(Click to see bio for Music Direction, Conducting, Vocal Arranging)
With multi-platinum recordings, Broadway shows, Disney Animated Films, Television scores and a teaching and lecturing career that spans the nation, David Friedman is truly someone who has made a major mark in all areas of show business.
From "We Can Be Kind" to 'Listen to My Heart", "Help is on the Way", "We Live on Borrowed Time", "Trust The Wind" and "I'll Be Here With You", David has written songs of inspiration, love and hope that take on new emotional meaning in these challenging times.
After spending several years conducting musicals on Broadway, including GREASE, JOSEPH & THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT, and SONG AND DANCE, David went to Hollywood where he was the Conductor and Vocal Arranger on such Disney classics as BEAUTY & THE BEAST, ALADDIN, POCAHONTAS and THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME. This led to David's writing music and lyrics for Disney's ALADDIN AND THE KING OF THIEVES and scoring three animated television series (HAPPY NESS, SKY DANCERS & DRAGON FLYZ) and the film TRICK. David is currently also the Music Supervisor and Vocal Arranger of Broadway's BEAUTY & THE BEAST .
As a record producer, David started his own company, MIDDER Music Records, and wrote for and produced all of the late, great Nancy LaMott's CD's, including the recently released "Nancy LaMott - Live at Tavern on the Green". A new Nancy LaMott double CD entitled "Ask Me Again", plus a DVD with 25 of her greatest performances are being released for Valentine's Day, 2008.
David's songs have been sung and recorded by luminaries such as Diana Ross ("Your Love" - Quadruple Platinum), Barry Manilow ("We Live on Borrowed Time" and "You're There" — featured on Barry's latest live CD,) Allison Krauss, Petula Clark, Laura Branigan, Jason Alexander, Laurie Beechman, Lainie Kazan, Leslie Uggams and many others.
His CHRISTMAS ORATORIO KING ISLAND CHRISTMAS, written with Deborah Brevoort, has had over 40 productions around the world, and his musical CHASING NICOLETTE , written with Peter Kellogg, opened to rave reviews at the Prince theater in Philadelphia (Where David was awarded the Barrymore Award for best score). Another new Musical, DESPERATE MEASURES, a 6 character country & western version of Shakespeare's "Measure For Measure", also written with Peter Kellogg, recently had a successful run as a New York Music Festival winner and has had several productions around the U.S.
David's multi-platinum selling song "Open Your Eyes To Love" was featured on the soundtrack of "The Lizzie McGuire Movie" and he wrote the opening song for Disney's sequel to BAMBI, (sung by Allison Krauss) which was recently released to record-breaking sales.
David's songs have been used to raise money for charitable organizations ranging from Duke Children's Hospital to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and Birmingham Summerfest School for the Performing Arts. His song "Help Is On The Way" has been the themesong of the Equity Fights AIDS Easter Bonnet Competition for the past 12 years.
In 2003, David completed an Off-Broadway run of his revue, entitled LISTEN TO MY HEART: THE SONGS OF DAVID FRIEDMAN, featuring David and 5 of Broadways finest singers performing 27 of his songs. The cast CD containing a live performance of the entire show is released on MIDDER Records. The show has now been performed in eight American cities as well as in London and Australia.
Having published his songbook, containing 63 of his best known songs, David will soon begin work on a solo CD and as many as 10 new posthumous Nancy LaMott CD's.
Other upcoming projects include a film about the life of Nancy LaMott, a new musical with Peter Kellogg entitled Stunt Girl about the life of Nellie Bly, and a new book on "The Thought Exchange®," a method of metaphysics and human potential exploration which David created and now teaches all over the U.S.