Award-Winning COmposer Hamlisch Presents Musical Memories

Media Contact:

Kristen Gleason
Director of Marketing
The Paramount Theater
215 East Main Street
Charlottesville, VA 22902
434.979.1922 ext. 103
kristen@theparamount.net

For Immediate Release

November 1, 2007

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.

Returning to The Paramount to take his place at the piano for an intimate evening of musical memories from Broadway and the silver screen, Hamlisch will be joined for this solo concert by vocalist Stephen Lehew on Friday, November 16 at 8 pm. Special Media Sponsor for this event is WVPT -- Virginia’s Public Television.

Hamlisch is the composer of more than forty motion picture scores including his Oscar-winning score and song for The Way We Were 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.

Hamlisch holds the position of principal pops conductor for the National Symphony Orchestra, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Seattle Symphony, and San Diego Symphony. He was Musical Director and arranger of Barbra Streisand’s 1994 concert tour of the U.S. and England as well as the television special, Barbra Streisand: The Concert (for which he received two of his Emmys).

A graduate of the Juilliard School of Music (Pre-College Divison) and Queens College (where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree), Hamlisch 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.”

In this encore performance, Hamlisch not only takes his seat at the piano bench, but offers an opportunity for a question and answer session with the audience. The program includes favorites from his own musical catalogue, as well as songs of Cole Porter, Richard Rodgers, and more -- with featured vocalist Stephen Lehew appearing on selected numbers.

Stephen Lehew made his Broadway debut in the musical revue Rodgers and Hart, was featured as Henrik Egerman in the first national company of Stephen Sondheim’s A Little Night Music, and received critical and public acclaim for his performance as Charlie Dalrymple in the Broadway revival of Brigadoon. His musical theatre credits list like a glossary of shows produced over the past sixty plus years.

Lehew’s concert appearances include the New York Pops at Carnegie Hall, principal guest artist performances with the Utah and Indianapolis Symphonies as well as his solo In Concert at Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center. For the past few years he has been a continuing guest vocalist for Marvin Hamlisch and over 25 American Symphonies including San Francisco, Pittsburgh, Dallas, and Chicago. Lehew has also appeared on the PBS presentation of Evening at Pops and the A&E presentation of Pops Goes the Fourth.

Tickets for Marvin Hamlisch’s concert performance with Stephen Lehew on Friday, November 16 are $52.50, $55.50, $58.50, and $63.50. Half-price student rush seats and group discounts are also available.

Tickets are currently on sale online and through The Paramount's Box Office at 434.979.1933.

For more about Marvin Hamlisch, please visit www.marvinhamlisch.com.