Rob Fisher

Conductor

Rob Fisher is an internationally recognized music director, conductor and pianist, and a leading figure in American music and musical theatre. He has been a guest of virtually every major orchestra in the country as conductor or pianist. 

Fisher is currently represented on Broadway as the score supervisor and arranger for An American in Paris (Grammy nomination). Additionally, he is represented as the music supervisor and arranger for Chicago: The Musical, which recently celebrated twenty years on Broadway. 

With the New York Philharmonic, he has conducted the acclaimed concert versions of Carousel (EMMY Nomination for Best Music Director) and My Fair Lady as well as Mr. Keillor at 70. Other recent highlights include debuts with the Boston and Chicago Symphonies and appearances with the Philadelphia and Cleveland orchestras, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and the San Francisco, Atlanta, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, and National symphonies. At Carnegie Hall with the Orchestra of St. Luke’s, he led gala performances of Guys and Dolls and The Sound of Music. He conducted The New York Pops on many occasions, sharing concerts with the late Skitch Henderson. As a pianist, Fisher has been soloist for Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue and Concerto in F with orchestras across the country. 

In addition to collaborating in concert with such artists as Renée Fleming, Kristin Chenoweth, Kelli O’Hara, Victoria Clark, Idina Menzel, Brian Stokes Mitchell, and David Hyde Pierce, he has conducted Patti LuPone’s engagements with the Pacific, Phoenix, Atlanta, Fort Worth, and Chicago symphonies. He conducted the San Francisco Symphony in the Emmy-winning concert production of Sweeney Todd starring Patti LuPone and George Hearn. At the Chicago Lyric Opera, he led the record-breaking production of The Sound of Music. 

Fisher was founding music director and conductor of the New York City Center Encores! series from its inception in 1994 until 2005. The series earned a 2000 Tony Award, and in 1997, Fisher was given the Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Special Achievement. He continues to be a regular guest music director for the series. Fisher has made numerous recordings for Encores!, including the Grammy Award-winning Chicago cast album. He is supervising music director for Chicago productions worldwide. 

Fisher was music director for the New York Shakespeare Festival’s revival of Hair in Central Park, and was music supervisor for its Tony-winning run on Broadway. He served as music supervisor for the recent Tony-winning Broadway revival of Anything Goes. His Carousel with the New York Philharmonic at Avery Fisher Hall was broadcast on PBS Live From Lincoln Center and earned him an Emmy nomination. He was music director and conductor for “Ira Gershwin at 100,” a gala concert at Carnegie Hall, which was broadcast on PBS “Great Performances,” and he appeared twice on the PBS series “In Performance at the White House” during the Clinton administration. 

Fisher has a long association with Lincoln Center’s American Songbook series as a producer and music director, creating tributes to the Gershwins, Bernstein, Cole Porter, and Kander and Ebb. The Porter program was also presented at the Ravinia Festival, and the Kander and Ebb evening was broadcast on Live From Lincoln Center. He has also made many appearances as music director for the Lyrics and Lyricists series at New York’s 92nd Street Y, often with his friend Sheldon Harnick as host. Fisher conducted the 2011 world premiere of Ricky Ian Gordon’s Rappahannock County at the Virginia Opera, followed by performances in Richmond, VA and Austin, TX. 

Rob Fisher is known to A Prairie Home Companion fans from his 4 years as Music Director for Garrison’s Broadcasts, 1989-1993 and as the leader of the Coffee Club Orchestra during that time. Fisher has remained a frequent guest ever since, and is also a frequent collaborator and arranger for the DiGiallonardo Sisters. 

A native Virginian, he lives in Manhattan and Connecticut. 

Kander & Ebb

Composer & Lyricist

John Kander and Fred Ebb were a highly successful American songwriting team consisting of composer John Kander (born March 18, 1927) and lyricist Fred Ebb (April 8, 1928 – September 11, 2004). Perhaps best known for two of their most famous stage musicals, Chicago and Cabaret, the duo also scored several movies, including Martin Scorsese‘s New York, New York, which included their most familiar song, “New York, New York” recorded by many artists, but a signature song for Frank Sinatra.