Josh Groban, Megan Hilty, Audra McDonald and More to Celebrate Marvin Hamlisch, 12/31; Will Be Televised Nationally

The New York Philharmonic will present One Singular Sensation: Celebrating Marvin Hamlisch, a special New Year's Eve concert saluting the late composer-conductor. The Orchestra will be joined by Marvin Hamlisch's friends and collaborators, including Joshua Bell, Raúl Esparza, Michael Feinstein, Maria Friedman, Josh Groban, Megan Hilty, Audra McDonald, Kelli O'Hara, and Frederica von Stade performing repertoire from Mr. Hamlisch's works for stage and film, including A Chorus Line and Sweet Smell of Success. Paul Gemignani will conduct and Lonny Price will direct the performance Monday, December 31, 2012, at 7:30 p.m. The concert will be telecast nationally on Live From Lincoln Center with host Audra McDonald on PBS stations at 8:00 p.m. (check local listings). More details will be announced at a later date.

Before his passing, August 6, 2012, at the age of 68, Marvin Hamlisch was originally scheduled to host and conduct this year's annual New Year's Eve concert. A Philharmonic friend and generous supporter, Mr. Hamlisch appeared with the Orchestra four times, conducting a total of 40 songs including selections from A Chorus Line, for which he won a Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award. Anticipating his second appearance with the Philharmonic, Mr. Hamlisch said in 2009: "Any time you get a chance to work with the New York Philharmonic, you say a prayer of thanks. I had a wonderful rapport with the musicians and I'm thrilled to be back."

A portion of the proceeds from sales of all tickets to the New Year's Eve concert is tax deductible and will go towards supporting the New York Philharmonic's education activities, in honor of Marvin Hamlisch. 

As a composer, Marvin Hamlisch won virtually every major award that exists: three Oscars, four Grammys, four Emmys, a Tony, and three Golden Globe awards. For Broadway he wrote the music for his groundbreaking show A Chorus Line, which received the Pulitzer Prize, as well as They're Playing Our Song, The Goodbye Girl, and Sweet Smell of Success. He was the composer of more than 40 film scores, including his Oscar-winning score and song for The Way We Were and his adaptation of Scott Joplin's music for The Sting, for which he received a third Oscar. His prolific output of scores for films includes original compositions and/or musical adaptations for Sophie's Choice, Ordinary People, The Swimmer, Three Men and a Baby, Ice Castles, Take the Money and Run, Bananas, Save the Tiger, and The Informant!, starring Matt Damon and directed by Steven Soderbergh. Mr. Hamlisch was musical director and arranger of Barbra Streisand's 1994 concert tour of the U.S. and England as well as of the television special Barbra Streisand: The Concert (for which he received two of his Emmys). Marvin Hamlisch held the position of principal pops conductor for the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Pasadena Symphony and Pops, Seattle Symphony, San Diego Symphony, The Buffalo Philharmonic, and The National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, D.C. At the time of his passing he was working on a film project about Liberace, starring Michael Douglas and Matt Damon and directed by Steven Soderbergh. Hamlisch was a graduate of The Juilliard School and Queens College (where he earned a bachelor's of arts degree). He believed in the power of music to bring people together.