Dick Hyman

Composer, songwriter, conductor, pianist, organist and arranger, educated at Columbia University and a music student of Teddy Wilson. At college, he wrote the Columbia Varsity Show, and later appeared as pianist with the jazz groups of Lester Young, Tony Scott and others, and toured Europe in 1950 with the Benny Goodman orchestra. The following year he joined WMCA as staff pianist, and WNBC as pianist, organist and conductor from 1952 to 1957. He also performed with the orchestras of Mitch Miller and Percy Faith, then led his own jazz trio and conducted and arranged for vocal groups. He co-directed the music for the "Encyclopedia of Jazz Concerts" series, and conducted and accompanied for Johnny Desmond in 1962. He made many recordings. Joining ASCAP in 1955, his popular-song and instrumental compositions include "Blue Whistler", "The Old Professor", "Down Home Melody", "Bardolino", "Counterpoint for Six Valves", and "Turvy Part 2".