Andy Einhorn, right, served as pianist

and musical supervisor for the PBS doc-

umentary Broadway Musicals: A Jewish
Legacy. He is shown here with Broadway

performer David Hyde Pierce.

Making Beautiful Music

Theater songs — both well-known and lesser gems — will highlight
Audra McDonald-Andy Einhorn concert at Hill Auditorium.

I

Suzanne Chessler

Broadway Sunday afternoon, Sept. 15, at
Hill Auditorium. The first half of the pro-
gram will spotlight just the two of them.
Ann Arbor
The second half will add the University
Symphony Orchestra.
ndy Einhorn recently took time
"The great thing about Audra is that
away from his work as pianist
she always likes to introduce audiences to
and musical director to help his
theater songs that people don't necessarily
parents move to a seniors' community in
know," Einhorn, 31, explains in a phone
Texas.
conversation from his
That experience had
New York home.
him sorting through col-
"When she first
lections of pictures, and
appeared in the 1990s,
he found one showing
one of her missions was
him with award-winning
to promote new artists.
singer and actress Audra
For so many young com-
McDonald.
posers, that's tremendous
It was taken in 2002,
because it's hard to get
when he first saw the
their work out there.
stage and television star in
"The first half of our
concert and thought how I
concert will be a bit more
much he would like to play 1
traditional Broadway
the piano for someone
mixed in with relatively
with her talents.
unknown material that
Andy Einhorn and Audra
Nine years passed
we like to present. The
before that happened as he McDonald: "The beautiful
second half of the pro-
achieved a variety of stage thing about working with
gram we will be doing
and television credits, and Audra is that she deeply
Gershwin and movie
connects to her material,"
their collaboration has
songs."
continued. An Ann Arbor says Einhorn.
Einhorn and
audience is scheduled to
McDonald first worked
hear their newest concert
together as she was about
as part of the 2013-2014 season of the
to make her debut performance with the
University Musical Society.
Houston Grand Opera. Through a connec-
tion with Rice University, where Einhorn
The two will present selections from

Contributing Writer

A

earned his bachelor's degree as a piano
major, he was asked to be her musical
coach.
"They were looking for someone who
lived in New York but also had local hous-
ing in Houston," Einhorn recalls. "Since
my parents live there, it was a natural fit.
"There I was, 24 years old and telling
her which notes weren't perfect. I remem-
ber pinching myself and asking myself
what was happening. We kept in touch
after that, and she went off to do her TV
show, Private Practice.
"When she came back to New York, she
would do one-night-only concerts and
started calling me to do that with her.
Then we put together this album, Go Back
Home, and it's all been quite a labor of love
over the past few years:'
Einhorn, whose 2013 credits include
being musical director for Rodgers and
Hammerstein's Cinderella, currently on
Broadway for the first time, and serving as
pianist and musical supervisor for the PBS
documentary Broadway Musicals: A Jewish
Legacy, wanted to be a performer since
childhood, and took dance, acting and
voice lessons.
"I started taking piano lessons when I
was 7," he recalls. "In the middle of my
freshman year in college, I was not enjoy-
ing singing anymore, but I loved the piano
and switched to it as my major. It took my
focus to the creative side of music direct-
ing, and I wanted to conduct on Broadway.

"Three weeks after I moved to New York
in 2005, I had the job of production assis-
tant for The Light in the Piazza at Lincoln
Center. I went on tour with three shows
after that. It's been nonstop ever since.
"Next year, I will be conductor of Woody
Allen's Bullets Over Broadway (adapted
from his 1994 film of the same name).
This will be the first time Woody has done
a Broadway musical. The score will com-
prise original music from the 1920s and
1930s, and we've found a lot of unknown
songs, thinking it would be the best way to
represent that time:'
Einhorn, who has taught music at the
religious school of the Houston synagogue
attended by his family, particularly enjoys
the collaborative experiences that are part
of the entertainment industry.
"The reason I got into theater was to
work with other people," says Einhorn,
who is single. At the end of the day, it's
tremendous to stand back and see what
was created using many people's ideas:'
As Einhorn collaborates with McDonald,
they present songs that have personal
impact for both of them.
"Go Back Home," by John Kander and
Fred Ebb, has to do with days that have
passed and longing for one's own life. "I'll
Be Here," by Adam Gwon, is based on the
events of 9-11. "Make Someone Happy," by
Jule Styne with Betty Comden and Adolph
Green, emphasizes the upbeat.
"The beautiful thing about working
with Audra is that she deeply connects to
her material," says Einhorn, who relaxes
by running, reading and knitting, the last
learned by watching friends waiting their
turns at rehearsals.
"We're both very strong-willed people,
which is quite good for our working rela-
tionship. She has the highest standards,
and that constantly challenges me to think
about music in different ways.
"I'm constantly challenging her to stay
aware of her vocal technique because I had
started college as a voice major. She loves
that I'm very strict with her:'
And then there's that found photo to
think about.
"The picture put everything into per-
spective and made me incredibly grateful
for having the opportunity to work with
Audra," he says. "I have become 10 times
the musician I was because of her:' ❑

Audra McDonald, accompanied by
Andy Einhorn on piano, will perform
at 4 p.m. Sunday, Sept.15, at Hill
Auditorium, 825 N. University, in
Ann Arbor. $10-$54. (734) 764-
2538; ums.org .

September 12 • 2013

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