Paul Schwartz grew up with a Jewish father - legendary film composer Arthur Schwartz - and Catholic mother, and his interest in ancient religious texts came from singing in choirs and attending a high school in London that was next to Westminster Abbey, where he was required to attend services each day. The native New Yorker (where he lived till he was 12) developed an intense dual affinity for old cathedrals and religious music, which for him offered a true and meaningful connection to the spiritual.
Several years ago, he conducted a series of orchestral concerts at Lincoln Center to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the birth of his father, whose credits include "Dancing in the Dark," "That's Entertainment" and "The Band Wagon." While Arthur was considered a grand old man of musical theatre, Paul Schwartz launched his own career in classical music, serving as Assistant Conductor of the Pittsburgh Symphony upon appointment by Andre Previn. Conducting for such organizations as the New York Ballet, San Diego Opera and The Washington Opera, Schwartz entered the musical theatre world himself, serving as Musical Director for Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Phantom of the Opera" and "Song & Dance" as well as Rogers & Hammerstein's "On Your Toes." In the late 80s, he worked as a music consultant to the NYC Ballet, composing two electronic pieces; he was also the only American commissioned to compose music for the closing ceremonies of the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona.
Based on a 90 second demo tape that he created with jazz pianist Mario Grigorov, Schwartz was signed to Astor Place Records, which released his 1997 debut Aria and its sequel Aria 2: New Horizon. The first album spent over a year in the Top Ten of Billboard's Classical Crossover chart and re-entered the chart in May of 2000. Aria 2, featuring guest performances by Tony Award nominee Rebecca Luker and popular smooth jazz guitarists Marc Antoine and Peter White, was #3 for the year on Billboard's Classical chart in Billboard's Indie Special 2000. He made his Top 200 debut in 1997 as producer with the best selling soundtrack CD Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas. He's also scored various independent films (including Ratchet by Altar Rock Films) and, while still with Astor Place, created a chamber music project based on eleven Beatle tunes called Revolution.
Schwartz's catalog, which also includes 2002's Earthbound, his first entirely self-composed recording, has sold over 250,000 units domestically. He is currently working on State of Grace III, scheduled for release in the fall of 2006.
"When I worked on the Aria CDs, I understood the characters and the action in the story," he says. "That made me develop the pieces with a sense of drama that comes from storytelling. But when using ancient texts as the subject material, I had to create the dramas in my mind to work musically. The music on State of Grace II: Turning to Peace is an affirmation of life, just as the first one was, but it's more of an independent, self- contained work. What I enjoy most about the process is, I go in with some concrete ideas and by the second song; I have come up with completely new twists that make it so much more compelling. It's always a fascinating journey."
|
|
Facebook
Twitter
Contact Artist
Add to Profile
Add to station