Jonathan Tunick
April 19, 1938
- Orchestrator
- musical director
- composer
Leigh Beery
Biography[edit]
Tunick 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[edit]
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]