Sortomme, Richard (6 June 1948-Present)

Violinist who co-founded For the Love of Music, an ensemble that includes his long-time friend and fellow Meadowmount School of Music alum, violist Robert Vernon. Richard wrote his “Rhapsody for Viola and Orchestra” for Robert, on a commission from the Cleveland Orchestra, who premiered it on 26^th April 2007. Other compositions by Richard include the Aesop-influenced “Androcles and the Lion” and “The Tortoise and the Hare”.

A member of Concerned Musicians of Local 802, a group of musicians who have—well, concerns—Richard has never been afraid to experiment and is not averse to programming strings when the need arises. His “Culmination 1 for Solo Viola, Orchestra, and Synthesizers”, for which he was awarded Special Distinction by the ASCAP foundation, is a prime example.

He has also proved himself invaluable in the recording studio, laying down tracks with a laundry list of musical acts too vast to list in toto, but including Patti Austin, Angela Bofill, Harry Connick, Jr., Deodato, Expose, Maynard Ferguson, Astrud Gilberto, Cissy Houston, Kimiko Itoh, Joe Jackson, B.B. King, Peggy Lee, Van McCoy, Aaron Neville, Sinead O’Connor, John Pizzarelli, Rihanna, Carly Simon, Paul Simon, Frank Sinatra, James Taylor, Luther Vandross, and Vanessa Williams.

Movie scores he has worked on include Baby Boy, Flirting with Disaster, Mo’ Better Blues, Postcards from America, Powaqqatsi, The Specialist, Ulee’s Gold, and The Wiz. He also composed the soundtracks of Asylum, Clouds of Magellan, and Inconceivable, and in 2006 he was tapped to score the forthcoming romantic comedy, April in December. Richard’s latest project may be his most ambitious to date: an opera inspired by The Merlin Trilogy.

Van McCoy recordings
The Shuffle (Van McCoy)
That’s the Joint (Richard Harris/Van McCoy)

Frank Sinatra recordings
That’s What God Looks Like To Me (Stan Irvin/Lan O’Kun)
Reprise RPS 49233 (XNY2101S) (US 45)

Theme from “New York, New York” (Fred Ebb/John Kander)
Reprise RPS49233 (XNY 2103 S) (US 45)

Sources:

Sortomme, Richard (6 June 1948-Present)

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