NEW YORK SHEET MUSIC SOCIETY MARCH, 2012 President’S Message
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New New York Sheet Music Societsy lette VOLUME 33, NUMBER 6 SINCwwwE.NY S1MS.o9rg 80 MARCH, 2012 r DEDICATED TO THE PRESERVATION OF CLASSIC POPULAR MUSIC SSttaarr PPoowweerr:: SShhaannaa FFaarrrr && RRoobbeerrtt WWiinnddeelleerr oonn JJuulliiee AAnnddrreewwss WWhhiissttlliinngg AAwwaayy tthhee DDaarrkk:: AA LLiiffee tthhrroouugghh SSoonngg By Jerry Osterberg she was a person. At the To my knowledge, Shana Farr has never appeared on Law age of 13, Andrews & Order, but she has been seen on television in The Guiding became an immediate Light, which means that my late grandmother would have been sensation after she a fan. Her resume (Shana’s- not my grandmother’s) is long performed “Je Suis and deep. It includes cabaret: Feinstein’s, Laurie Beechman Titania” from Mignon at and the Metropolitan Room; musical theatre: The Music Man, the London Palladium for P h Oklahoma; opera: Madame Butterfly, Lucia di Lammermoor; the royal family of o t o operetta: The Pirates of Penzance, The Yeoman of the Guard, George VI, which b y R Princess Ida; and jewelry design, a unique day job to be sure. included the future Queen o s e Robert Windeler is a writer, and his credentials are equally Elizabeth. Fifty years B i l l later, following her final i impressive. He’s been the Hollywood correspondent for The n g New York Times, Time, People, and USA Weekend, and the show on Broadway – s author of biographies about Mary Pickford and Burt Lancaster, Victor/ Victoria, her Fred Barton & Shana Farr as well as two volumes on Julie Andrews. Happily for incredible singing career NYSMS members, Shana and Robert became acquainted at was over after a throat operation. In between, she had been a the Dutch Treat luncheons at the National Arts Club and true super star, appearing in the musicals The Boyfriend, My graciously accepted an invitation to visit with us to talk and Fair Lady and Camelot; films such as Mary Poppins, sing about one of their favorite performers – Julie Andrews. Thoroughly Modern Millie, The Sound of Music, Star and Actually, Robert did not promise to sing, although Shana said Darling Lili; on television in High Tor ( Arthur Schwartz & yes to both. Maxwell Anderson), Cinderella ( Rodgers & Hammerstein), What better performer can there be to sing the songs the Ed Sullivan and Gary Moore shows, the Julie Andrews Hour; and two widely acclaimed appearances at Carnegie Hall associated with Andrews than a singer with the voice and P h o pedigree of Shana Farr? t with Carol Burnett. o b And how could we ask for y Shana performed songs from many of these, including R o “The Boy Friend” ( The Boy Friend- Sandy Wilson ), “I Could anything more than a widely s e experienced writer who B Have Danced all Night” ( My Fair Lady- Lerner and Loewe ) i l l i n and “Living in the Shadows” ( Victor/ Victoria – Frank spent an enormous amount g of time with his subject as s Wildhorn and Leslie Bricusse); “Star!” ( Star – Cahn and Van did Robert Windeler? Over Heusen), “Jimmy” ( Thoroughly Modern Millie – Jay the course of a delightful Thompson) and “Whistling Away the Dark” ( Darling Lili – afternoon, Shana and Robert Mancini and Mercer); and “You’re So London” ( Julie & Carol took turns – she sang the at Carnegie Hall – Mike Nichols and Ken Welch) with new songs and provided some lyrics by Fred Barton, Shana’s Musical Director. Barton, background while he filled who’s a superb accompanist, may as well have been an old in various aspects of vaudevillian, playing his part up to the hilt. He was a perfect Andrew’s life, essentially foil to Shana, who acted as the presumably-straight laced telling us what had gone on Andrews to a no-airs Burnett. behind the scenes. Among the brightest moments of the presentation were Robert wrote that Julie “Once Upon a Long Ago ( High Tor), “Feed the Birds” ( Mary Shana Farr & Robert Windeler Andrews was a star before Continued on page 4 PAGE 2 NEW YORK SHEET MUSIC SOCIETY MARCH, 2012 President’s Message... New York Linda Amiel Burns, President Sheet Music Society OFFICERS President: We are having another great season at the NYSMS! We Linda Amiel Burns 1st Vice Presidents: began 2012, with the beautiful Sigali Hamberger’s Ava Gardner Lynn DiMenna & Tribute that started off the year with a bang. Last month, Sam Teicher February, Shana Farr delighted us with her well-regarded show on the songs of 2nd Vice Presidents: Robert Kimball & Julie Andrews called “Whistling Away The Dark” with Fred Barton at the piano Sandy Marrone and biographer, Robert Windeler, telling us about Julie’s fascinating childhood Treasurer: Glen Charlow and life. You can read all about it in