Benjamin Klasmer was a professional violinist and composer notable for his contributions to the musical culture of 20th century Baltimore, Maryland.
[1] Born in Horondenka, Austria in 1891, Klasmer moved to the United States in 1909 after receiving considerable classical training as a violinist from several notable composers.
One of Klasmer's proudest legacies, however, was as the conductor of the youth orchestra at Baltimore's Jewish Educational Alliance (J.E.A.
[2] Throughout the Great Depression Klasmer found work as a musician and conductor, but after, as orchestras began to disappear from movie houses and vaudeville declined as a popular form of entertainment, Klasmer continued to perform at the Hippodrome as part of a two-person comedy/music act and to write music for local ventures.
His most famous work was the official theme song of the Baltimore Colts football team [1][2], which he co-wrote with Jo Lombardi in 1947.