Latest news with #EastmanSchoolofMusic
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Charles Strouse Dies: Prolific Composer Of Broadway's ‘Bye Bye Birdie,' Film's ‘Bonnie & Clyde' And TV's ‘All In The Family' Theme Was 96
Charles Strouse, the musical composer for such Broadway hits as Bye Bye Birdie, Applause and Annie, films including Bonnie and Clyde (1967) The Night They Raided Minsky's (1968) and All Dogs Go To Heaven (1989) and for the TV series All In The Family, died at his home in New York City on May 15. He was 96. His death was announced by his children Benjamin, Nicholas, Victoria, and William Strouse. (He was predeceased by his wife, the choreographer Barbara Siman, to whom he was married from 1962 until her death in 2023. More from Deadline Robert Benton Dies: Oscar-Winning Director of 'Kramer Vs. Kramer' & Co-Screenwriter Of 'Bonnie And Clyde,' 'Superman' Was 92 2025 Deaths Photo Gallery: Hollywood & Media Obituaries Jasmine Amy Rogers Is The Life Of The Cartoon Party In 'Boop! The Musical' - Deadline Q&A As a prolific musical composer across media and genres, Strouse added mightily to the size of the American songbook, with instantly recognizable melodies such as 'Put on a Happy Face' from Bye Bye Birdie, 'Tomorrow' from Annie and, from All In The Family, 'Those Were The Days,' one of TV's most famous opening theme songs, sung by stars Carroll O'Connor and Jean Stapleton in character as Archie and Edith Bunker. The nostalgic 'Those Were The Days' lyrics, written by frequent collaborator Lee Adams, began with instantly familiar 'Boy the way Glenn Miller played.' The song was performed at an upright piano by actors Carroll O'Connor as Archie Bunker and Jean Stapleton as Edith Bunker, and it introduced more than 200 episodes of Norman Lear's groundbreaking series Over the course of a career spanning seven decades, he won three Tony Awards (for Bye Bye Birdie, Applause, and Annie), and was nominated for Golden Boy, Charlie & Algernon, Rags, and Nick & Nora. Strouse was born on June 7, 1928 in New York City, the son of Ethel (Newman) and Ira Strouse. After graduating from the Eastman School of Music in 1947, he received two scholarships to Tanglewood, where he studied under composer Aaron Copland. Subsequently, Copland arranged for Strouse to get a scholarship with legendary teacher, Nadia Boulanger, in Paris. Strouse met songwriting partner, lyricist Adams, at a party in 1949, and the duo began a longtime collaboration starting with writing songs for summer resorts in the Adirondacks. Strouse and Adams contributed material to numerous Off-Broadway musical revues, including Catch a Star, Shoestring Revue, The Littlest Revue and Kaleidoscope, and wrote specialty material for Kaye Ballard, Carol Burnett, Jane Morgan and Dick Shawn. In 1958, Strouse and lyricist, Fred Tobias wrote the chart-topping pop song 'Born Too Late' (recorded by The Poni-Tails), and it was in that same year that Strouse and Adams had their Broadway breakthrough. They were hired by producer Edward Padula to write a satirical musical about rock and roll and teen idol culture. The show, Bye Bye Birdie, became their first Tony Award-winning hit. The production starred Chita Rivera and Dick Van Dyke and won four 1961 Tony Awards including Best Musical, earning Strouse the first of his three Tony Awards. The show introduced the world to such songs as 'Put On A Happy Face,' and 'A Lot of Livin' to Do.' A 1962 movie version, starring Ann-Margret, was one of the top-grossing films of the year, and featured Margret's now iconic performance of the film's newly added title song, 'Bye Bye Birdie.' Strouse would later win a 1996 Emmy Award for the new song, 'Let's Settle Down,' written with Adams and added for the musical's 1995 TV adaptation, starring Jason Alexander and Vanessa Williams. DEADLINE RELATED VIDEO: Additional collaborations with Adams include the Mel Brooks musical All American (1962) starring Ray Bolger. Though the show was not a commercial success, it featured what would become the popular American standard 'Once Upon a Time' (recorded by Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, and many others). Golden Boy (1963), a musical adaptation of the play by Clifford Odets starred Sammy Davis Jr., garnered Strouse his second Tony Award nomination. It's a Bird…It's a Plane… It's Superman! (1965, written by David Newman & Robert Benton, who died earlier this month on May 11) gave audiences another popular Strouse & Adams song, 'You've Got Possibilities' (first recorded by Linda Lavin). And in 1970, when the team wrote the score for Applause (based on the film All About Eve and Mary Orr's The Wisdom of Eve and starring Lauren Bacall), Strouse would win his second Tony Award. Strouse's biggest Broadway success was with collaborators Martin Charnin and Thomas Meehan on Annie (1977), based on the comic strip, 'Little Orphan Annie,' by Harold Gray. The Depression-era musical about a plucky red-headed orphan girl who wins the heart of billionaire Oliver Warbucks, was one of Broadway's biggest hits of the 1970s, winning seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical, and garnering Strouse his third Tony Award and a Grammy Award for Best Cast Show Album. Strouse's score included 'Tomorrow,' 'It's the Hard–Knock Life,' 'You're Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile,' and 'I Don't Need Anything But You.' Annie ran for over 2,300 performances on Broadway, where it has been revived twice and has inspired hundreds of worldwide