Leroy Ostransky was born in New York on January 17, 1918. Ostransky’s abusive father held high expectations for his future and expected him to become a child prodigy and violinist. However, Ostransky preferred piano and jazz. Eventually, Ostransky escaped from his home. He supported himself by painting houses and playing the piano at jazz clubs. When WWII began, Ostransky was drafted into the army. He was the music arranger for War Bond shows for a year (1944-1945). As the war came to an end, Ostransky enrolled at the University of Puget Sound, where he was hired as an assistant in music theory. He also formed the Workshop band, which played songs composed by students in the school. Later in his career, Ostransky received his master’s degree
