Lee Holdridge
Encyclopedia
Lee Holdridge is a Haiti
an-born American
television composer
and orchestrator.
, at age ten, he studied the violin
with Hugo Mariani, who was at the time the conductor of the National Symphony Orchestra of Costa Rica. Holdridge decided he wanted to become a composer at age fifteen, and then moved to Boston
, where he finished high school
and studied composition with Henry Lasker.
As an adult, Holdridge moved to New York City
to continue his music studies and begin his career as a professional composer. There, he composed chamber works, rock pieces, songs, theater music and background scores for short films, and eventually came to Neil Diamond
's notice. Diamond then brought Holdridge with him to Los Angeles
to write arrangements for his forthcoming albums. After several gold and platinum hits, the two collaborated on the film score for Jonathan Livingston Seagull
.
Holdridge has composed, conducted, and orchestrated for many films, some of the most notable being Mr. Mom
, Puerto Vallarta Squeeze
, Unlikely Heroes, A Tiger's Tale
, Beautiful Music
, Ever Again, Into the Arms of Strangers: Stories of the Kindertransport
and Brothers at War
. He has also composed for several television series, including The Mists of Avalon
, American Family
, The Brooke Ellison Story, and Moonlighting
.
Holdridge has performed and recorded in several concerts, including The Golden Land, the Jefferson Tribute, his suite from the opera
Lazarus and His Beloved, the Concerto for Viola and Chamber Orchestra, the Concertino for Violoncello and Strings, the Serenade for Oboe and Strings, the Fantasy Sonata for ‘Cello and Piano, the Elegy for Strings and Harp, and Sonnet for soprano
and orchestra
.
He has also written, arranged and / or conducted for recording artists such as Helen Reddy
, Placido Domingo
, Barbra Streisand
, Brian May
of Queen
, Stevie Wonder
, John Denver
, Neil Sedaka
, The Angels
, Daniel Rodriguez
, Al Jarreau
, George Benson
, Peabo Bryson
, Dionne Warwick
, Diana Ross
, Natalie Cole
, Whitney Houston
and Jane Olivor
.
Lee is married to ex ballet dancer Elisa Justice. She is presently Western Region Audition Co-Director of the Metropolitan Opera National Council, hosts her own classical music radio show called "Eclectic Classics" and is co-producing a new album.
Daytime Emmy awards:
Sports Emmy awards:
News and Documentary Emmy awards:
Grammy awards:
ASCAP Awards:
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
an-born American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
television composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
and orchestrator.
Biography
He was born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, of a Puerto-Rican mother and an American father, the botanist an climatologist Leslie Holdridge. While living in Costa RicaCosta Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
, at age ten, he studied the 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....
with Hugo Mariani, who was at the time the conductor of the National Symphony Orchestra of Costa Rica. Holdridge decided he wanted to become a composer at age fifteen, and then moved to Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, where he finished high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
and studied composition with Henry Lasker.
As an adult, Holdridge moved to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
to continue his music studies and begin his career as a professional composer. There, he composed chamber works, rock pieces, songs, theater music and background scores for short films, and eventually came to Neil Diamond
Neil Diamond
Neil Leslie Diamond is an American singer-songwriter with a career spanning over five decades from the 1960s until the present....
's notice. Diamond then brought Holdridge with him to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
to write arrangements for his forthcoming albums. After several gold and platinum hits, the two collaborated on the film score for Jonathan Livingston Seagull
Jonathan Livingston Seagull
Jonathan Livingston Seagull, written by Richard Bach, is a fable in novella form about a seagull learning about life and flight, and a homily about self-perfection...
.
Holdridge has composed, conducted, and orchestrated for many films, some of the most notable being Mr. Mom
Mr. Mom
Mr. Mom is a 1983 American comedy-drama film directed by Stan Dragoti and written by John Hughes about a stay-at-home dad. The film stars Michael Keaton, Teri Garr, Jeffrey Tambor, Christopher Lloyd, and Martin Mull.-Plot:...
