Interview with Jonathan Tunick
In the first section of this two-part interview, Jonathan discusses his upbringing in New York City, his early musical studies and influences, and his approach to orchestration. A dedicated and serious clarinetist, he explains how his love for jazz and particularly Benny Goodman inspired him in his early musical studies. He talks about his clarinet teachers, particularly Joe Allard, and their role in his development. Compositional studies with Paul Nordoff and Vittorio Giannini followed and ultimately led to a decision to possibly pursue additional paths within the music industry. A fortuitous meeting with Robert (Red) Ginzler, an experienced and marvelous orchestrator of Broadway shows, proved to be pivotal in Jonathan’s life and career. This led to work on several shows and ultimately to his encounter with Stephen Sondheim on Promises, Promises.
The rest is musical history. I hope the listener will also find interesting Jonathan’s admiration for other notable orchestrators such as Van Alexander, Robert Russell Bennett, Nelson Riddle, Red Ginzler, Robert Farnon, and Glenn (Abe) Osser. That deep seated respect for other artists is at the core of his evolution as a musician and is the best example of his “Love Affair with Music.”
About the Artist
Jonathan Tunick is one of the most celebrated orchestrators in the history of musical theater. With a resumé that includes work in television, film, the concert hall, recording studios, as well as Boadway, Jonathan has been recognized by critics and his peers with the highest honors accorded a musician. He is the only orchestrator in history to have received the EGOT awards—Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony. While he is most often associated with many of the great works of Stephen Sondheim including Promises, Promises, Company, Follies, A Little Night Music, A Funny Thing Happened, Sweeney Todd, Pacific Overtures, Into the Woods, Passion, Merrily We Roll Along, Putting It Together, and The Frogs, he has also worked with seemingly every major composer on Broadway over the past 50+ years while working on shows such as A Chorus Line, Nine, Titanic, Nick and Nora, Marie Christine, Baby, A Catered Affair, among many others. A fine composer, music director, and former woodwind doubler as well, Jonathan Tunick stands alone today as the single best representative of the great artistry that once defined the American Musical Theater when giants such as Robert Russell Bennett, Don Walker, Hans Spialek, Phil Lang, Irv Kostal, Sid Ramin, Red Ginzler, Ralph Burns, etc. roamed the Great White Way. For more extensive biographical information on Jonathan’s career, please log onto: