Starr Parodi

Starr Parodi
Starr Parodi with her 1928 Steinway B which was used on the MGM scoring stage
Starr Parodi with her 1928 Steinway B which was used on the MGM scoring stage
Background information
OriginLos Angeles, California, United States
GenresNeoclassical, pop, jazz, experimental, soul
Occupation(s)Composer, musician, conductor, record producer
Instrument(s)Piano, Synthesizer
Years active1988–present
LabelsSonic Doppler Records
Websitewww.starrparodi.com

Starr Parodi (born in Los Angeles, California) is an American pianist, film composer, music producer, arranger, music director, and former president of The Alliance for Women Film Composers.[1] In 2023, Parodi won the Grammy Award for Best Classical Compendium Album as both a producer and featured artist on An Adoption Story (Kitt Wakeley).[2] Parodi was also a featured artist and composer on 2022 Grammy-winning album (Best Classical Compendium), Women Warriors: The Voices Of Change (Amy Andersson).[3] Parodi won the 2021 Hollywood Music In Media Award for Best Contemporary Classical Composition for her piece Joy Of The Waters (with Amy Andersson/Women Warriors: The Voices Of Change).[4] Parodi has won multiple BMI most performed music awards,[5] Key Art and Telly Awards. In May 2017, Parodi's most recent album "The Heart Of Frida", a cinematic collection of solo piano works inspired by the late artist Frida Kahlo, was awarded ZMR's "Piano Album Of The Year - Solo" by International Radio Broadcasters[6] and "Solo Piano Album Of The Year - Improvised" by SoloPiano.com. Parodi's solo piano recording "Common Places" was awarded Solo Piano Recording of the Year by solopianoradio.com in 2007[7][8] and in 2005 she received an RIAA Gold Record for her recording and updated arrangement of the "James Bond Theme".[9]

Composer, producer, arranger and conductor

Parodi, along with her husband/partner Jeff Eden Fair, has composed/produced both themes and underscore for a wide variety of films, film trailers, and television shows. A partial list of these projects includes The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry,[10] The Starter Wife - NBC Universal,[11] The Division - Lifetime,[11] G.I. Joe: Renegades - Hasbro,[11] Transformers: Rescue Bots - Hasbro,[12] Bert Stern: Original Madman - Motor Films,[11] The Arsenio Hall Show - Paramount,[12] The Eighteenth Angel - Rysher Films, High Roller: The Stu Ungar Story - New Line Cinema, Maggie - Paramount.[11] Film trailers include Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 - Warner Bros., The Last Samurai - Warner Bros., War of the Worlds - Paramount, GoldenEye - United Artists, Die Another Day - United Artists, Mission: Impossible 2 - Paramount and many others.

Parodi co-produced with Terry Sanders, Mary Ann Cummins, Jeff Eden Fair, and Isolde Fair's "To All The Little Girls" music video. She also conducted a live performance of "To All The Little Girls" at Lincoln Center for the 2017 New York Times/Tina Brown - Women In The World Summit, performed by Isolde Fair with an orchestra of young women from the Mannes School and the Renaissance Youth Center Choir.[13]

In 2009 Parodi became the first woman composer to have her orchestral work represented nightly at the Pageant of the Masters in Laguna Beach, California. Parodi is currently a featured composer at The Pageant of the Masters. '

Parodi also composed the musical theme for the 1990s-era United Artists production logo.

Parodi was selected to study with Jerry Goldsmith in his first BMI-conducting master class. Parodi has since conducted ensembles from 5 to 95 pieces in live orchestral, live television, and studio recording environments.

Parodi is an official Steinway Piano recording and performing artist. She also uses and endorses Korg synthesizers and Steinberg's recording software.

Performing musician

In Los Angeles, Parodi found herself playing piano and keyboards in various rock, jazz, gospel, and soul bands, teaming up with members of Earth, Wind & Fire, The Temptations, Maze and Parliament-Funkadelic.

Comedian Arsenio Hall invited Parodi to play keyboards on his late-night show, The Arsenio Hall Show, in the show's house band The Posse.[14] This garnered the young musician her early recognition and led to her performance at the Kennedy Center for the inauguration of President Clinton. Parodi was a featured artist along with Bruce Hornsby, George Duke, and Joe Zawinul at Keyboard magazine's 20th-anniversary concert (celebrating 20 of the world's top contemporary keyboardists).

