RICHARD KAUFMAN

Conductor


Richard Kaufman has devoted much of his musical life conducting and supervising music for film and television productions, as well as performing film and classical music in concert halls and on recordings. Richard is in his ninth season as Principal Pops Conductor of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, and has appeared as guest conductor with symphony orchestras throughout the United States. The 2005-2006 concert season marks his fifteenth year as Principal Pops Conductor of the Pacific Symphony in Orange County, California, and his second in the same position with The Florida Orchestra. Following his appearing twice last season with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in two sold-out concerts featuring classic and contemporary film music, Richard has been invited to return to Chicago for two concerts during the '05-‘06 season, and again during the ‘06-‘07 season.

Richard recently completed a recording with the London Symphony Orchestra at Abby Road Studios entitled “The High and the Mighty.” This CD features music from classic and contemporary films about flying, and is on the Varese Sarabande label. Richard received the 1993 Grammy Award in the category of Best Pop Instrumental Performance for a recording he conducted with the Nuremberg Symphony Orchestra. His other recordings include film music performed by the Brandenburg Philharmonic in Berlin, and a second recording with the Nuremberg Symphony, celebrating the 100th anniversary of motion pictures. In 1996, Richard recorded two critically acclaimed CDs with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, conducting the film music of Alfred Newman and Victor Young.

He has conducted for performers including John Denver, Andy Williams, Mary Martin, Nanette Fabray, Monica Mancini, Diana Krall, and Art Garfunkel. As a violinist, Richard has played on numerous film and television scores including "Jaws," “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” “Saturday Night Fever,” and "Animal House," and on recordings with artists including Barbara Streisand, John Denver, Burt Bacharach, and Ray Charles.

Richard joined the Music Department of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios in 1984, and continues to supervise music for all MGM television projects. He was nominated for an Emmy Award for the animated series, "The Pink Panther" in the category of Outstanding Music Direction and Composition, and received a second Emmy nomination for Outstanding Original Song which was co-authored for the series, "All Dogs Go to Heaven.” As a unique part of his career in film, Richard has coached various actors in musical roles including Jack Nicholson, Dudley Moore, Tom Hanks, and Susan Sarandon.

He has appeared as a guest speaker at various universities including Southern California, Georgia, Furman, and California State Universities at Northridge and Fullerton. Richard is a member of the Music Advisory Boards of the Young Musicians Foundation and Henry Mancini Institute.

Born in Los Angeles, Richard began violin studies at age 7, played in the Peter Meremblum California Junior Symphony, and was a member of the Young Musicians Foundation Debut Orchestra. He attended the Berkshire Music Festival at Tanglewood in the Fellowship program, and earned a B.A. in Music from California State University Northridge. Richard lives in Southern California with his wife, Gayle, and his daughter, Whitney who is attending Chapman University in Orange, California.