Frank Esler-Smith
Encyclopedia
Frank Esler-Smith was an arranger and keyboard player for the soft-rock band Air Supply
in the 1970s and during their 1980s heyday.
Initially, his pursuits lay elsewhere, as he attended Melbourne University to study architecture. However, his early passion had been classical music
, and he would later gain extensive experience as an orchestral conductor
in settings as variegated as musical theatre
and rock
recordings. He first met principal Air Supply members Russell Hitchcock
and Graham Russell
while he was working with the orchestra in a production of Jesus Christ Superstar
that included Hitchcock and Russell as castmembers. He collaborated with many other musicians and songwriters throughout his career.
He died of pneumonia in 1991. According to the website rememberme.org, Esler-Smith also had AIDS
.
Air Supply
Air Supply is an Australian soft rock duo, consisting of Graham Russell as guitarist and singer-songwriter and Russell Hitchcock as lead vocalist. They had a succession of hits worldwide, including eight Top Ten hits in the United States, in the early 1980s...
in the 1970s and during their 1980s heyday.
Initially, his pursuits lay elsewhere, as he attended Melbourne University to study architecture. However, his early passion had been classical music
Classical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
, and he would later gain extensive experience as an orchestral conductor
Conducting
Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
in settings as variegated as musical theatre
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
and rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
recordings. He first met principal Air Supply members Russell Hitchcock
Russell Hitchcock
Russell Charles Hitchcock is an Australian musician and one half of the group Air Supply. He formed the group after meeting Englishman Graham Russell in 1975 on the set of a production of Jesus Christ Superstar....
and Graham Russell
Graham Russell
Graham Cyrill Russell is a British musician and, with Russell Hitchcock, is one of the mainstays of soft rock group Air Supply which formed in Melbourne, Australia in 1975 and had top ten hits nationally and in United States.He released The Future, his 10-track, debut solo album...
while he was working with the orchestra in a production of Jesus Christ Superstar
Jesus Christ Superstar
Jesus Christ Superstar is a rock opera by Andrew Lloyd Webber, with lyrics by Tim Rice. The musical started off as a rock opera concept recording before its first staging on Broadway in 1971...
that included Hitchcock and Russell as castmembers. He collaborated with many other musicians and songwriters throughout his career.
He died of pneumonia in 1991. According to the website rememberme.org, Esler-Smith also had AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
.