ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on Franz Waxman's Los Angeles Music Festival (LAMF) as a case study of how music functioned as a tool for cultural diplomacy during the Cold War. It analyses the LAMF's programming, which featured a blend of American, European, and Soviet compositions, and considers how Waxman's personal history as a German-Jewish émigré shaped his approach to cultural exchange. Additionally, it examines Waxman's conducting tours in the Soviet Union and how these efforts aligned with broader US strategies of Cold War politics.
