Emile Pandolfi
Encyclopedia
Emile Pandolfi is an American pianist
. He is noted for his renditions of show tunes.
, where he still resides.
He attended Greenville High School, then Furman University, where he did his preparatory studies in music, and then Baylor University where he studied for two years; then following his piano teacher, Thomas Redcay, he earned his Bachelor of Music Degree from Texas Tech.
After college, Pandolfi moved to St Thomas in the US Virgin Islands for two years as a chorus teacher in a public school. In the evenings, he played at the Caribbean Beach Hotel, as part of a Calypso band called "The Castaways".
From there he moved to Sussex, England for another two years, playing pubs and restaurants.
After that, he resided in Denver for two more years as part of a house band, (Buddy Brown and the Bittersuite) and then on to Los Angeles, playing for dance classes, acting seminars, actor/singer auditions, and in various piano lounges. It was here that he became one of the house pianists for the Comedy Store. He worked there for six years. He performed with such entertainers as Jay Leno
, David Letterman
, and Robin Williams
, among others.
He was a featured performer at the 1984 Summer Olympics
, playing "Rhapsody in Blue
." It was also here that he studied the writing of comedy (an ability he was to use many years later to write his own show) and learned to play for comedy improv.
After fifteen years in LA, Pandolfi took his family back to Greenville, where he created his recording label, "MagicMusic Productions".
His first recording, "By Request" is a compilation of Broadway and movie themes arranged for piano solo. It remains his top selling album to date, with sales in excess of six hundred thousand units.
As far as being able to play both pop and classical music equally well, an interesting fact is that Emile taught himself to play music by ear. Up till graduation from Music School, like so many classically trained artists, he did not have the ability to pick up a tune and just play it without the notes.
"It took two years of arduous, disciplined practice to train my ear to do something that some amateur musicians do automatically. Yet, as odd as it may seem, many classical musicians, vastly well-trained and enjoying a superb technique, cannot play a simple song without consulting the sheet music. I was one of those. I intuitively knew that there was something very wrong with this picture, and decided to do something about it."
"The very first tune I worked on was 'Blue Moon'. I already knew the melody, but had never played it without reading the music. I just hunt-and-punched my way around for a week or so till I made some sense of it. I began to understand how playing-from-listening actually worked. After that remarkable achievement, I followed by learning one song after another - although I still took books to the piano lounge where I was playing, just in case - and began to wean myself of the written page. I was encouraged to learn to read "fake books" and start to improvise over the chord symbols.
"Anyway, now, years later, I play everything except classical pieces by ear. It just gives you more freedom."
Pandolfi has been actively involved with charity organizations, performing in benefit concerts for Hospice (http://www.hospicefoundation.org/) Women's Shelters (http://www.sboard.org/SHELTERS/SC.HTM) Ara Parseghian Foundation (Neimann-Pick Type C disease) (http://www.parseghian.org/index.html) United Way (http://www.uwint.org/gppweb/index.aspx?MID=230) Japan Disaster Relief (http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/emile-pandolfi/japan-disaster-relief) and others.
He has three sisters: Emilie, Pam, and Barbara; and a brother, Guy.
Emilie Pandolfi is a fifth grade teacher in LA Unified Public Schools.
Barbara (Pandolfi) Coventry resides in Santa Barbara where she teaches violin and performs jazz, Celtic, as well as classical music, (Barbara was a past member of the Santa Barbara Symphony).
Pam Pandolfi lives in Cary, NC and is founder and Director of the Cary School of Music, (enrollment approx. 1000 students).
(http://www.caryschoolofmusic.com/index.html) She, too is a violinist.
Emile and his wife, Judy have three daughters: Lahren, a goldsmith in St Thomas; Elizabeth, a writer based in Charleston, SC; and Kristin, a dancer, and an entering freshman at UNCA at this writing -2008.
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
. He is noted for his renditions of show tunes.
Biography and career
He was born in New York and grew up in Greenville, South CarolinaGreenville, South Carolina
-Law and government:The city of Greenville adopted the Council-Manager form of municipal government in 1976.-History:The area was part of the Cherokee Nation's protected grounds after the Treaty of 1763, which ended the French and Indian War. No White man was allowed to enter, though some families...
, where he still resides.
He attended Greenville High School, then Furman University, where he did his preparatory studies in music, and then Baylor University where he studied for two years; then following his piano teacher, Thomas Redcay, he earned his Bachelor of Music Degree from Texas Tech.
After college, Pandolfi moved to St Thomas in the US Virgin Islands for two years as a chorus teacher in a public school. In the evenings, he played at the Caribbean Beach Hotel, as part of a Calypso band called "The Castaways".
From there he moved to Sussex, England for another two years, playing pubs and restaurants.
