Jonathan Firstenberg
Encyclopedia
Jonathan Firstenberg is an American television composer and music supervisor.
and Woodbury
. Inspired by his parents, Firstenberg studied different varieties of music in his youth, and started playing rock and orchestral music with a violin
and a guitar
. When he graduated from college, Firstenberg started his career in music by taking a job with Hansen Music, in New York City.
He is married to Natalie Vicki (Hillman) Firstenberg, a transpersonal therapist and minister, specializing in healing through relationships, especially couples' counseling, and those who are longing to deepen their creative expression.
In 2005, Firstenberg auditioned and was recruited to lead the Universal Music Production Library, a division of Universal Music Publishing Group
, as creative director
. In this role, he is responsible for carrying out the vision and mission of Universal Music Publishing Group, CEO David Renzer and Scott James, Sr. V.P. Licensing for Film and Television and New Technologies. Firstenberg stated in an interview that he hopes to inspire composers, songwriters, producers, musicians and vocalists to invest in their music efforts by placing some of their works into the library system.
Biography
Jonathan Firstenberg was born (1949) in Brooklyn, New York, and grew up on Long Island, in Floral ParkFloral Park, New York
Floral Park is an incorporated village in Nassau County, New York, United States, on Long Island. The population as of the US Census of 2010 is 15,863. The village is at the western border of Nassau County, and is located in both the Town of Hempstead and the Town of North Hempstead...
and Woodbury
Woodbury, Nassau County, New York
Woodbury is a hamlet located within the town of Oyster Bay in Nassau County, New York, United States. The population was 8,907 at the 2010 census...
. Inspired by his parents, Firstenberg studied different varieties of music in his youth, and started playing rock and orchestral music with a violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
and a guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
. When he graduated from college, Firstenberg started his career in music by taking a job with Hansen Music, in New York City.
He is married to Natalie Vicki (Hillman) Firstenberg, a transpersonal therapist and minister, specializing in healing through relationships, especially couples' counseling, and those who are longing to deepen their creative expression.
In 2005, Firstenberg auditioned and was recruited to lead the Universal Music Production Library, a division of Universal Music Publishing Group
Universal Music Publishing Group
Universal Music Publishing Group is a music publishing company and is part of the Universal Music Group.UMPG owns or administers more than 1 million copyrights. They are one of the largest music publishing businesses in the world with more than 47 offices in 41 countries...
, as creative director
Creative Director
A creative director is a position often found within the graphic design, film, music, fashion, advertising, media or entertainment industries, but may be useful in other creative organizations such as web development and software development firms as well....
. In this role, he is responsible for carrying out the vision and mission of Universal Music Publishing Group, CEO David Renzer and Scott James, Sr. V.P. Licensing for Film and Television and New Technologies. Firstenberg stated in an interview that he hopes to inspire composers, songwriters, producers, musicians and vocalists to invest in their music efforts by placing some of their works into the library system.
Credits
- Cats, Cops and Stuff (1990)
- Born to be Mild (1990)
- The Long Kiss GoodnightThe Long Kiss GoodnightThe Long Kiss Goodnight is a 1996 action thriller film starring Geena Davis and Samuel L. Jackson, written by Shane Black and directed by Renny Harlin.-Plot:...
(1996) - Santa BarbaraSanta Barbara (TV series)Santa Barbara is an American television soap opera, first broadcast in the United States on NBC on July 30, 1984, and last aired on January 15, 1993. The show revolved around the eventful lives of the wealthy Capwell family of Santa Barbara, California...
- The Guiding Light
- Another WorldAnother World (TV series)Another World is an American television soap opera that ran on NBC from May 4, 1964 to June 25, 1999. It ran for a total of 35 years. It was created by Irna Phillips along with William J...
- CapitolCapitol (TV series)Capitol is an American soap opera which aired on CBS from March 29, 1982 to March 20, 1987 for 1,270 episodes. As its name suggests, the storyline usually revolved around the political intrigues of people whose lives intertwined in Washington D.C....
- Days of our LivesDays of our LivesDays of our Lives is a long running daytime soap opera broadcast on the NBC television network. It is one of the longest-running scripted television programs in the world, airing nearly every weekday in the United States since November 8, 1965. It has since been syndicated to many countries around...
- All My ChildrenAll My ChildrenAll My Children is an American television soap opera that aired on ABC from January 5, 1970 to September 23, 2011. Created by Agnes Nixon, All My Children is set in Pine Valley, Pennsylvania, a fictitious suburb of Philadelphia. The show features Susan Lucci as Erica Kane, one of daytime's most...
- General HospitalGeneral HospitalGeneral Hospital is an American daytime television drama that is credited by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running American soap opera currently in production and the third longest running drama in television in American history after Guiding Light and As the World Turns....
Awards and nominations
Daytime Emmy awards:- Won, 1993, Outstanding Achievement in Music Direction and Composition for a Drama Series for: "Santa BarbaraSanta Barbara (TV series)Santa Barbara is an American television soap opera, first broadcast in the United States on NBC on July 30, 1984, and last aired on January 15, 1993. The show revolved around the eventful lives of the wealthy Capwell family of Santa Barbara, California...
" (shared with Dominic MessingerDominic MessingerDominic Messinger is an American soap opera composer. He began his work in soapmusic on "General Hospital", and has since co-written and composed over one hundred original songs for various soaps...
and Rick RhodesRick RhodesRick Rhodes was an American musician and television composer.-Biography:Rhodes was born in Los Angeles, California. During his adult years, he toured the U.S...
) - Won, 1996, Outstanding Music Direction and Composition for a Drama Series for: "The Guiding Light" (shared with Robyn Cutler, Michael LicariMichael LicariMichael Licari is an American television composer and song writer. He has worked as a composer on the television series, "Deliver Me", documentary "Triple the Triplets"...
, Rick RhodesRick RhodesRick Rhodes was an American musician and television composer.-Biography:Rhodes was born in Los Angeles, California. During his adult years, he toured the U.S...
, Ron CohenRon CohenRon Cohen is an American television composer and soundtrack writer. He graduated from the California State University, in Northridge.-Positions held:* Composer on Leeza and The Guiding Light.* Music Writer on Go Tigers!...
, John Henry KreitlerJohn Henry KreitlerJohn Henry Kreitler, also credited as John Henry, is an American television composer and song writer.-Biography:John Henry grew up in a musical household, with his mother, Alice Kreitler, being a pianist, organist and music teacher...
, Wes BoatmanWes Boatman-Biography:Boatman became interested in music at the age of six, and began playing such instruments as pianos and keyboards. During his adult years, he received a B.F.A. in Film and Electronic Music from the College Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati...
, Danny Lawrence, John E. Young, David GrantDavid GrantDavid Grant CBE, FREng, FIET is the Vice-Chancellor of Cardiff University in Wales. Since his appointment in 2001, Dr Grant has overseen the merger between Cardiff University and the University of Wales College of Medicine, which was completed in 2004, and the awarding of University Status to...
, Barry De VorzonBarry De VorzonBarry De Vorzon is an American singer, songwriter, producer, and composer. His first composing big hit was the rock song "Dreamin'," sung by Johnny Burnette in 1960, although he had a number-one hit previously called "Just Married," which he wrote for Marty Robbins in 1958...
, Richard HazardRichard HazardRichard Hazard was an American television composer, orchestrator, conductor and writer. He was born in Trenton, New Jersey, and died in Los Angeles, California, of cancer...
, Edward Dzubak, and Alan Bellink)