By Eileen Wingard
SAN DIEGO– When my daughter Myla Wingard first encounted Lucas Richman at the Brandeis-Bardin Institute, she excitedly informed me that this young man, with prodigious musical talents, was sure to become recognized as a second Leonard Bernstein. Like Bernstein, Richman was a gifted pianist, composer and conductor.
Although Lucas Richman is not yet a household name, Myla’s assessment may prove correct.
Richman was in San Diego during the first week of November for premiere performances of Behold the Bold Umbrellaphant, his orchestral setting of Children’s Poet Laureate Jack Prelutsky’s book of whimsical poems. The half hour composition, with the celebrated poet narrating, proved to be a hit with the young audiences at the four youth concerts and the Sunday Family Festival Concert, all under the enthusiastic direction of the San Diego Symphony Orchestra’s Assistant Conductor, Philip Mann.
My ten-year-old granddaughter Adira commented, “I enjoy music with narration. It makes it much more interesting. I especially liked the way the music used sandpaper to sound like the Ballpoint Penquins writing, and I liked the bell that sounded for the Pop-Up Toadsters.” Richman’s clever orchestration mirrored Prelutsky’s imaginative texts and gave the young listeners a wonderful taste of the varied textures of orchestral sounds.
Richman has had his music performed by over two hundred orchestras in the last decade and his works written for children have been featured in young people’s concerts by orchestras such as the Atlanta Symphony, the Pittsburgh Symphony, where he served for six years as assistant, then resident conductor, and the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, where he has been Music Director since 2003.
He is especially proud of the Music & Wellness Program he has developed in Knoxville, bringing instrumental music into hospitals and convalescent homes. The Knoxville Symphony Orchestra has recorded “We Share a Bond,” his song for breast-cancer awareness.
Richman’s choral work, Arise Triumphant, O Blessed Muse!, was premiered in 2005 with the great soprano Frederica von Stade as soloist. His Concerto for Oboe was commissioned by the Pittsburgh Symphony and premiered in 2006, and the Knoxville Symphony presented his Concerto for Percussion in March, 2009.
Lucas Richman has appeared as guest conductor with numerous orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic and the Los Angeles Philharmonic. He has also conducted many award-winning film scores in Hollywood.Richman’s compositions include works of Jewish inspiration such as a setting of Kol Nidre for voice, two violins, cello and harp.
Raised in the San Fernando Valley, Lucas Richman is one of five children of actor Peter Mark Richman, currently appearing at the Pico Playhouse in The Value of Names.
When my daughter Myla was working at the Brandeis-Bardin Institute, Richman and she played in a klezmer band which once came down to San Diego for a rousing performance at the 54th Street Jewish Community Center.
For two summers, during which Richman was the Music Director and Conductor for the Young Musicians Foundation Debut Orchestra Summer Camp in Los Angeles, my niece, Avlana Eisenberg, was his assistant conductor. He was a wonderful mentor, allowing her ample opportunity to work with the young musicians and conduct a work at each culminating concert.
During his stay in San Diego, I had the pleasure of having lunch with the brilliant musician and his eleven-year-old son Max, and Myla’s family took Lucas, his wife Debbie and his son to Legoland. It was a joyful reunion.
Behold the Bold Umbrellaphant, commissioned by the San Diego Symphony Orchestra, will have additional performances throughout the community, including a January 29 performance at 10:00 a.m. at the Lawrence Family JCC sponsored by the Nierman Preschool. For ticket information, call 858-362-1150.
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Wingard is a freelance writer and former violinist with the San Diego Symphony.