Jonathan Tunick

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Jonathan Tunick (born April 19, 1938, New York City) is an American orchestrator, musical director, and composer, and one of sixteen "EGOTs" - people to have won all four major American showbusiness awards: the Tony Awards, Academy Awards, Emmy Awards and Grammy Awards.[1] He is best known for orchestrating the works of Stephen Sondheim, their collaboration starting in 1970 with Company and continuing to the present day.

Biography[]

He graduated from Hunter College Elementary School, the LaGuardia Performing Arts High School, and holds degrees from Bard College and the Juilliard School.[1] Tunick's principal instrument is the clarinet.[2]

Much of his work has arisen from his involvement in theatre, and he is associated especially with the musicals of Stephen Sondheim.[3] Sondheim said of Tunick's work: "'I think he's tops'..." and further noted that "Tunick is a standout in his field not only because of his musicianship and imagination, but primarily because of 'his great sensitivity to theatrical atmosphere'".[4]

Tunick also has a band, the "Broadway Moonlighters", which played at Birdland in March 2012[2] and in 2008 with Barbara Cook as his special guest.[5] He has worked as an arranger and/or conductor on recordings with Judy Collins, Kiri Te Kanawa, Brian Asawa, Sir Neville Mariner, Itzhak Perlman, Plácido Domingo, Johnny Mathis, Barbra Streisand, Paul McCartney, and Bernadette Peters.[6] In his review of the Bernadette Peters recording Bernadette Peters Loves Rodgers and Hammerstein (Angel Records, 2002), John Kenrick wrote: "Jonathan Tunick provides the brilliant arrangements."[7] Tunick won the Grammy Award as "Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s)/Best Background Arrangement" for his work on the song "No One Is Alone" from the Cleo Laine album Cleo Laine Sings Sondheim (RCA Victor, 1987).[8]

Tunick won the first Tony Award for Best Orchestrations that was awarded, in 1997, for Titanic.[3] "Also winning for Titanic... Jonathan Tunick, orchestration, a new category this year."[9]

In addition to the other awards, he has won the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Orchestrations three times and won a Drama Desk Special Award in 1982.

Tunick was inducted into the American Theatre Hall of Fame in January 2009.[10]

Personal life[]

Tunick is married to actress Leigh Beery[1] (also known as "Lee Beery"), who appeared in the television soap opera Dark Shadows in 1971.[11]

Work[]

Stage[]

Sources - AllMusic;[12] Internet Broadway Database[13]

Filmography[]

Sources - AllMusic;[12] Internet Movie Database[25]

Awards[]

Sources - Sondheim Guide;[3] Internet Broadway Database[13]
  • 1977 Academy Award - Original Song Score and Its Adaptation or Adaptation Score - A Little Night Music[29]
  • 1982 Emmy Award - Outstanding Achievement in Music Direction - Night of 100 Stars[30]
  • 1988 Grammy Award - Best Instrumental Arrangement, "No One Is Alone", performed by Cleo Laine[31]
  • 1994 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Orchestrations - Passion[32]
  • 1997 Tony Award - Best Orchestrations for Titanic[33]
  • 1997 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Orchestrations - Titanic
  • 2007 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Orchestrations - Lovemusik[34]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b c Rothstein, Mervyn. "A Life in the Theatre: Orchestrator, Composer and Music Director Jonathan Tunick" Archived 2013-11-26 at the Wayback Machine playbill.com, September 16, 2005
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b Gans, Andrew. "Tony-Winning Orchestrator Jonathan Tunick Plays Birdland March 19; Rebecca Faulkenberry Is Special Guest", playbill.com, March 19, 2012.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b c Jonathan Tunick biography, sondheimguide.com; accessed April 17, 2012.
  4. ^ Sharbutt, Jay. "Orchestrators", The Associated Press, May 23, 1982 (no page number)
  5. ^ Gans, Andrew. "Tony Winner Cook Will Join Tunick at Birdland Nov. 24", playbill.com; November 11, 2008
  6. ^ Jonathan Tunick profile goodmantheatre.org, June 2003; accessed April 17, 2012
  7. ^ Kenrick, John. "Solo CD's. Bernadette Peters" Musicals101.com; accessed April 18, 2012
  8. ^ "Laine Sings Sondheim", allmusic.com; accessed April 18, 2012.
  9. ^ Kuchwara. Michael (Byline). "Revival rakes in the awards; Tony taps 'Chicago'", Chicago Sun-Times, June 2, 1997, p. 25
  10. ^ Gans, Andrew. "Theater Hall of Fame Ceremony Presented Jan. 26; Ivey Hosts" playbill.com, January 26, 2009
  11. ^ "Leigh Beery Film and TV" imdb.com; accessed October 10, 2015
  12. ^ Jump up to: a b "Jonathan Tunick Credits" allmusic.com, accessed April 17, 2012
  13. ^ Jump up to: a b Jonathan Tunick Listing", Internet Broadway Database; accessed April 17, 2012.
  14. ^ Hischak, Thomas S. "Chapter Two, A New Arena:The 1950's" Off-Broadway Musicals Since 1919 (2011), (books.google.com), Scarecrow Press, Inc., ISBN 978-0-8108-7771-9, p. 43
  15. ^ " 'All in Love' Listing" Archived 2012-10-21 at the Wayback Machine Internet Off-Broadway Database, accessed April 17, 2012
  16. ^ " 'Sondheim: A Musical Tribute'" Archived 2011-11-07 at the Wayback Machine, SondheimGuide.com; accessed April 17, 2012
  17. ^ " 'Smith' Listing", Internet Broadway database; accessed April 17, 2012
  18. ^ " 'Phantom' Cast Album Listing" castalbumdb.com, accessed April 17, 2012
  19. ^ Brantley, Ben. "Theater Review; Both a Sendup and an Embrace, Based on Bergman Again" The New York Times, December 19, 1994
  20. ^ Evans, Greg. "Patti Lupone on Broadway" Variety (webcache.googleusercontent.com), October 12, 1995
  21. ^ " 'Minnelli on Minnelli' Listing" Internet Broadway Database, accessed April 17, 2012
  22. ^ " 'Road Show'" Archived 2012-10-20 at the Wayback Machine Internet Off-Broadway database, accessed April 18, 2012
  23. ^ Murray, Matthew. "Theatre Review. 'Bounce' " talkinbroadway.com, November 2, 2003, accessed April 18, 2012
  24. ^ Eadie, Bill."Regional Reviews. 'Some Lovers', Old Globe" talkinbroadway.com, December 10, 2011
  25. ^ "Jonathan Tunick Listing" Internet Movie Database, accessed April 17, 2012
  26. ^ "Cast and Crew, 'Brotherly Love'" fandango.com, assessed April 18, 2012
  27. ^ " 'The B.R.A.T Patrol' Cast and Crew" movies.amctv.com, accessed April 18, 2012
  28. ^ "Sondheim: A Celebration at Carnegie Hall" Archived 2011-11-07 at the Wayback Machine sondheimguide.com, accessed April 18, 2012
  29. ^ "Jonathan Tunick Listing" Archived 2013-10-29 at the Wayback Machine The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (awardsdatabase.oscars.org); accessed April 17, 2012.
  30. ^ "Awards for Night of 100 Stars" Internet Movie Database, accessed April 18, 2012
  31. ^ "1988 Grammy Awards" infoplease.com, accessed April 18, 2012
  32. ^ Gerard, Jeremy. "Drama Desk Nod TO 'Perestroika';Sondheim's 'Passion' top tuner", Daily Variety, June 7, 1994, p.2
  33. ^ "1997 Tony Awards", infoplease.com; accessed April 18, 2012
  34. ^ Cox, Gordon. "'Utopia' sweeps Drama Desk Awards", Variety.com, May 20, 2007.

External links[]

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