Biography
Jay Ungar is an American folk musician and composer. Born in the Bronx, New York City, on 14 November 1946, he began playing the violin at the age of seven and later studied at the High School of Music and Art.
He is best known for composing the fiddle tune 'Ashokan Farewell' in 1982. It was used as the main theme in Ken Burns' documentary series The Civil War (1990), for which Ungar and Molly Mason also supplied additional music and performances. The piece features on the series' soundtrack album.
Ungar has contributed to other Ken Burns documentaries, including Baseball (1994) and The National Parks: America's Best Idea (2009). He performs and records with Mason, whom he married in 1991, and with family bands.
