Marvin Hamlisch,
featuring Maria Friedman and J. Mark McVey
@ the Pizza Express Jazz Club
10 -11 August 2009

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Marvin Hamlisch Biography

Marvin Hamlisch’s life in music is notable for its great versatility as well as substance. As composer, Hamlisch has won virtually every major award that exists: three Oscars, four Grammys, four Emmys, a Tony and three Golden Globe awards; his groundbreaking show, “A Chorus Line”, received the Pulitzer Prize. He is the composer of more than forty motion picture scores including his Oscar-winning score and song for “The Way We Where” 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” and “Save The Tiger”.

His latest effort is “The Informant”, starring Matt Damon, directed by Steven Soderbergh, scheduled for release in September, 2009.

Marvin Hamlisch holds the position of principal pops conductor for the National Symphony Orchestra, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Colorado Symphony Orchestra, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Seattle Symphony and San Diego Symphony.

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).

Hamlisch is a graduate of the Juilliard School of Music and Queens College (where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree). He believes 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, and I hope to contribute by widening communication as much as I can.”

Maria Friedman biography

One cannot include the complete list of Maria Friedman’s credits in what has so far been a career of diversity and successes. She has received critical acclaim in musical theatre to plays, film, television, radio, concert and recording.

Friedman won an Olivier Award for her one-woman show “Maria Friedman - by Special Arrangement”. Her second show “Maria Friedman - By Extra Special Arrangement” (Whitehall Theatre) would spawn her solo album “Maria Friedman”.

A second Olivier Award followed for Best Actress as Fosca in Stephen Sondheim’s “Passion”. Her performance as Liza Elliot in “Lady in the Dark” earned an Evening Standard Award as well as an Olivier Award nomination. Friedman performs in concert halls all over the world and frequently appears with Britain’s leading orchestras including the London Philharmonic, BBC Symphony and London Symphony, and has recently performed at the Proms in a concert with the Matrix Ensemble. Friedman also starred in the 2002 Last Night of the Proms in the Park.

In addition to her solo album, Friedman recordings include: Sondheim’s “Merrily We Roll Along”, “Anyone Can Whistle”, “A Little Night Music”, “Cabaret”, “Off the Wall” by Don Black, “Body Works” by Richard Stilgoe, as well as the cast recordings of “Witches of Eastwick”, “Lady in the Dark”, “Blues in the Night” and Stephen Sondheim’s “Passion”. In addition she is featured on Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Essentials album, and is just about to release a live concert recording of her new one-woman show – “Maria Friedman Live”.

Friedman’s work for the stage includes “Blues in the Night” (Piccadilly Theatre and Donmar Warehouse) “April in Paris” (Ambassadors Theatre) “Hayyah in Ghetto” and “Sunday in the Park with George”, which won an Olivier Award for Best Musical and for which she gained her first nomination for Best Actress, both Royal National Theatre; Break of Day, Royal Court and tour, and Square Rounds, Royal National Theatre.

Most recently, Friedman starred in the West End as Roxie (Olivier nomination) in “Chicago”, as Sukie in “The Witches of Eastwick” and as the Narrator in the film video of “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat”.

Her work for television includes: Trish Baynes in “Casualty”, “In Deep” and “Red Dwarf” to name a few.

Mark McVey biography

Mark McVey made his Broadway debut as Jean Valjean in “Les Miserables” after having won the Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Actor while on tour with the show. He was also the first American to perform the role in London’s West End. McVey recently reprised the role of Jean Valjean in a special concert version of Les Miserables presented to a sold out crowd at the Hollywood Bowl. McVey made his Carnegie Hall Debut with Marvin Hamlisch in April 1997, and has been a guest artist with numerous symphonies around the country and the world. He made his PBS Debut in 2003 with the Boston Pops and followed that performance with the PBS Christmas Special for the U.S. Military Troupes where he was featured with Marvin Hamlisch and The National Symphony Orchestra.

Best known for his theatre work, other Broadway Credits include the Captain Walker role in The Who’s “Tommy” and Tommy Tunes’ “The Best Little Whore House Goes Public”. Further New York successes include the Off-Broadway revival of “Chess”; “Hey Love” the critically acclaimed review of Mary Rogers’ music, conceived and directed by Richard Maltby, Jr.; “A Helluva Town” the Bernstein review at Rainbow & Stars where Mark enjoyed rave reviews, and “The Show Goes On”, with Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt. National Tours and Regional works include: Carousel, Chess, My Fair Lady, South Pacific, Seven Brides and the Hal Prince/Livent Inc. production of “Show Boat”.

McVey earned his first gold record for his participation on the Trans-Siberian Orchestra’s recording “The Lost Christmas Eve”. McVey Broadway CD, “Broadway And Beyond”, has received much acclaim.