Jonathan Tunick (born April 19, 1938, New York City) is an American orchestrator, musical director, and composer, and one of nineteen of the "EGOT" – people to have won all four major American show business awards: the Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony.[1] He is best known for orchestrating the works of Stephen Sondheim, their collaboration starting in 1970 with Company and continuing until Sondheim's death in 2021.
Jonathan Tunick | |
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![]() Tunick receiving Tony Award for Best Orchestrations 2024 | |
Born | New York City, New York, United States | April 19, 1938
Education | Bard College, Juilliard School |
Occupations |
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Spouse | Leigh Beery |
Awards | EGOT |
Biography
editTunick 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][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
editTunick 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
editStage
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Filmography
edit- The Twelve Chairs - 1970 - musical director, orchestrator
- Blazing Saddles - 1974 - orchestrator
- Young Frankenstein - 1974 - orchestrator
- The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother - 1975 - orchestrator
- A Little Night Music - 1977 - composer orchestrator, conductor (winner, Academy Award)
- Columbo: Murder Under Glass - 1978 - (television) - composer, conductor
- Flying High - 1978 - (television) - composer, conductor
- 3 by Cheever: "O Youth and Beauty", "The Sorrows of Gin" and 3 by Cheever: The 5:48 - 1979 - (television) - composer, conductor
- Rendezvous Hotel - 1979 - (television) - composer, conductor
- Swan Song - 1980 - (television) - composer, conductor
- Blinded by the Light - 1980 - (television) - composer, conductor
- The Jilting of Granny Weatherall - 1980 - (television) - composer, conductor
- Fort Apache the Bronx - 1981 - composer, conductor
- Endless Love - 1981 - composer, conductor
- Reds - 1981 - orchestrator
- The Shady Hill Kidnapping - 1982 - (television) - composer, conductor
- Night of 100 Stars - 1982 - (television) - music arranger
- Sweeney Todd - 1982 - (television) - orchestrator
- Alice in Wonderland - 1983 - (television) - composer, conductor
- I Am the Cheese - 1983 - composer, conductor
- Murder, She Wrote - 1984 - (television) - series composer, conductor
- Concealed Enemies - 1984 - (television) - composer, conductor
- Brotherly Love - 1985 - (television) - composer, conductor[26]
- Steven Spielberg's Amazing Stories - 1985 - (television) - series composer, conductor
- The B.R.A.T. Patrol - 1986 - (television) - composer, conductor[27]
- American Masters - 1986 - (television) - composer (theme only)
- You Ruined My Life - 1987 - (television) - composer, conductor
- Into the Woods - 1991 - (television) - orchestrator
- Sondheim: A Celebration at Carnegie Hall - 1993 (televised) (concert in 1992) - (television) - orchestrator[28]
- The Last Good Time - 1994 - composer, conductor
- The Birdcage - 1996 - music arranger and adapter, composer, conductor
- Hey, Mr. Producer! The Musical World of Cameron Mackintosh - 1998 - (television) - orchestrator
- The Fantasticks - 2000 - music adaptor and arranger, conductor
- Find Me Guilty - 2006 - composer, conductor
- Sweeney Todd (Tim Burton film) - 2007 - music adaptor and orchestrator
- Into the Woods - 2014 - orchestrator
- Beauty and the Beast - 2017 - orchestrator
Awards and nominations
editYear | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
1977 | Best Original Song Score and Its Adaptation or Adaptation Score | A Little Night Music | Won | [29] |
Year | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
1982 | Drama Desk Special Award | Honoree | [30] | |
1984 | Outstanding Orchestrations | Baby | Nominated | [31] |
1988 | Into the Woods | Nominated | [32] | |
1994 | Passion | Won | [33] | |
1997 | Titanic | Won | [34] | |
1999 | Captains Courageous | Nominated | [35] | |
2000 | Saturday Night | Nominated | [36] | |
2001 | Follies | Nominated | [37] | |
2002 | Elaine Stritch: At Liberty | Nominated | [38] | |
2007 | The Apple Tree | Nominated | [39] | |
LoveMusik | Won | |||
2008 | A Catered Affair | Nominated | [40] | |
2014 | A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder | Nominated | [41] | |
2018 | Carousel | Won | [42] | |
Pacific Overtures | Nominated | |||
2020 | West Side Story | Nominated | [43] |
Year | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
1981 | Best Album of Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or a Television Special | Endless Love: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | Nominated | [44] |
1988 | Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocal(s) | "No One is Alone" | Won |
Year | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
1982 | Outstanding Achievement in Music Direction | Night of 100 Stars | Won | [45] |
1984 | Live from Lincoln Center (Episode: "Marilyn Horne's Great American Songbook") | Nominated | ||
Outstanding Achievement in Music Composition for a Limited Series or a Special (Dramatic Underscore) | American Playhouse (Episode: "Concealed Enemies") | Nominated | ||
1989 | Outstanding Achievement in Main Title Theme Music | Tattingers | Nominated | |
1993 | Outstanding Individual Achievement in Main Title Theme Music | Love & War | Nominated |
Year | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
1997 | Best Orchestrations | Titanic | Won | [46] |
2000 | Marie Christine | Nominated | [47] | |
2001 | Follies | Nominated | [48] | |
2003 | Nine | Nominated | [49] | |
2005 | Pacific Overtures | Nominated | [50] | |
2007 | 110 in the Shade | Nominated | [51] | |
LoveMusik | Nominated | |||
2008 | A Catered Affair | Nominated | [52] | |
2010 | Promises, Promises | Nominated | [53] | |
2014 | A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder | Nominated | [54] | |
2018 | Carousel | Nominated | [55] | |
2024 | Merrily We Roll Along | Won | [56] |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ 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
- ^ a b Gans, Andrew. "Tony-Winning Orchestrator Jonathan Tunick Plays Birdland March 19; Rebecca Faulkenberry Is Special Guest", playbill.com, March 19, 2012.
