Thomas Mandel

BA, Bowdoin College. Songwriting with Paul Simon, 1969, NYU; taught Singing Workshop with John Braswell at Sarah Lawrence (1971-77); scored musicals at Sarah Lawrence, Astor Place Theatre, and Cafe LaMaMa, New York City; composed, orchestrated, and musical-directed three rock operas off-off Broadway and at Sarah Lawrence. (The first, Joe’s Opera, was twice optioned for Broadway production; animated the second, The Sea of Simile, on a full-length DVD.) Toured and recorded (1977-1998) from Vietnam to Vienna, New York City to Sun City, with Dire Straits, Bryan Adams, Cyndi Lauper, Tina Turner, Bon Jovi, B-52’s, the Pretenders, Nils Lofgren, Little Steven, Peter Wolf, Ian Hunter/Mick Ronson, two former NY Dolls, Live at CBGB’s, the Spinners, Shannon, John Waite, and Pavarotti. Returned to Sarah Lawrence in 2000 to work with Shirley Kaplan, William McRee, and Thomas Young. Fields of expertise: Hammond organ, rock-and-roll piano, synthesizer programming and sequencing, piano accompaniment, popular and progressive music of the 1950s-199’s. SLC, 1971-77, 2000–