, Puerto Vallarta Squeeze
Puerto Vallarta Squeeze
Puerto Vallarta Squeeze is a novel by Robert James Waller, which was made into a film in 2004. Originally published in 1995 and subtitled The Run for el Norte, this unlikely romance follows an American expatriate and his Mexican girlfriend on a road trip with a former Marine...
, Unlikely Heroes, A Tiger's Tale
A Tiger's Tale
A Tiger's Tale is a 1987 film written and directed by Peter Douglas, based on the novel Love and Other Natural Disasters by Allen Hannay III.-Plot:...
, Beautiful Music
Beautiful music
Beautiful music is a mostly instrumental music format that was prominent in American radio from the 1960s through the 1980s...
, Ever Again, Into the Arms of Strangers: Stories of the Kindertransport
Into the Arms of Strangers: Stories of the Kindertransport
Into the Arms of Strangers: Stories of the Kindertransport is a 2000 documentary film directed by Mark Jonathan Harris and narrated by Judi Dench. It tells the story of the kindertransport, an underground railroad that saved the lives of over 10,000 Jewish children...
and Brothers at War
Brothers at War
Brothers at War is a 2009 documentary film directed by Jake Rademacher and produced by Rademacher and Norman S. Powell. The film follows several soldiers in the Iraq War. The film's executive producers are actor, director, and Presidential Citizens Medal holder Gary Sinise and Secretary of Defense...
. He has also composed for several television series, including The Mists of Avalon
The Mists of Avalon
The Mists of Avalon is a 1983 novel by Marion Zimmer Bradley, in which she relates the Arthurian legends from the perspective of the female characters.-Plot introduction:...
, American Family
American Family
American Family is a photographic artwork exhibition by Renée Cox.-External links:* *...
, The Brooke Ellison Story, and Moonlighting
Moonlighting (TV series)
Moonlighting is an American television series that aired on ABC from March 3, 1985, to May 14, 1989. The network aired a total of 66 episodes...
.
Holdridge has performed and recorded in several concerts, including The Golden Land, the Jefferson Tribute, his suite from the opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
Lazarus and His Beloved, the Concerto for Viola and Chamber Orchestra, the Concertino for Violoncello and Strings, the Serenade for Oboe and Strings, the Fantasy Sonata for ‘Cello and Piano, the Elegy for Strings and Harp, and Sonnet for soprano
Soprano
A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody...
and orchestra
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
.
He has also written, arranged and / or conducted for recording artists such as Helen Reddy
Helen Reddy
Helen Reddy , often referred to as "The Queen of 70s Pop", is an Australian-American singer and actress. In the 1970s, she enjoyed international success, especially in the United States, where she placed fifteen singles in the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100. Six of those 15 songs made the Top 10...
, Placido Domingo
Plácido Domingo
Plácido Domingo KBE , born José Plácido Domingo Embil, is a Spanish tenor and conductor known for his versatile and strong voice, possessing a ringing and dramatic tone throughout its range...
, Barbra Streisand
Barbra Streisand
Barbra Joan Streisand is an American singer, actress, film producer and director. She has won two Academy Awards, eight Grammy Awards, four Emmy Awards, a Special Tony Award, an American Film Institute award, a Peabody Award, and is one of the few entertainers who have won an Oscar, Emmy, Grammy,...
, Brian May
Brian May
Brian Harold May, CBE is an English musician and astrophysicist most widely known as the guitarist and a songwriter of the rock band Queen...
of Queen
Queen (band)
Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...
, Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
, John Denver
John Denver
Henry John Deutschendorf, Jr. , known professionally as John Denver, was an American singer/songwriter, activist, and humanitarian. After growing up in numerous locations with his military family, Denver began his music career in folk music groups in the late 1960s. His greatest commercial success...
