Valenti, Michael
Michael Valenti composed, arranged, and conducted the music for the Emmy Award winning television series; A WALK THROUGH THE 20th CENTURY. For CBS radio he shared the Peabody Award for NEWSMARK.
In 1995 Mr. Valenti composed PROCESSIONAL FOR A PONTIFF a large orchestral work which was written for the entrance of Pope John Paul II into Central Park, New York, on the occasion of his celebration of the Eucharist. The piece was performed again on April 19, 2008 for Pope Benedict XVI entrance into St. Patrick’s Cathedral, and once more for Pope Francis’ entrance into Madison Square Garden. On December 11, 2008 his Christmas carol “Sleep, Holy Infant” was sung by St. Patrick’s choir in concert and again at midnight mass on Christmas Eve. In March of 1991 at St. Peter’s Church he conducted the premier of his dramatic oratorio THE WAY which is based on the fourteen Stations of the Cross.
In its permanent repertory The Goldman Memorial Band at Lincoln Center has performed Mr. Valenti’s MARCH PASHA, CAROLINA SEASONS, ORIENTAL MAGIC, THE GUGUE FUGUE, THE GRAND WALTZ FROM LOLA MONTEZ, and the concert band version of PROCESSIONAL FOR A PONTIFF. In August of 1987 he was given a retrospective at Lincoln Center under the direction of Maestro Ainslee Cox. The Goldman Memorial Band performed all of his published concert band music and premiered his BIG APPLE MARCH.
In 1998 Mr. Valenti was invited by The Goldman Band to conduct the first performance of his BLACK HAWK MARCH, and in the summer of 2002 he performed as piano soloist with the band in the world premier of his MUSIC IN SEARCH OF A BALLET. On February 25, 2005 The GMB Band premiered his FESTIVAL MARCH at Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall. Michael Valenti has the distinction of being given more world premiers by The Goldman Memorial Band than any other composer in the bands long and celebrated history.
HYMNE A SAINT-BARTHELEMY, now the National Anthem of the small island of Saint Barthelemy in the Caribbean was commissioned by the Chorale de Bons Choeurs and was introduced by the choir of the same name on December 11, 1999.
In the spring of 2002 The Children’s Orchestra Society under the baton of Michael Dadap premiered his THE LITTLE PARK ACROSS THE STREET at the Colden Center for the Performing Arts.
His MOOD PIECE (adagio for strings and harp) was first performed by the Oklahoma Symphony, and his ballet CONVERSATIONS has been performed at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York and Spoletto.
In 2002 Michael Valenti composed the music for the 25th anniversary production of THE BIG APPLE CIRCUS and has subsequently each year composed for that organization. In 2007 from November 9th through January 17th his original manuscripts were exhibited at The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, at Lincoln Center.
In 2004 Marshall University established THE MICHAEL VALENTI MUSIC COLLECTION in the College of Fine Arts and THE MICHAEL VALENTI GRADUATE ASSISTANTSHIP where he has served as Composer-in-Residence.
His Broadway credits include OH BROTHER!, CLOTHES FOR A SUMMER HOTEL (Tennessee Williams’ last play which starred Geraldine Page), HONKY TONK NIGHTS, BLACKSTONE!, and BLOOD RED ROSES.
Off-Broadway he composed the scores for more than fifteen plays and musicals including LOVESONG, IN THE SUMMER HOUSE, (for the Manhattan Theatre Club), JUST FOR LOVE, SONG BY SONG (a review based on his theatre songs) and MADEMOISELLE COLOMBE which starred Tammy Grimes and was awarded five Outer Critic Circle Award nominations for which Mr. Valenti received two for best book, and best music for a musical.
His SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS is still the longest running children’s musical ever produced in New York and his BEAUTY AND THE BEAST as well as SNOW WHITE continue to enjoy productions world wide. BASHVILLE IN LOVE, a musical he composed for the opening season of The Texas Stage Company was given the Best New Musical of the Year Award by The Dallas Morning News.
His score for Williams’ THE GLASS MENAGERIE has been performed in regional theaters throughout the country, as well as his music for UPTIGHT by Gunter Grass, and Donald Drivers’ A WALK OUT OF WATER. In the fall of 2003 the Goodspeed Opera presented his musical O.HENRY’S LOVERS that he wrote with librettist Joe DiPietro.
He composed, arranged, conducted, and directed THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF JONATHAN WINTERS for the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas, as well as composing the music for the Zev Bufman production of BAHAMA BOUND, which opened the Cable Beach Hotel in Nassau.
As a performer, Michael Valenti appeared in the original Broadway production of HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WTHOUT REALLY TRYING, understudying the pivotal role of J. Pierrepont Finch. Off-Broadway he originated the role of Michael in YOUR OWN THING, and created the role of Tony Franco on NBC’s THE DOCTORS.
His recorded albums include LOVESONG, OH BROTHER!, MUSIC IN SEARCH OF A MUSICAL, PIANO ROMANCES, SOUNDS OF CELEBRATION (a compilation of all his concert band music) and PLAY MUSIC! The Stage and Television Music of Michael Valenti.
In 2010 The Portland Orchestra under the direction of Yaacov Bergman premiered STORY OF AN HOUR; the second piece in his Christmas trilogy entitled THE PORTRAIT.
Other published works include the one act opera BEAU NASH first performed by the Portland Chamber Orchestra, a song cycle entitled SOLITUDE, WEDDING MARCH for organ and brass, 12 PIANO PRELUDES, IMPROMPTU for cello and piano, 10 NOCTURNES for piano, RHAPSODY FOR CLARINET and piano, DANCES FOR FLUTE AND PIANO, FIVE SONATINAS for piano, ON RUSSIAN HILL for Horn in F and piano, and TEN DANCES FOR WOODWIND QUINTET.
And for children, THE MUSICAL TELEPHONE BOOK for piano, THE COFFEE GRINDER for flute and piano, and ten FANCIES for piano solo.
In November of 2014, his musical LOVESONG was given a revival at Lincoln Center’s Bruno Walter Auditorium.