this issue in an article by Jerry Membership: Osterberg. We are looking forward to our March Program featuring the talented Glen Charlow & Trudi Mann Recording Secretary: (and adorable) Jenna Esposito, along with many members of her large Italian- Edie Stokes American family, performing the songs of the “Great Italian American Singers.” Programs & Special Events: Elliott Ames & Sandi Durell Marketing & Public Relations: I have known the great cabaret legend, Julie Wilson, most of my life. She Laura Slutsky & Barbara Thaler met my father when she was a “Copa Girl,” and became a dear family friend. Website: Glen Charlow When I was very young, my father brought me to see her perform at the Empire Newsletter Editors: Room. There was this statuesque, gorgeous woman with a gardenia in her hair, Jerry Laird singing in this ultra glamorous room, and I was mesmerized! Last month, Eric [email protected] Jerry Osterberg Comstock and Barbara Fasano sang with Julie at The Triad, in “Three For The [email protected] Road,” and I was privileged to be there and to write about the evening for this Associate Editor: Joan Adams Newsletter. Interesting note: Julie Wilson and our very own Jerry Laird grew up Graphic Designer: in Omaha together and their birthdays are only 12 hours apart! They went to the Glen Charlow same schools from elementary through high school. – Jerry says that she was [email protected] NYSMS Official Photographer: Mary Lou Wilson then, and was always outstandingly beautiful. They were both Rose Billings about to start college at the University of Nebraska when Jerry was drafted into the army and Julie was “drafted” into the Earl Carroll’s Vanities. New York Sheet Music Society P.O. Box 564 New York, NY 10008 I’ll see you all on March 10 th , and hope you will all remember to spread the Special Theater Discounts for word about the Society. We will only continue to grow and thrive with your help NYSMS Members! We know in attending the meetings and getting people to join and rejoin. that you love a good deal, so in P h association with Marna Mintzer o Best wishes, t o and MGM Consulting, NYSMS b y members are being offered R o Broadway & Off Broadway s e theatre ticket discounts of Linda B i l l approximately 48% or more off i n g retail, plus arts event ticket s discounts ranging from 30-50% off. For show updates and ordering information, call 212- 935-2664 to hear what is available and please mention your special Membership code # A1. Offerings change frequently so phone the Hotline and listen Linda Ameil Burns carefully to the many choices and Jerry Osterberg currently available . MEETING LOCATION – Local 802 – Musicians’ Hall at 322 West 48th Street. Program: 1:45 – 3:30PM. MARCH, 2012 NEW YORK SHEET MUSIC SOCIETY PAGE 3 Member Sheet Music Magazine always has wonderful tributes to the Great American Songbook. It includes sheet music for at least a dozen songs. News... Longtime NYSMS member Ed Shanaphy (Publisher & Editor-in-Chief) makes sure that each and every issue is wonderful. If you aren’t a subscriber, you should be. $24.97 for one year subscription. Contact If you have any member news, or other items you would like to have Subscription Dept. PO Box 3000, Denville, NJ 07834-3000 or considered for this newsletter, please send it by e-mail to the co- www.sheetmusicmagazine.com . editor, Jerry Osterberg : [email protected]. It will be subject to editing, depending on size and content, and please remember that Do you seek an elusive song? If you do, write NYSMS Board we try to go to press two weeks before each monthly meeting. We member Sandy Marrone @ [email protected] or call 856-829-6104. often get very good items that get to us after the newsletter has been You can also visit Sandy in New Jersey to see thousands and thousands of printed and mailed. sheets of music, most of which can be yours very reasonably. She is a marvelous resource and a super-great lady. Linda Amiel Burns, NYSMS President, is celebrating the 35 year of The Singing Experience. She would love to have more of our Society’s Jeffrey C. Williams hosts a weekly, live radio program – At the Ritz – members join the cast in joyful song. Talk to those who have – Joan on Saturdays between 2:00 PM and 3:00 PM on WVOF 88.5 FM. Lynn Adams, Lynn DiMenna, Jerry Laird, Jerry Osterberg, Carol Shedlin and DiMenna continues to post select reviews @ www.attheritz.org Laura Slutsky – you’ll be glad you did. Please call Linda at 212-315-3500 to sign up. The Singing Experience Cable TV show continues on MNN Frank Dain is the Editor-in-Chief of Cabaret Scenes, the only print Time Warner: Channel 56 or RCN: Channel 111. The program broadcasts publication dedicated to promoting and preserving the fine art of cabaret.