Armando Fox – Music

I’m a classically trained musician (piano, music theory/arranging, etc.) and also play jazz, do some arranging, and a lot of Music Director work for local theaters. I don’t teach due mostly to lack of time, but contact me if you have an interesting arrangement in mind.

Musical training

• Classical piano, 1972-1990, with many instructors including concert pianist and educator Michael Boriskin. Listen to a performance excerpt: Liszt, Sonetto no. 104 del Petrarca (recorded June 1990 at WesTrax Studios, NYC)
• Certificate Program graduate, Preparatory School of the Mannes College of Music, New York, including comprehensive instruction in theory, ear training, composition, choir, history of music, ensemble and solo performance
• Woodwind instruction (clarinet, alto & tenor sax) since 2005 with Lynné Funkhouser

Performing For Fun

• Recent guest sololist with YeraSon, guest accompanist with the Pacific
  Mozart Ensemble
• Drummer and keyboardist (often simultaneously) for original & cover bands Spoon (MIT Battle of the Bands finalist), More At Eleven (MIT Battle of the Bands finalist), Reminiscent Jam (MIT Battle of the Bands semifinalist), many others. Sound excerpts coming soon….

Arranging/Orchestration

Most of these were done in the context of my musical theater work, a lot of which is done at the Altarena Playhouse in Alameda, CA.  I’m happy to share the arrangements with you if you email me and ask.  (“Rhythm” = piano and/or electric piano and/or synth, electric or acoustic bass, and trap set/percussion, unless otherwise noted)

Reductions:

• Oklahoma!, Contra Costa Civic Theater, 1998. With Trevor Pering, from 30 books to 7  (rhythm, reed 1 & 2, trumpet, trombone). Hear an excerpt from the Overture and compare it to Robert Russell Bennett’s original orchestration.
• Company (Altarena, 2004)—from 14 books to 5: rhythm, violin, woodwind (clarinet, bass clarinet, flute, alto flute, alto sax, baritone sax).
• Merrily We Roll Along (Altarena)—from 14 books to 6: rhythm, horn (covering trumpet & trombone), reed 1 (flute, alto, clarinet), reed 2 (flute, clarinet, bass clarinet, baritone, oboe).
• Gypsy: reduction from 22 pieces to 6: rhythm, woodwind (flute, clarinet, oboe, alto sax), trumpet, horn/trumpet
• Man of La Mancha:  22 pieces to 6:  bass, acoustic guitar, percussion, woodwind (flute, piccolo, clarinet, oboe), trumpet/horn 1, horn 2
• Assassins: 12 books to 4: piano, percussion/banjo, fiddle, accordion.
• Cabaret:  additional arrangements including reduction of Entr’acte used in 1998 (Sam Mendes/Roundabout Theatre) revival and re-creation of Mein Herr arrangement created for that production. Instrumentation: piano, drums, string bass (doubling fiddle), banjo (doubling tuba), accordion, trombone, trumpet, alto. (During the waltz section, the tuba player switched to banjo, and the fiddle player switched to upright bass for the 2nd half.)

Original or derived arrangements:

• Oh My Godmother! (Altarena), 2005. Created original piano arrangements from lead sheets for February 2005 workshop performances; later created 6-piece orchestration (rhythm, reed 1 & 2, trumpet) for full staging in August 2005. Some excerpts:  (NOTE: All music & lyrics © 2004-2005 by Ron Lytle, Arrangements © 2005 Armando Fox; excerpts reproduced with permission on this site; further reproduction or redistribution prohibited without written permission of copyright holders.
  • Excerpt from Bitch: original lead sheet (PDF), and the corresponding MP3 clips of the original piano arrangement and of the final orchestration.
  • Excerpt from Opening/San Francisco: original lead sheet (PDF) and the corresponding MP3 clips of the
    href=”media/SanFranciscoExcerptPiano.mp3″>original piano arrangement and of the final orchestration.
  • Excerpts from original piano arrangement and final orchestration of the Overture.