Donald Pippin dies: Tony and Emmy winning conductor and music director was 95 years old

Donald Pippin, renowned and prolific musical director on Broadway and Radio City Music Hall in New York, and the last living winner of the Tony Award for Best Music Director and Music Director, which he won in 1963. Oliver! – He died on June 9 at the age of 95.

His death has been confirmed by friends on Facebook, including Broadway director and choreographer Marcia Milgrom Dodge, who wrote, “I met Don when he was a choreographer. a man of music @ New York City Opera 1988. He was our teacher and a noble gentleman in the theater, he guided me with such skill and kindness … Travel dear Don with wonderful music.

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Arranger and composer, as well as bandleader and music director, Pippin, born in Macon, Georgia and a longtime resident of Brewster, New York, began his Broadway career composing dance music in 1955. the ankles are heavy With sisters Betty and Jane Keane. In 1960, Pippin was assistant director. Irma LaDussAnd in ’63 earned him the title of first Broadway musical director Oliver !, He won a Tony for Best Director and Music Director. (The category work ceased the following year after Shepard Coleman won Hi Dolly!; Pippin is believed to have been the last survivor of the award.)

Other Broadway Music Director credits include 110 in the shade (1963), Fox (1964), Ben Franklin in Paris (1964), Pope (1966), dear world (1969), Applause (1970), the plug (1973), mack and maybell (1974), team line (1975), Broadway musical (1978), woman of the year (1981), the cage of madness (1983), jerry girls (1985) and Red shoes (1993). He has provided vocal arrangements for many of these performances, as well as in 1979. grand Tour1983 revival Pope2006 revival team line It’s the 2017 revival Hi Dolly! for 1991 Catskills on BroadwayPippin arranged the musical sequence for the opening.

Pippin’s long and frequent collaboration with composer and lyricist Jerry Herman continued in 2009, when he conducted the National Symphony Orchestra in homage to the Kennedy Center. Jerry Herman Broadway.

In 1987, Pippin, along with Buster Davis and Eric Stern, won an Emmy Award as musical director. Broadway Sings: Music by Jules Stein for PBS great performance. Pippin was nominated for an Emmy in 1994 for his musical direction. Jerry Herman at the Broadway Bowl, Also for PBS great performance.

Although best known as an arranger and conductor, Pippin, according to his biography at the Kennedy Center, has been a prolific piano accompanist to artists such as Peggy Lee, Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Ann Hampton Calloway, Julie Andrews, Alfred, Raff.Angela. Lansbury, Marilyn Horn and Debbie Voigt.

Information on the survivors, as well as the cause of death, was not immediately available.

Pippin discusses his career in this 2014 New York Off Broadway Theater Company York Theater video: