Without Radio City Music Hall, I probably wouldn't have had the career I have now.

I moved to New York in January of 1990. I was subletting from a friend-of-a-friend, and living in a dark one-bedroom on the first floor of The Whitby, directly across from the stage door of the Hirschfeld (nee Martin Beck), and literally through the wall of legendary pianist (and curmudgeon) Paul Ford. I literally could hear Mandy Patinkin and Bernadette Peters rehearsing with Paul at the piano.

One Friday morning in March, I returned from an early errand to find a message on the answering machine (cassette tape, in those days). It was conductor Don Pippin, in remarkably low stentorian tones. He was calling from Radio City -- they had lost their rehearsal pianist for the new Spring Spectacular, which was to start rehearsals on Monday. Don didn't know me, but had heard that I had played Forbidden Broadway in Boston, so if I was available (I was), would I come to the Radio City stage door and audition for the creative team? I ran over, up to the 9th floor rehearsal room, and met Don, director Scott Salmon, and dance arranger Marvin Laird. Marvin (a great character and impeccable pianist) showed me, then played me through some chicken scratch. I played it back to him, was hired, and started as a rehearsal pianist on Monday. (The other rehearsal pianist was the ever-cheery and unflappable Don Smith, who had been with Fosse at least as far back as the original How to Succeed. Don introduced my to Richard Adler, btw).

I ended up being the rehearsal pianist for the Rockettes for two season of the Easter Extravaganza and two seasons of the Christmas Show. I also subbed on the keyboard books at the Christmas show. One of the other subs was Johnny Bowden, now a health guru. Johnny was the music director for the Off-Broadway hit Pageant, and brought me in to play auditions. That's where I met James Raitt, and that's a whole other story to be picked up in another "Note"…

Don Pippin eventually retired from Radio City (and Scott Salmon died tragically in a car accident), so in the mid-90s I returned to Radio City with Director/Choreographer Bobby Longbottom. I was music director and conductor off and on for five years, and during that time wrote new arrangements for about 80% of the show. (Certain things - the March of the Wooden Solders, for example, NEVER change. Other things - the Nutcracker and the Nativity, change a bit every few years. Everything else changes completely every few years. One number that Bobby and I created, "Here Comes Santa Claus", remains in the show, but has been significantly altered over the years.

I was gone from Radio City for the next 15 years or so, but have been back as arranger in the last decade or so to redo the opening sequence and the Finale with Director/Choreographer Julie Branam.

One of my fondest memories is standing at the podium when the band car was partway down -- i.e. so that the audience couldn't see the band, but I still had a view of the stage -- and staring up at the vast starry "sky" of the Music Hall while a chorus sang an a cappella "Silent Night". It wasn't real sky, and the chorus was pre-recorded, but it was heaven.