Disklavier Territory

Point the finger at composer Alan Menken, if you must. GRAMMY® winning composer Stephen Schwartz was collaborating with Menken when he began to covet a Yamaha Disklavier®. “Alan had one and it was just fantastic. It’s really the best of both worlds,” says Schwartz. The renowned musicians used Menken’s Disklavier to develop the highly acclaimed film scores for The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Pocahontas, for which Schwartz received two Academy Awards.

Stephen Schwartz

Since getting a Disklavier DC5, which he recently upgraded to a DC6, Schwartz has completed two CDs, Reluctant Pilgrim, and his new release, Uncharted Territory (Fynsworth Alley). “I grew up playing an acoustic piano and the Disklavier’s feel is far better than the touch-sensitive MIDI keyboards,” says Schwartz, who relied upon his Disklavier to build tracks while composing and recording. “It’s a great combination of piano and MIDI technology, especially because of its editing capabilities.”

“Composing using the processor is really valuable,” he explains. Although capable of writing out orchestrated parts, Schwartz says doing so “changes the flow. It’s tedious and a little bit self-conscious. But, with the Disklavier, I can kick tunes into the processor, then easily edit, cut, and paste. It’s much better, not to mention faster. However, it’s not really about speed; it’s about keeping the flow more accurate.”

Since his first major credit - composing the title song for the Broadway play Butterflies Are Free - Schwartz has amassed an impressive list of Broadway, off-Broadway, television, and Hollywood credentials. In addition to his movie work, which includes the Academy Award winning songs for The Prince of Egypt, Schwartz’s stage credits include music and lyrics for Godspell, Pippin, and, most recently, Children of Eden.

Schwartz has owned several other Yamaha instruments and MIDI equipment, but concedes, “The big miracle, for me, was the advent of the Disklavier. It’s really improved what I can do.” He’s using his new Disklavier DC6 to complete the music and lyrics for his newest musical, Wicked, the “true” story of the Wicked Witch of the West, slated for a 2003 Broadway opening. More information about Schwartz’s work and upcoming projects can be found at www.stephenschwartz.com.