January 14, 2013

Marvin Makes Music by Marvin Hamlisch

I had the great honor of knowing the late Marvin Hamlisch, the extraordinary composer and conductor, who passed away last August.  Marvin, who won every major performance award that exists, composed the score for the Broadway musical A Chorus Line, for which he won both a Tony Award and a Pulitzer Prize, and the score of They’re Playing Our Song. He is also the composer of more than forty motion picture scores and he held the position of principal pops conductor for several prestigious symphony orchestras.  Just before his death, Marvin wrote a children’s book called Marvin Makes Music, with illustrations by Jim Madsen.  This posthumously released book is heartwarming and encouraging and is based on his own life story of becoming one of the youngest students ever accepted into the Juilliard School of Music at the age of six years of age.

Terre Blair Hamlisch, Marvin’s widow, sent me a copy of this book and I wanted you all to be aware of this timeless classic.  Terre has been asking people to buy multiple copies of Marvin Makes Music to donate to children’s hospitals, shelters, low-income schools, and to any organization where children are in need.  She believes in the power of this book to give hope to children because it is really about a little boy who discovers he can make his dream come true.  Please enjoy these images from the book, courtesy of Penguin Young Readers Group.

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