foreign encounters and memories. Combined, the poems represent a creative commentary and introspection into our world and human interactions.
The Poetjournalist (book)
This unique collection of poetry captures the tapestry that comprises the mosaic of our diverse society through the lens of MacArthur Fellow, author, filmmaker, and social entrepreneur Aaron Dworkin. This collection explores four overarching pillars: Personal Identity, The Arts, The Black Experience, and Inequality through the unique prism of Poetjournalism, a term originated by Aaron, in which a news story or other experience is expressed in poetic form, incorporating elements of emotion, opinion, and creative illustration.
Born to a Black Jehovah’s Witness father and White Irish Catholic mother and immediately being given up for adoption to a White Jewish couple who already had a birth son provided a backdrop to humanity steeped in the exploration of identity and connection. While some of the poems in this collection are autobiographical, the majority were developed through Aaron’s role as Poetjournalist-in-Residence of the Rodham Institute, Charles H. Wright Museum of African-American History, Ovation TV, Shar Music and the Max M. and Marjorie S. Fisher Foundation.
As a violinist in addition to spoken word artist, Aaron utilizes ingredients of rhythm, alliteration, and asymmetric rhyme in his work as he conjures vivid imagery connecting the reader to both familiar and foreign encounters and memories. Combined, the poems represent a creative commentary and introspection into our world and human interactions.
The Entrepreneurial Artist
In The Entrepreneurial Artist: Lessons from Highly Successful Creatives, Aaron Dworkin offers an engaging, practical guide to achieving artistic fulfillment, both personally and professionally. Based on the accomplishments of Shakespeare, Mozart, and several contemporary creatives, these lessons will help you realize your goals—no matter your medium. Among those Dworkin personally interviewed for this book are Emmy-winning actor Jeff Daniels, Tony-award winning choreographer Bill T. Jones, Grammy award-winning musician Wynton Marsalis, and Pulitzer Prize winner Lin-Manuel Miranda, among others. The stories of these twelve remarkable individuals come alive with lessons of love, loss, despair, sacrifice, perseverance, and triumph.
Ethos - Rise of Malcolm
David is a forty-eight-year-old divorced accountant from Flint, Michigan, who finds himself drawn suddenly and without warning through the use of a virtual reality game into a world five hundred years in the future: the Planet Ethos. Flint, Michigan still exists on Ethos, but it is a city rocked by colliding and seemingly contradictory forces. Advanced biotechnology coexists with avian species that have devolved to resemble ancient pterodactyls. Human beings are racially and religiously tolerant as never before, yet they've organized themselves along a tribal division between the Immortals and the Bereft. And Flint and Detroit are locked in a dangerous, violent conflict―a war that could annihilate the human race or secure lasting peace for the first time in history. Along with his adopted teenage son, Malcolm, David learns that on Ethos, humans have evolved the genetic capacity for immortality, a trait they earn by discovering their purpose in life, or their ethos. Does David, a consummate drifter, have such an ethos? Will he fight on the side of the Immortals, or join the Bereft, a group of humans who age and die naturally and eschew the idea that life has a singular, unchanging purpose? Join David and Malcolm in their struggle for meaning and their battle for the future of the human race itself.
Uncommon Rhythm
The long-awaited inspirational memoir by White House Champion of Change Aaron P. Dworkin. Uncommon Rhythm is a harrowing yet moving account of Aaron's personal journey through social isolation and discrimination to found one of the nation's cultural jewels, the Sphinx Organization. The book is a tapestry of stirring narrative, precious photos and poignant poems. A MacArthur Fellowship recipient, Aaron is driven by a single vision inclusion for all. Uncommon Rhythm will inspire all who have ever felt like outsiders to nurture their own gifts and make valuable contributions to society. Aaron is the Founder and President of the Sphinx Organization, the leading national arts organization that focuses on youth development and diversity in classical music.
To purchase the books or CDs below, please email Aaron@AaronDworkin.com
They Said I Wasn’t Really Black
As a biracial (Black/White) young man adopted by a white family, Aaron Dworkin has had the unique advantage of being able to observe life and society around us from differing cultural perspectives inspiring his self-identity as a poet journalist. In this collection of poetry, he has captured many of his experiences, dramatic, humorous, insightful and moving. He invites you to share this unique adventure with him.
The 1st Adventure of Chilli Pepperz
An engaging children’s book that combines the positive elements of courage, perseverance, hope, and diversity with the excitement of an outer space odyssey. Parents and children will be equally entertained by the words and illustrations. A book of rhyme combined with unique colorful illustrations, Chilli embodies diversity while connecting with youth who have a sense of curiosity and adventure.
Ebony Rhythm
This CD offers its listeners a new and unique style of music called “Classispeak” which combines dramatically read poetry and passages about the historical experiences of African-Americans with the dramatic, emotional impact of Classical Music. Ebony Rhythm will tantalize and fascinate its listeners with powerful musical narratives which touch the soul and move the spirit.
Bar Talk
Bar Talk offers its listeners innovative performance techniques on Zetaelectric instruments to maximize the electronic capabilities as well as effectively illustrate the underlying story created through the non-traditional recording of Bartok’s famous 44 duets for two violins. This CD is sure to engage traditional classical music lovers along with New Age fans and cutting-edge modern music afficionados.