About Don

 

 

Don Rebic is a New York City-based musical director, conductor, composer, and pianist whose distinguished, four-decade career has spanned the worlds of Broadway, jazz, cabaret, and classical music. Whether accompanying world-renowned vocalists, conducting Broadway and symphony orchestras, or performing his own jazz compositions, Don is known for his versatility, charm, and brilliant musicianship.

Don moved to New York City after graduating college with a degree in piano performance. Within a year, he was conducting the 1977 Broadway revival of Jesus Christ Superstar. Don’s Broadway credits also include Dancin’ and Sweet Charity, directed by Bob Fosse; Teaneck Tanzi starring Deborah Harry and Andy Kaufman; and Anything Goes starring Patti LuPone. He has conducted for the national companies of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and Kiss of the Spider Woman, starring Chita Rivera.

As an in-demand accompanist and musical director, Don has worked with such luminaries as Peggy Lee, Kiri Te Kanawa, Barbara Cook, Betty Buckley, Dixie Carter, Morgana King, Lainie Kazan, Mary Cleere Haran, Margaret Whiting, Regis Philbin, Tovah Feldshuh, Christine Andreas, Christine Ebersole, Victoria Clark, Faith Prince, Marilyn Maye, Julius la Rosa, Ricky Martin, and José Carreras. He conducted the Pittsburgh and Dallas Symphony Orchestras and the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra as Leslie Uggams’ musical director for 24 years and has served as musical director for cabaret icon Karen Akers for 23 years. In 2009, he won the Backstage Bistro Award for outstanding musical director.

With his Don Rebic Trio (featuring David Finck on bass and Michael Berkowitz on drums), Don released the 10-song jazz CD “Together.” According to Stephen Holden, jazz and cabaret writer for The New York Times, “Whether paying tribute to Ramsey Lewis, quoting Duke Ellington, slipping into Broadway or classical modes, or taking a jaunt to Brazil, Don Rebic and his trio display the balance and clarity of a deeply musical ensemble. And his original compositions sparkle with a frisky melodic charm.” Don’s music has appeared in HBO documentaries and the feature film Night Catches Us starring Kerry Washington.

As a jazz performer, Don has played with some of the best in the game, including drummers Jeff Hamilton, Peter Erskine, and Carl Allen; trumpeters Randy Brecker and Warren Vache; legendary guitarist Mundell Lowe; saxophonists Jesse Davis, Lou Marini, and Vincent Herring; flutist Hubert Laws; and with the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra and the Mingus Big Band.

Don’s television credits include a two-year run on CBS’s Guiding Light and a guest appearance, taped for PBS, with John Williams and the Boston Pops featuring Maureen McGovern.

Don attended Oberlin College  and received a BM degree in piano performance from Indiana University, where he studied with the celebrated concert pianist Abbey Simon and was taken under the wing of jazz pedagogue David Baker. A devoted music educator in his own right, Don served for eight years as artistic director of Singers Forum—a non-profit music studio committed to providing vocal training for New York City residents.