, Neil Sedaka
Neil Sedaka
Neil Sedaka is an American pop/rock singer, pianist, and composer. His career has spanned nearly 55 years, during which time he has sold millions of records as an artist and has written or co-written over 500 songs for himself and other artists, collaborating mostly with lyricists Howard...
, The Angels
The Angels
The Angels may refer to:*The Angels , an American girl group who had hits in the 1960s*The Angels , an Australian hard rock band*The Angels is the English translation of Los Angeles, California in the U.S.A....
, Daniel Rodriguez
Daniel Rodriguez
Daniel Rodríguez is an American operatic tenor from New York City. He became known as "The Singing Policeman" in his former work with the New York City Police Department, due to his role as one of the department's designated National Anthem singers...
, Al Jarreau
Al Jarreau
Alwin "Al" Lopez Jarreau is a seven-time Grammy Award winning jazz singer.- Background :Jarreau was born in Milwaukee, the fifth of six children. His web site refers to Reservoir, Inc., the name of the street where he lived. His father was a Seventh-Day Adventist Church minister and singer, and...
, George Benson
George Benson
George Benson is a ten Grammy Award winning American musician, whose production career began at the age of twenty-one as a jazz guitarist....
, Peabo Bryson
Peabo Bryson
Peabo Bryson is an American R&B and soul singer-songwriter, born in Greenville, South Carolina...
, Dionne Warwick
Dionne Warwick
Dionne Warwick is an American singer, actress and TV show host, who became a United Nations Global Ambassador for the Food and Agriculture Organization, and a United States Ambassador of Health....
, Diana Ross
Diana Ross
Diana Ernestine Earle Ross is an American singer, record producer, and actress. Ross was lead singer of the Motown group The Supremes during the 1960s. After leaving the group in 1970, Ross began a solo career that included successful ventures into film and Broadway...
, Natalie Cole
Natalie Cole
Natalie Maria Cole , is an American singer, songwriter and performer. The daughter of jazz legend Nat King Cole, Cole rode to musical success in the mid-1970s as an R&B artist with the hits "This Will Be ", "Inseparable" and "Our Love"...
, Whitney Houston
Whitney Houston
Whitney Elizabeth Houston is an American singer, actress, producer and a former model. Houston is the most awarded female act of all time, according to Guinness World Records, and her list of awards include 1 Emmy Award, 6 Grammy Awards, 30 Billboard Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards, among...
and Jane Olivor
Jane Olivor
Jane Olivor is an American cabaret singer. She was initially compared, often favorably, to Barbra Streisand and Édith Piaf.-Background:...
.
Lee is married to ex ballet dancer Elisa Justice. She is presently Western Region Audition Co-Director of the Metropolitan Opera National Council, hosts her own classical music radio show called "Eclectic Classics" and is co-producing a new album.
Awards and nominations
Primetime Emmy awards:- Nominated, 1985, Outstanding Achievement in Music and Lyrics for: MoonlightingMoonlighting (TV series)Moonlighting is an American television series that aired on ABC from March 3, 1985, to May 14, 1989. The network aired a total of 66 episodes...
theme song - Nominated, 1988, Outstanding Achievement in Main Title Theme Music for: Beauty and the BeastBeauty and the Beast (TV series)Beauty and the Beast is an American drama series which first aired on CBS in 1987. Creator Ron Koslow's updated version of the fairy tale has a double focus: the relationship between Vincent , a mythic, noble man-beast, and his Catherine , a savvy assistant District attorney in New York; and a...
- Won, 1988, Outstanding Achievement in Music Composition for a Series (Dramatic Underscore)for: Beauty and the Beast pilot episode
- Won, 1989, Outstanding Achievement in Music and Lyrics for: Beauty and the Beast song "The First Time I Loved Forever"
- Nominated, 1990, Outstanding Achievement in Music Composition for a Miniseries or a Special (Dramatic Underscore) for: "Do You Know the Muffin Man"?
