Don Sebesky, a legendary American composer, arranger, conductor, and jazz trombonist keyboardist has died. Sebesky died after “a struggle with post-stroke Parkinsonism,” according to a Facebook post from his son.
Advertisement
Sebesky was born on December 10, 1937 and died on April 29, 2023 at age 85.
During his career, Sebesky worked with orchestras such as the London Symphony, the Chicago Symphony, the Boston Pops, The New York Philharmonic, the Royal Philharmonic of London, and the Toronto Symphony.
He was nominated for 31 Grammy Awards and won three in the 1990s, including Best Instrumental Arrangement for “Waltz for Debby” (1998) and “Chelsea Bridge” (1999), and Best Instrumental Composition for “Joyful Noise Suite” (1999).
Advertisement
He won the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Orchestrations twice, for Parade (1999) and Kiss Me, Kate (2000). For the revival of Kiss Me, Kate, Sebesky won a Tony Award for Best Orchestrations (2000).
Porgy and Bess (London production by Trevor Nunn), Sinatra at the Palladium, Sweet Charity, Kiss Me, Kate, Bells Are Ringing, Flower Drum Song, Parade, The Life, Cyrano, The Goodbye Girl, The Will Rogers Follies, Sinatra at Radio City, Pal Joey, Come Fly Away, Baby It’s You!, and Honeymoon In Vegas are among his Broadway theater credits.
Sebesky’s television work has received three Emmy nominations: Allegra’s Window on Nickelodeon, The Edge of Night on ABC, and Guiding Light on CBS. He also wrote film scores for The People Next Door (1970), F. Scott Fitzgerald and ‘The Last of the Belles’ (1974), and The Rosary Murders (1987).
Sebesky is survived by his wife Janina Serden, daughters Olivia, Elizabeth Ali and Cymbaline and sons Ken and Kevin.
Leave a Reply