- ^ a b Jonathan Tunick biography, sondheimguide.com; accessed April 17, 2012.
- ^ Sharbutt, Jay. "Orchestrators", The Associated Press, May 23, 1982 (no page number)
- ^ Gans, Andrew. "Tony Winner Cook Will Join Tunick at Birdland Nov. 24", playbill.com; November 11, 2008
- ^ Jonathan Tunick profile goodmantheatre.org, June 2003; accessed April 17, 2012
- ^ Kenrick, John. "Solo CD's. Bernadette Peters" Musicals101.com; accessed April 18, 2012
- ^ "Laine Sings Sondheim", allmusic.com; accessed April 18, 2012.
- ^ Kuchwara. Michael (Byline). "Revival rakes in the awards; Tony taps 'Chicago'", Chicago Sun-Times, June 2, 1997, p. 25
- ^ Gans, Andrew. "Theater Hall of Fame Ceremony Presented Jan. 26; Ivey Hosts" playbill.com, January 26, 2009
- ^ "Leigh Beery Film and TV" imdb.com; accessed October 10, 2015
- ^ a b "Jonathan Tunick Credits" allmusic.com, accessed April 17, 2012
- ^ Jonathan Tunick Listing", Internet Broadway Database; accessed April 17, 2012.
- ^ Hischak, Thomas S. "Chapter Two, A New Arena:The 1950s" Off-Broadway Musicals Since 1919 (2011), (books.google.com), Scarecrow Press, Inc., ISBN 978-0-8108-7771-9, p. 43
- ^ " 'All in Love' Listing" Archived 2012-10-21 at the Wayback Machine Internet Off-Broadway Database, accessed April 17, 2012
- ^ " 'Sondheim: A Musical Tribute'" Archived 2011-11-07 at the Wayback Machine, SondheimGuide.com; accessed April 17, 2012
- ^ " 'Smith' Listing", Internet Broadway database; accessed April 17, 2012
- ^ " 'Phantom' Cast Album Listing" castalbumdb.com, accessed April 17, 2012
- ^ Brantley, Ben. "Theater Review; Both a Sendup and an Embrace, Based on Bergman Again" The New York Times, December 19, 1994
- ^ Evans, Greg. "Patti Lupone on Broadway" Variety, October 12, 1995
- ^ " 'Minnelli on Minnelli' Listing" Internet Broadway Database, accessed April 17, 2012
- ^ " 'Road Show'" Archived 2012-10-20 at the Wayback Machine Internet Off-Broadway database, accessed April 18, 2012
- ^ Murray, Matthew. "Theatre Review. 'Bounce' " talkinbroadway.com, November 2, 2003, accessed April 18, 2012
- ^ Eadie, Bill."Regional Reviews. 'Some Lovers', Old Globe" talkinbroadway.com, December 10, 2011
- ^ "Jonathan Tunick Listing" Internet Movie Database, accessed April 17, 2012
- ^ "Cast and Crew, 'Brotherly Love'" fandango.com, assessed April 18, 2012
- ^ " 'The B.R.A.T Patrol' Cast and Crew" movies.amctv.com, accessed April 18, 2012
- ^ "Sondheim: A Celebration at Carnegie Hall" Archived 2011-11-07 at the Wayback Machine sondheimguide.com, accessed April 18, 2012
- ^ "The 50th Academy Awards (1978) Nominees and Winners". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Retrieved October 5, 2011.
- ^ "Nominees and Recipients – 1982 Awards". Drama Desk Awards. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
- ^ "Nominees and Recipients – 1984 Awards". Drama Desk Awards. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
- ^ "Nominees and Recipients – 1988 Awards". Drama Desk Awards. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
- ^ "Nominees and Recipients – 1994 Awards". Drama Desk Awards. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
- ^ "Nominees and Recipients – 1997 Awards". Drama Desk Awards. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
- ^ "Nominees and Recipients – 1999 Awards". Drama Desk Awards. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
- ^ "Nominees and Recipients – 2000 Awards". Drama Desk Awards. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
- ^ "Nominees and Recipients – 2001 Awards". Drama Desk Awards. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
- ^ "Nominees and Recipients – 2002 Awards". Drama Desk Awards. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
- ^ "Nominees and Recipients – 2007 Awards". Drama Desk Awards. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
- ^ "Nominees and Recipients – 2008 Awards". Drama Desk Awards. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
- ^ "Nominees and Recipients – 2014 Awards". Drama Desk Awards. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
- ^ "Nominees and Recipients – 2018 Awards". Drama Desk Awards. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
- ^ "Nominees and Recipients – 2020 Awards". Drama Desk Awards. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
- ^ "Jonathan Tunick". Grammy Awards. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
- ^ "Jonathan Tunick". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
- ^ "1997 Tony Awards". Tony Awards. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
- ^ "2000 Tony Awards". Tony Awards. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
- ^ "2001 Tony Awards". Tony Awards. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
- ^ "2003 Tony Awards". Tony Awards. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
- ^ "2005 Tony Awards". Tony Awards. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
- ^ "2007 Tony Awards". Tony Awards. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
- ^ "2008 Tony Awards". Tony Awards. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
- ^ "2010 Tony Awards". Tony Awards. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
- ^ "2014 Tony Awards". Tony Awards. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
- ^ "2018 Tony Awards". Tony Awards. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
- ^ Sherman, Rachel (2024-04-30). "Tony Awards Nominations 2024: The Complete List". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-05-01.
External links
edit- Jonathan Tunick at the Internet Broadway Database
- Jonathan Tunick at IMDb
- Jonathan Tunick Interview NAMM Oral History Library (2021)