productions. It has also been adapted for two film and two television productions. Strouse was passionate about collaboration and would earn Tony Award nominations for his scores with lyricists: David Rogers, Charlie & Algernon (1980), based on the novel Flowers for Algernon, Steven Schwartz, for Rags (1986), with book writer Joseph Stein starring Teresa Stratas, and Nick and Nora (1991), a musical based on Dashiell Hammett's The Thin Man characters, written with Richard Maltby, Jr. Strouse's film scores include Bonnie and Clyde (1967) starring Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway (and with a screenplay by Newman and Benton; the soundtrack for the '30s era crime romance included songs by bluegrass legends Flatt & Scruggs, but it was Strouse's score, sometimes jaunty, sometimes elegiac, perfectly captured the madcap, bloody tone of the film. Other film credits included The Night They Raided Minsky's (1968), There Was a Crooked Man (1970), with Henry Fonda and Kirk Douglas, Sidney Lumet's Just Tell Me What You Want, and the animated feature All Dogs Go To Heaven (1989). In addition to his awards, Strouse was the recipient of several honorary doctorates. He was a longtime member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame, inducted in 1985, and the Theatre Hall of Fame. Strouse also composed orchestral works, chamber music, piano concertos, and an opera. His original piano work, Concerto America, was composed in 2002 to commemorate 9/11 and premiered at The Boston Pops in 2004. His opera Nightingale (1982), starring Sarah Brightman, had a successful run in London, followed by many subsequent productions. In 1977, Strouse founded the ASCAP Musical Theatre Workshop, through which many young composers and lyricists honed their craft and developed their work. Strouse authored the autobiography Put on a Happy Face: A Broadway Memoir, published by Union Square Press in July 2008. In addition to his four children, Strouse is survived by eight grandchildren, Sam and Arthur Strouse, Navah Strouse, Vivian, Weston and Ever Brush, and Owen and Theodore Strouse. A private ceremony will be held at Frank E. Campbell Funeral Chapel in New York City. Best of Deadline 2025 Deaths Photo Gallery: Hollywood & Media Obituaries Where To Watch All The 'Mission: Impossible' Movies: Streamers With Multiple Films In The Franchise Everything We Know About 'My Life With The Walter Boys' Season 2 So Far
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Charles Strouse death: Broadway composer behind Annie and Bye Bye Birdie dies aged 96
Charles Strouse, the renowned composer behind dozens of beloved Broadway songs, has died aged 96. Strouse died at his New York City home on Thursday, his four children announced. A cause of death was not disclosed. In a career that spanned more than seven decades, Strouse composed some of the most well-known songs in musical theater history, including 'Put On A Happy Face' from Bye Bye Birdie and 'Tomorrow' from Annie. Strouse was also the mastermind behind Broadway musicals Applause, Golden Boy, Charlie & Algernon, Rags, and Nick & Nora. Born June 7, 1928, in New York City, Strouse attended the Eastman School of Music and later studied under renowned composer Aaron Copland. Strouse met songwriting partner Lee Adams in 1949. Together, the duo contributed material to multiple musical revues, including Catch a Star, Shoestring Revue, The Littlest Revue, and Kaleidoscope. They also wrote specialty material for Kaye Ballard, Carol Burnett, Jane Morgan and Dick Shawn. The composer also collaborated with lyricist Fred Tobias, with whom he wrote the pop song 'Born Too Late' (recorded by The Poni-Tails) in 1958. That same year, Strouse and Adams were hired by producer Edward Padula to write what eventually became Bye Bye Birdie. The show took home four 1961 Tonys, including Best Musical, earning Strouse his first of three trophies. Together, Strouse and Adams would collaborate on the Mel Brooks musical All American (1962), Golden Boy (1963), and Applause (1970) for the stage. The duo also lent their talents to It's a a Plane... It's Superman! (1965), which featured their song "You've Got Possibilities" (first recorded by Linda Lavin). Strouse then worked with Martin Charnin and Thomas Meehan on the adaptation of Harold Gray's comic strip, 'Little Orphan Annie.' Annie (1977) would become his biggest success, garnering Strouse his third Tony Award and a Grammy Award for Best Cast Show Album. In addition to the hit 'Tomorrow,' the score included 'It's the Hard–Knock Life,' 'You're Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile,' and 'I Don't Need Anything But You.' Beyond his previously mentioned collaborations, Strouse partnered with several other lyricists, including David Rogers for Charlie & Algernon (1980), Steven Schwartz for Rags (1986), and Richard Maltby, Jr. for Nick and Nora (1991). Strouse's film scores include Bonnie and Clyde (1967), The Night They Raided Minsky's (1968), There Was a Crooked Man (1970), Sidney Lumet's Just Tell Me What You Want, and the animated feature All Dogs Go To Heaven (1989). Television audiences will recognize him for the All in the Family theme song, 'Those Were the Days,' written with Adams. Strouse is survived by his children, Benjamin Strouse, Nicholas Strouse, Victoria Strouse, William Strouse, and his eight grandchildren, Sam and Arthur Strouse, Navah Strouse, Vivian, Weston and Ever Brush, and Owen and Theodore Strouse. A private funeral will be held in New York City.