After that, he resided in Denver for two more years as part of a house band, (Buddy Brown and the Bittersuite) and then on to Los Angeles, playing for dance classes, acting seminars, actor/singer auditions, and in various piano lounges. It was here that he became one of the house pianists for the Comedy Store. He worked there for six years. He performed with such entertainers as Jay Leno
Jay Leno
James Douglas Muir "Jay" Leno is an American stand-up comedian and television host.From 1992 to 2009, Leno was the host of NBC's The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Beginning in September 2009, Leno started a primetime talk show, titled The Jay Leno Show, which aired weeknights at 10:00 p.m. ,...
, David Letterman
David Letterman
David Michael Letterman is an American television host and comedian. He hosts the late night television talk show, Late Show with David Letterman, broadcast on CBS. Letterman has been a fixture on late night television since the 1982 debut of Late Night with David Letterman on NBC...
, and Robin Williams
Robin Williams
Robin McLaurin Williams is an American actor and comedian. Rising to fame with his role as the alien Mork in the TV series Mork and Mindy, and later stand-up comedy work, Williams has performed in many feature films since 1980. He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance...
, among others.
He was a featured performer at the 1984 Summer Olympics
1984 Summer Olympics
The 1984 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1984...
, playing "Rhapsody in Blue
Rhapsody in Blue
Rhapsody in Blue is a musical composition by George Gershwin for solo piano and jazz band written in 1924, which combines elements of classical music with jazz-influenced effects....
." It was also here that he studied the writing of comedy (an ability he was to use many years later to write his own show) and learned to play for comedy improv.
After fifteen years in LA, Pandolfi took his family back to Greenville, where he created his recording label, "MagicMusic Productions".
His first recording, "By Request" is a compilation of Broadway and movie themes arranged for piano solo. It remains his top selling album to date, with sales in excess of six hundred thousand units.
As far as being able to play both pop and classical music equally well, an interesting fact is that Emile taught himself to play music by ear. Up till graduation from Music School, like so many classically trained artists, he did not have the ability to pick up a tune and just play it without the notes.
"It took two years of arduous, disciplined practice to train my ear to do something that some amateur musicians do automatically. Yet, as odd as it may seem, many classical musicians, vastly well-trained and enjoying a superb technique, cannot play a simple song without consulting the sheet music. I was one of those. I intuitively knew that there was something very wrong with this picture, and decided to do something about it."
"The very first tune I worked on was 'Blue Moon'. I already knew the melody, but had never played it without reading the music. I just hunt-and-punched my way around for a week or so till I made some sense of it. I began to understand how playing-from-listening actually worked. After that remarkable achievement, I followed by learning one song after another - although I still took books to the piano lounge where I was playing, just in case - and began to wean myself of the written page. I was encouraged to learn to read "fake books" and start to improvise over the chord symbols.
"Anyway, now, years later, I play everything except classical pieces by ear. It just gives you more freedom."
Pandolfi has been actively involved with charity organizations, performing in benefit concerts for Hospice (http://www.hospicefoundation.org/) Women's Shelters (http://www.sboard.org/SHELTERS/SC.HTM) Ara Parseghian Foundation (Neimann-Pick Type C disease) (http://www.parseghian.org/index.html) United Way (http://www.uwint.org/gppweb/index.aspx?MID=230) Japan Disaster Relief (http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/emile-pandolfi/japan-disaster-relief) and others.
He has three sisters: Emilie, Pam, and Barbara; and a brother, Guy.
Emilie Pandolfi is a fifth grade teacher in LA Unified Public Schools.
Barbara (Pandolfi) Coventry resides in Santa Barbara where she teaches violin and performs jazz, Celtic, as well as classical music, (Barbara was a past member of the Santa Barbara Symphony).
Pam Pandolfi lives in Cary, NC and is founder and Director of the Cary School of Music, (enrollment approx. 1000 students).
(http://www.caryschoolofmusic.com/index.html) She, too is a violinist.
Emile and his wife, Judy have three daughters: Lahren, a goldsmith in St Thomas; Elizabeth, a writer based in Charleston, SC; and Kristin, a dancer, and an entering freshman at UNCA at this writing -2008.
Discography
- By Request -1993
- An Affair to Remember -1991
- Remember Me -1992
- Once Upon a Romance -1992
- Nights on Broadway -1993
- Country Impressions -1994
- Some Enchanted Evening -1994
- It Might as Well Be Spring -1995
- Chopin -1996
- My Foolish Heart -1997
- The Second Time Around -1997
- Evening in Venice -1999
- What a Wonderful World -1999
- Rhapsody in Blue -2000
- Malaguena - Ritual Fire Dance
- Days of Wine & Roses -2004
- Starry Starry Night -2002
- Secret Love -
- Unforgettable Love Songs -1998
- Evening Romance -1999
- A Child's Gift of Lullabyes
- Believe
- How Sweet the Sound
Compilation albums
- Please Welcome... Best of Volume 1 - 1993
- Secret Love: The Best of Emile Pandolfi, Vol. 2 -1996
Christmas albums
- White Christmas
- Sleigh Ride
- Do You Hear What I Hear?
- In the Holiday Spirit
- Winter Wonderland