Parodi has performed as a keyboardist alongside such artists as Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, Stevie Wonder, Carole King, Carlos Santana, Seal, B.B. King, Ray Charles, Madonna, Celine Dion, Al Green, and many others.

Partial discography

  • Kitt Wakeley: An Adoption Story - 2023 Grammy® Winner - Best Classical Compendium Album
  • Matt B: Alkebulan - 2023 HMMA Winner
  • Women Warriors: The Voices Of Change - 2022 Grammy® Winner - Best Classical Compendium Album
  • The Storied Life Of A.J. Fikry - Original Soundtrack
  • Carole King: A Holiday Carole - Deluxe Edition - 2013
  • Carole King: A Holiday Carole - 2011
  • Bert Stern: The Original Mad Man - 2013 (score only album)
  • Callaghan: Callaghan - 2018
  • Callaghan: Skin On Skin - 2018
  • Callaghan: The Other Side - 2017
  • Bert Stern: The Original Mad Man - 2013 (soundtrack/score album)
  • The Other Side Of OK - 2020 (single)
  • I Sama Bili - 2020 (single)
  • When Doves Cry - 2019 (single) with Louis Price
  • Lucciola - 2020 (single)
  • Bay Of Silence - 2021 (single)

The Heart Of Frida - 2016

  1. "The Heart Of Frida"
  2. "When Doves Cry"
  3. "The Elephant And The Dove"
  4. "Rancho Hamilton"
  5. "Hardly Touching"
  6. "Overture Of Color"
  7. "Nights In White Satin"
  8. "Don't Be Discouraged"
  9. "Sun & Life"
  10. "The Lightness Of Frida"
  11. "Hope"

Common Places: Piano Improvisations - 2006 (SoloPianoRadio.com CD Of The Year 2007)

  1. "Common Places"
  2. "For What It's Worth"
  3. "Albinoni's Adagio"
  4. "Kenya"
  5. "We Are Here"
  6. "Follow Me"
  7. "James Bond Theme"
  8. "Forgiveness"
  9. "Let It Be"
  10. "Covenant"

The Best of Bond... James Bond - 2002 (RIAA Gold Record)

  1. "James Bond Theme"

Change - 1991

  1. "Change" - 4:33
  2. "Something of Value" - 5:15
  3. "Kenya" - 5:20
  4. "Superstition" - 5:37
  5. "Serengeti Trail" - 6:27
  6. "The Honor System" - 4:41
  7. "Forever" - 3:27
  8. "Joyful" - 6:09
  9. "Covenant" - 6:31
  10. "Change" (Reprise) - 1:16

Personal

Parodi is married to Jeff Eden Fair and together they have a daughter, Isolde Maria Parodi Fair. Parodi is the daughter of geothermal energy pioneer Roy Parodi and his wife Marcella Starr Parodi.

References

  1. ^ Burlingame, Jon (March 3, 2019). "Starr Parodi Named President of the Alliance for Women Film Composers". Variety.com. Retrieved August 14, 2019.
  2. ^ "Grammy Winners 2023: Full List". 5 February 2023.
  3. ^ "2022 GRAMMYs Awards Show: Complete Winners & Nominations List | GRAMMY.com". Grammy.com. Retrieved September 12, 2024.
  4. ^ "2021 MUSIC IN VISUAL MEDIA NOMINATIONS". Hmmawards.com. Retrieved Sep 12, 2024.
  5. ^ "Starr Parodi". IMDb.com. Retrieved Aug 14, 2019.
  6. ^ "2016 ZMR Music Award Winners". Zonemusicreporter.com.
  7. ^ Nevue, David. "Whisperings: Solo Piano Album of the Year Awards, Nominations and Recognitions". Solopianoradio.com.
  8. ^ "♫ - Starr Parodi. Listen @cdbaby". Store.cdbaby.com. Retrieved August 14, 2019.
  9. ^ "JAMES BOND THEME – Starr Parodi & Jeff Eden Fair". Parodifair.com. Retrieved August 14, 2019.
  10. ^ "The Storied Life Of A.J. Fikry - Full cast & crew". IMDb.com. Retrieved Nov 20, 2023.
  11. ^ a b c d e "Starr Parodi". IMDb.com.
  12. ^ a b "Starr Parodi". IMDb.com.
  13. ^ School, The New. "Mannes Prep Students Perform Viral Song Based on Hillary Clinton's Speech". Opencampus.newschool.edu.
  14. ^ King, Susan (11 January 1992). "Starr Parodi Hated Piano Lessons, but Now Plays for Fun and Profit". Los Angeles Times.