Irwin Kostal was born on October 1, 1911 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. He is known for his work on The Sound of Music (1965), Mary Poppins (1964) and West Side Story (1961). He died on November 23, 1994 in Studio City, California, USA.
In 1982, the soundtrack for Disney's "Fantasia" (1940) was famously re-orchestrated and re-released in digital stereo, conducted by Irwin Kostal.
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At the time of his death served as President of the American Society of Music Arrangers and Composers.
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He was essentially self-taught: eschewing college , he picked up the art of music arranging from his local library, studying symphonic scores of the great composers.
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Started as arranger for the Chicago-based NBC radio show "Design for Listening", followed by Sid Caesar's "Your Show of Shows" on television. From 1957, worked on Broadway, notably as orchestrator of the original stage version of "West Side Story". He followed this with "The Music Man" and "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum". Becoming one of the preeminent Broadway conductors led, in turn, to a contract with Disney in Hollywood.
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Named a Disney Legend. [2004]
Music Department
Title
Year
Status
Character
BBC Proms
2010
TV Series orchestrator - 1 episode
The Sound of Music: From Fact to Phenomenon
1994
Video documentary music arranger / music conductor
The Walt Disney Comedy and Magic Revue
1985
Video short archive footage / conductor / music supervisor
The Making of 'West Side Story'
1985
TV Movie documentary orchestrator
Mickey's Christmas Carol
1983
Short music conducted by
The Magic of Lassie
1978
conductor / music arranger / music supervisor
Pete's Dragon
1977
conductor / music arranger / music supervisor / orchestrator - uncredited
The Blue Bird
1976
conductor
The Carol Burnett Show
1974-1975
TV Series musical director - 4 episodes
Midnight Ride of Paul Revere
1973
TV Movie conductor
Tom Sawyer
1973
additional orchestrator - uncredited
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
1973
TV Movie conductor / orchestrator
Charlotte's Web
1973
conductor / music arranger / music supervisor
Bedknobs and Broomsticks
1971
conductor / music arranger / music supervisor / orchestrator - uncredited
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
1968
conductor / music supervisor / musical director - uncredited / orchestrator - uncredited
Dick Van Dyke
1968
TV Special musical director
Half a Sixpence
1967
composer: songs "The Race" and "This Is My World" / conductor / music arranger / music supervisor
Gunsmoke
1966
TV Series conductor - 1 episode
Brigadoon
1966
TV Movie conductor / music arranger
The Julie Andrews Show
1965
TV Special musical director
The Sound of Music
1965
conductor / music arranger / music supervisor
Mary Poppins
1964
music arranger / music conducted by / music supervisor
The Garry Moore Show
1960-1963
TV Series musical director - 6 episodes
An Evening with Carol Burnett
1963
TV Movie musical director
Julie and Carol at Carnegie Hall
1962
TV Special documentary musical director / orchestrator
West Side Story
1961
musical supervisor / orchestrator
Candid Camera
1960-1961
TV Series musical director - 2 episodes
Diagnosis: Unknown
1960
TV Series musical director - 1 episode
The Patrice Munsel Show
1958
TV Series orchestrator - 1 episode
Stanley
1956
TV Series conductor - 1 episode
The Adventures of Marco Polo
1956
TV Movie arrangements by
Babes in Toyland
1955
TV Movie musical arrangements
The Desert Song
1955
TV Movie music arranger
Max Liebman Spectaculars
TV Series arranger - 1 episode, 1954 music director - 1 episode, 1954
Lady in the Dark
1954
TV Movie arrangements
Satins and Spurs
1954
TV Movie additional arrangements
Your Show of Shows
1950
TV Series conductor
Fireball Fun-For-All
1949
TV Series conductor
Fantasia
1940
conductor - 1982 rerecording
Soundtrack
Title
Year
Status
Character
BBC Proms
2012
TV Series arranger - 2 episodes
BBC Proms
2010
TV Series arranger - 1 episode
The Boys: The Sherman Brothers' Story
2009
Documentary "Mary Poppins Overture Pt. 1", "Mary Poppins Overture Pt. 2", "Mary Poppins Underscore" / arranger: "Mr. Banks is Discharged", "Bedknobs and Broomsticks Overture" / music: "Deep In The Dark Charlotte's Lullaby", "Mother Earth And Father Time" / performer: "Deep In The Dark Charlotte's Lullaby", "Mother Earth And Father Time"
Nostalgia Critic
2008
TV Series music - 1 episode
Mickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mouse
2001
Video performer: "Oh What a Merry Christmas Day" / writer: "Oh What a Merry Christmas Day"
The Making of 'West Side Story'
1985
TV Movie documentary "West Side Story"
Mickey's Christmas Carol
1983
Short lyrics: "Oh, What a Merry Christmas Day" 1983 / music: "Oh, What a Merry Christmas Day" 1983
$9 Million