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Eastman students perform for East House residents in recovery
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — Eastman School of Music students and faculty performed at the East House's Alexander Commons Apartment Complex on Friday. The event was held as part of the school's 2025 ROC City Concerts, featuring live performances in areas around Rochester to connect with underserved communities. 'We perform for audiences that don't have access to live music and can benefit from music's therapeutic effects,' said Associate Professor of Piano and Chamber Music, Elinor Freer. RIT City Art Space gallery moving to Neighborhood of Play Organizers said East House has been a resource to the community for nearly 60 years, providing financial, social, and emotional support in addition to housing to over 12,000 people. The Alexander Commons Apartment Complex serves as housing for individuals recovering from mental health or substance abuse disorders. The Assistant Professor of Voice from Eastman School of Music, Joshua Conyers, spoke to News 8 about the personal connection to performing for organizations like East House. 'These projects are super special to me because this is how I got my intro to music. Both of my parents dealt with drug addiction and abuse, and those things, and I grew up in a shelter system throughout all of those things, so music outreach helped me,' Conyers said. 'It saved me to not be a kid in the streets and gave me something to do, so to be able to reach out to people through music because we all connect through music, it's extremely important to me and my mission as a musician.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Former Moses Lake pianist receives Finnish knighthood
Apr. 25—MOSES LAKE — A former Moses Lake man was recently honored with a knighthood in Finland. Collin Hansen, a 1975 graduate of Moses Lake High School, was awarded the Order of the Lion of Finland at a ceremony March 18. "It's an honor that every year ... the president (of Finland) awards certain members of society," Hansen said. "(It) was for my contribution to Finnish musical life and also, in my work at the university, helping a younger generation of musicians in Finland." Hansen, a highly-accomplished pianist specializing in chamber and vocal music, studied at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, N.Y., and then took a master's degree at the prestigious Sibelius Academy in Helsinki, according to the committee that awarded him the honor. He has taught at the Sibelius Academy since 1987. "His inspiring student- and composition-oriented teaching has inspired entire generations of Finnish pianists, both at the Sibelius Academy and in numerous summer courses, to become enthusiastic about music," the committee wrote. Hansen's talent became obvious at an early age, according to his mother, Vonnie Hansen, who lives in Moses Lake. "From the time he could walk, he got up to the piano and touched the keys," Vonnie Hansen said. "By the time he was 4 years old, he was playing his Sunday school songs by ear. He started taking piano lessons in the first grade." The Order of the Lion of Finland was created in 1942 to recognize outstanding civilian or military conduct, according to the Finnish government's website. In addition to his teaching, Hansen is also the creative director of the LuomuLaulu, or Time of Music, Festival in Viitasaari, Finland. "We do concerts in granaries and barns, chamber music and lots of vocal music," he said. "We have massive classes and students come and live in people's guest houses. Central Finland is absolutely wonderful; it's a pristine part of the country on a lake. We've had famous opera singers and chamber musicians come. It's absolutely wonderful."
Boston Globe
24-04-2025
- Business
- Boston Globe
Wealthy banking scion who rescinded gift of MFA's African bronzes is a collector - and maker
Advertisement Now, though, Lehman is attracting attention for some of the art he's collected. Specifically, several sculptures – known as the Benin Bronzes – are the subject of Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Lehman donated the items to the MFA a decade ago, and they have been displayed ever since in a dedicated gallery just off the museum's central rotunda. But the provenance of the work has Last week, as the MFA was negotiating a deal to transfer ownership of the Benin Bronzes to Nigeria, Lehman informed the museum that he wanted them back. Matthew Teitelbaum, the MFA's director and chief executive, said Lehman's decision to rescind the gift came after a years-long conversation of possible solutions. Advertisement Attempts to contact Lehman have not been successful. He lives in upstate New York with his second wife, Marie Rolf, a retired professor of music theory at the University of Rochester's Eastman School of Music. The couple, who serve together on the board of trustees of the Persistent questions about the provenance of another work of art in Lehman's possession were In addition to Advertisement 'They have told me that the talent of a producer lies in the talent the producer selects to work with, and I think I showed the producer's talent when I picked Robin Lehman to work with,' the More recently, Lehman has been creating glass art. According to the website Lehman Brothers, which was co-founded in 1850 by Lehman's great grandfather, Emanuel Lehman, eventually grew to become the fourth-largest investment bank in the US. But it filed for bankruptcy in 2008, sparking economic panic worldwide. Mark Shanahan can be reached at