- Nominated, 1993, Outstanding Individual Achievement in Music Composition for a Miniseries or a Special (Dramatic Underscore) for: "Call of the WildCall Of The Wild-Track listing:All songs written by Ted Nugent, except where indicated:#"Call of the Wild" – 4:51#"Sweet Revenge" – 4:06#"Pony Express" – 5:21#"Ain't It the Truth" – 4:57#"Renegade" – 3:33...
" - Nominated, 1993, Outstanding Individual Achievement in Main Title Theme Music for: Bob
- Nominated, 1995, Outstanding Individual Achievement in Music Composition for a Miniseries or a Special (Dramatic Underscore) for: Buffalo GirlsBuffalo GirlsBuffalo Girls is a 1990 novel written by American author Larry McMurtry about Calamity Jane . It is written in the novel prose style mixed with a series of letters from Calamity Jane to her daughter. In her letters, Calamity describes herself as being a drunken hellraiser but never an outlaw...
Part I - Nominated, 1996, Outstanding Individual Achievement in Music Composition for a Miniseries or a Special for: The Tuskegee AirmenThe Tuskegee AirmenThe Tuskegee Airmen is a 1995 HBO television movie based on the exploits of an actual groundbreaking unit, the first African American combat pilots in the United States Army Air Force, that fought in World War II.-Plot:...
- Nominated, 1999, Outstanding Music Composition for a Miniseries or a Movie (Dramatic Underscore) for: MutinyMutinyMutiny is a conspiracy among members of a group of similarly situated individuals to openly oppose, change or overthrow an authority to which they are subject...
- Nominated, 2002, Outstanding Music Composition for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special (Dramatic Underscore) for: The Mists of AvalonThe Mists of AvalonThe Mists of Avalon is a 1983 novel by Marion Zimmer Bradley, in which she relates the Arthurian legends from the perspective of the female characters.-Plot introduction:...
Daytime Emmy awards:
- Won, 2000, Outstanding Achievement in Music Direction and Composition for a Drama Series for: One Life to LiveOne Life to LiveOne Life to Live is an American soap opera which debuted on July 15, 1968 and has been broadcast on the ABC television network. Created by Agnes Nixon, the series was the first daytime drama to primarily feature racially and socioeconomically diverse characters and consistently emphasize social...
- Nominated, 2002, Outstanding Achievement in Music Direction and Composition for a Drama Series for: One Life to Live
- Nominated, 2004, Outstanding Achievement in Music Direction and Composition for a Drama Series for: One Life to Live
- Won, 2005, Outstanding Achievement in Music Direction and Composition for a Drama Series for: One Life to Live
- Nominated, 2006, Outstanding Achievement in Music Direction and Composition for a Drama Series for: One Life to Live
Sports Emmy awards:
- Won, 1998, Outstanding Achievement in a Craft: Music Composition/Direction/Lyrics for: Atlanta's Olympic Glory
News and Documentary Emmy awards:
- Won, 1988, Outstanding Individual Achievement in Music for: The Explorers: A Century of Discovery
- Won, 1991, Outstanding Individual Achievement in a Craft: Music Composition for: World of Discovery episode "Beuatiful Killers"
Grammy awards:
- Nominated, 1988, Best Song Written Specifically for a Motion Picture or for Television for: Moonlighting theme song
ASCAP Awards:
- Won, 1988, Top TV Series for: Moonlighting (1985)
Further reading
- New York Theatre Critics' Reviews: Index, 1940-1960. Original from the University of MichiganUniversity of MichiganThe University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
. - Of Love & Hope - Selections Form Beauty and the Beast By Lee Holdridge, Don Davis, Milton Okun, Larry Kenton, Edwin McLean. Published 1990, Cherry Lane MusicCherry Lane MusicCherry Lane Music was founded in 1960 by Milton Okun in the apartment above the Cherry Lane Theater in Greenwich Village of New York City. Cherry Lane Music creates a wide range of high quality sheet music, DVDs and educational tools for practicing musicians....
. ISBN 0-89524-484-5
External links
- PBS biography as composer for American Valor