06/02/2024
An American Music Moment
Marvin Hamlisch
June 2nd, 1944 – Aug 6th, 2012
As composer, Hamlisch won virtually every major award that exists: three Oscars, four Grammys, four Emmys, a Tony, three Golden Globe awards, and the Pulitzer Prize (won by A Chorus Line.) Only Marvin Hamlisch and Composer Richard Rodgers have won a “PEGOT”
(P.E.G.O.T. = Pulitzer, Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony awards)
For Broadway he wrote the music for his groundbreaking show, A Chorus Line, which received the Pulitzer Prize as well as They’re Playing Our Song, The Goodbye Girl and Sweet Smell of Success.
(He also wrote the musical scores for: Jean Seberg (1983 ) and Nutty Professor Musical (2012))
He was the composer of more than forty motion picture scores including his Oscar-winning score and song for The Way We Were and his adaptation of Scott Joplin’s music for The Sting, for which he received a third Oscar. His prolific output of scores for films include original compositions and/or musical adaptations for Sophie’s Choice, Ordinary People, The Swimmer, Three Men and a Baby, Ice Castles, Take the Money and Run, Bananas, Save the Tiger and The Informant!, starring Matt Damon and directed by Steven Soderbergh.
At the time of his passing he had just finished his last musical score for film. The film is about Liberace, starring Michael Douglas and Matt Damon and directed by Steven Soderbergh. The film: “Liberace — Behind The Candelabra” was shown at the 2013 Cannes Festival and aired on HBO on May 2013 to great reviews. (The film won several Emmys including Michael Douglas for Best Actor)
Mr. Hamlisch was Musical Director and arranger of Barbra Streisand’s 1994 concert tour of the U.S. and England as well as of the television special, Barbra Streisand: The Concert (for which he received two of his Emmys).
Marvin Hamlisch held the position of principal pops conductor for the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Pasadena Symphony and Pops, Seattle Symphony, San Diego Symphony, The Buffalo Philharmonic and The National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, D.C. (At the time of his death he was preparing to assume responsibilities as Principal Pops Conductor for The Philadelphia Orchestra.)
Hamlisch was a graduate of the Juilliard School of Music and Queens College (where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree). He believed in the power of music to bring people together.
Music can make a difference. There is a global nature to music, which has the potential to bring all people together. Music is truly an international language.
— Marvin Hamlisch
