DAVID TROY FRANCIS, piano:
Two time Pulitzer Prize winning composer Ned Rorem says of Mr. Francis: He plays the right note with the right tone at the right time. (what more can you ask of any performer?) And with this, he adds that indefinable element of himself, which is the magic of all true interpreters. Mr. Francis plays in recital through out America and has seven cds available including the world premiere recording of Mr. Rorem's Eight Etudes for Piano on the cd entitled The Americans. The Los Angeles Times raves of Mr. Francis’ playing "consistently absorbing whether in lyrical repose or propulsive fury".
Mr. Francis is the recording pianist for such films as Pursuit of Happyness, Elegy and the upcoming re-make of Fame. He has composed music for both film and television and his piano performance can be heard in many major motion pictures.
Mr. Francis is the creator, composer, musical director and executive producer of the runaway smash hit musical BARK! This endeavor is his first foray into the fabulous world of musical theater.
David Troy Francis was born in Memphis, Tennessee and is best known for his steadfast championing and performance of contemporary American music. Now living in Los Angeles, he is an esteemed concert pianist and recording artist as well as a respected composer, arranger and accompanist.
His electrifying and critically acclaimed cd, The Americans, features compositions of living American composers including Mr. Rorem. Other eminent American composers represented on this CD are the magnificent Lowell Liebermann, the distinguished Tobias Picker and the excellent Michael Boustead. He has earned raves from composers and critics alike for his compelling combination of pulverizing technical virtuosity and poetic piano artistry.
He has a stellar recording of his performance of the Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor recorded live with the Pasadena Concert Series Orchestra.
His popular CD, by george – gershwin reconsidered, is an all Gershwin project including Mr. Francis’ version of the piano transcription of Rhapsody in Blue as well as newly arranged versions of songs from stage and screen. He has seven cds available.
Mr. Francis’ arrangements of American Hymns have led to two best selling cds: Pieces of My Childhood – American Hymns Revisited & Be Still, My Soul – American Hymns Revisited Volume Two. The latter cd was recorded in the famous Studio A at Capitol Records in Hollywood, California – the recording home of such voices as Judy Garland, Frank Sinatra and Nat King Cole.
He performs frequently in recital including performances at colleges, churches and performing arts venues throughout the world. He has performed for Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden when he performed for the Nobel Prize Luncheon. He gave a totally digital rendering of Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2 for Roland Instruments on their digital concert grand. He performed the same work with orchestra for the distinguished Lindenwood Concert Series in Memphis, Tennessee.
His performance of original compositions as well as classical pieces can be heard in major motion pictures starring such luminaries as Sir Anthony Hopkins, Chris Rock, Tim Robbins, Susan Sarandon and Goldie Hawn. Mr. Francis has composed music for television including the animated children’s series Extreme Dinosaurs. He is also the composer for the documentary The Age of Elegance and the mock-a-mentary Dogs. Mr. Francis was the recording pianist and celeste player for the Will Smith/Sony film Pursuit of Happyness released in December 2006. He also recorded the classical piano works for the film Elegy starring Penelope Cruz and Ben Kingsley released in 2008. He recently completed the classical piano works featured on the soon to be released re-make of Fame.
He is the composer for the smash hit musical BARK! which finished a two year run in Los Angeles in August 2006 and was the 3rd longest running production in Los Angeles intimate theatrical history. BARK! was unleashed in Palm Springs over Thanksgiving and then in Portland in January 2007. A Theatre Memphis production opened in April, a totally sold out production in Tucson in July and a sold out run at the historic Red Barn Theatre in Key West, Florida ended in January 2008. BARK! has been selected critics’ choice by the Los Angeles Times and The Chicago Tribune and has received over 30 critic’s pick or rave reviews. This musical comedy presented from a dog’s perspective has also received the endorsement of The Humane Society of The United States-the first time ever the society has endorsed a commercial entity.
The soundtrack cd recording of BARK! The Musical featuring the original Los Angeles cast is available at: http://www.barkthemusical.com
Mr. Francis recently directed the Jason Robert Brown musical Songs For A New World at the Tennessee Williams Theatre under the aupices of the Key West Symphony.
