STEPHEN SCHWARTZ
In 1971, he wrote the music and new lyrics for GODSPELL, for which he won two Grammys among other awards. This was followed by the English texts, in collaboration with Leonard Bernstein, for Bernstein’s MASS, which opened the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. The following year, he wrote the music and lyrics for PIPPIN, and two years later, THE MAGIC SHOW. At one point, GODSPELL, PIPPIN and THE MAGIC SHOW were all running on Broadway simultaneously.
He next wrote the music and lyrics for THE BAKER’S WIFE, followed by a musical version of Studs Terkel’s WORKING, to which he contributed four songs and which he also adapted and directed, winning a Drama Desk Award as best director. He also co-directed the television production, which was presented as part of the PBS “American Playhouse” series.
Other work for the musical theatre includes lyrics to RAGS (music by Charles Strouse), music and lyrics for CHILDREN OF EDEN, and two musicals produced overseas, MIT EVENTYR (MY FAIRY TALE) in Denmark and SCHIKANEDER in Austria. He has also written songs for two musicals for young audiences, CAPTAIN LOUIE and MY SON, PINOCCHIO. Compilation revues of his work include SNAPSHOTS and, for Princess Cruise Lines, MAGIC TO DO.
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I composed the music for one of the pieces, entitled "Bloom". The piece is a setting of two poems by Alexandra Elle.
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I always welcome the chance to write choral music, and I had a great experience with the SFGMC premiering my choral piece "Testimony". I knew that Dr. Tim Seelig and the chorus would do the best possible job with "Bloom". And I loved the idea of "Songs of the Phoenix" -- a group of composers and lyricists contributing their personal expressions of hope and rebirth in response to the very difficult times we've all been through.
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I hope they feel that my music adequately captures the power and profundity beneath the deceptive simplicity of Alexandra Elle's beautiful poetry.
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To be honest, I don't have much hope for our collective future, if by "collective" you mean humanity or America. I'm pretty pessimistic about both. But I do have hope for myself and other individuals, including friends, family and loved ones, to grow in strength, resilience and empathy from what we have learned and experienced recently. I have plenty of basis for that.