Everyone goes to movies and as a result there is a strong audience for music associated with the cinema. This is a weekly one-hour program, with guests who include composers such as John Williams and conductors such as John Mauceri.
Listeners have pointed out that I'm one of the few people in the country capable of producing this program for three reasons: One, I personally know many of the people in the movie music business, and count them as friends. Two, I have convenient access to them in that I work with them in the same city, sometimes in the same studios. And finally, my professional music background has been essential in raising the level of the program above the ordinary.
Others guest have included: Richard Kaufman, Les Korngold, John Waxman, Alex Wurman, Hans Zimmer, Lee Holdridge, Jan Kaczmarek, Michael J. Lewis, Michael York...
Currently in production and available to radio stations coast to coast and around the world. Email: info@cinemascore.us
This weekly half-hour program of classical music for kids was developed for broadcast in Los Angeles and is now available to stations throughout the US. Although the content is officially aimed at youngsters, its educational content is presented in an entertaining way that also appeals to adult listeners. My co-host is violinist and music educator, Daryl Silberman. Here's a fun show that has been kid-proven!
It also includes appearances by musicians and other celebrities who add color, interest, and credibility to the show. Among those who have appeared are Charles Nelson Riley, Nicolas McGegan, Joan Faletta, Liona Boyd, Mona Golabek, and Sylvia McNair.
We've spent some programs in our time machine, too, going back to old Italy to meet Antonio Stradivari, the violin maker, and lived to tell the tale. Amazing, too, is how much Stradivari sounded a little like actor Raymond Saar.
Now practically an institution in classical music radio, I developed The Romantic Hours with Mona way back in 1997 and was its original producer. Although we had huge confidence in the program when we started it, Mona and I both wondered if an audience would develop because nothing quite like this had ever been done. As they say, the rest is history. The program is a national success.
During a Hollywood Bowl summer season, I produced a program for Mr. Mauceri - Music On My Mind. Each week, he would present a topic, voicing his thoughts and playing music with his co-hosts Betty Mauceri and Mitch Hanlon.
Originally intended as a program for Los Angeles, the program was eventually heard nation wide.
When contracted to produce a weekly program of classical guitar music, I managed to get my friend, the internationally renowned Liona Boyd to serve as host.
Liona asked me to write liner notes for two of her CDs.
The K-Mozart Hollywood Bowl Guest Conductor Competition was a popular event. Listeners were invited to come out to try their hand at conducting.
The winner conducted the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra in the National Anthem before a Bowl concert. Preliminary competitions where held throughout the city, and the finals were held on the Bowl stage and broadcast on K-Mozart.
Most of the fun of the event came from the good-natured contestants being willing to stand up, pick up a baton, and face the music. Not to mention facing the judges.
My contribution to short-form interviews. This daily radio program proved that guests could be effective in a two-minute forum. Usually a guest would appear on each of the five daily broadcasts for the week. Arts and entertainment was the focus, and guests ranged from classical artists to stage and screen actors, directors, and composers.
Over a thousand guests graced the program during its run. A few names that come immediately to mind:
From theatre and film, Lynn Redgrave, Ed Asner, Gary Marshal (Penny, too), George C. Scott, and many others.
From classical music, James Galway, Isaac Stern, Van Cliburn, Frederica von Stade, Anne Sophie Mutter, and on and on.
The Walt Disney studio produced the film Fantasia 2000 for premiere at the turn of the century--December 31st, 1999. As part of the national rollout of the picture, I was engaged to produce a one-hour national radio program to publicize the release.
The radio program included interviews with Roy Disney, the animators, and conductor James Levine.
Live concerts are the essence of all music--particularly classical, when each artist brings his own perspective to what is often the same music that has been played thousands of times before by others. Among the programs that I had produced are those for
The Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra
The Pacific Symphony
The Long Beach Symphony
The Angeles Chorale
The Los Angeles Master Chorale
The Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra
American Youth Symphony
As it happens, I was the first to broadcast from the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles and the Renee and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall in nearby Orange County.
