Menu
Home Explore People Places Arts History Plants & Animals Science Life & Culture Technology
On this page
John Kander
American musical theatre composer

John Harold Kander (born March 18, 1927) is an American composer, known largely for his work in the musical theater. As part of the songwriting team Kander and Ebb (with lyricist Fred Ebb), Kander wrote the scores for 15 musicals, including Cabaret (1966) and Chicago (1975), both of which were later adapted into acclaimed films. He and Ebb also wrote the standard "New York, New York" (officially known as "Theme from New York, New York"). The team received numerous nominations, including eleven for Tony Awards (won four, followed by a Lifetime Achievement Award for Kander), two nominations for Academy Awards, and five for Golden Globe Awards.

Related Image Collections Add Image
Profiles
2 Images
We don't have any YouTube videos related to John Kander yet.
We don't have any PDF documents related to John Kander yet.
We don't have any Books related to John Kander yet.
We don't have any archived web articles related to John Kander yet.

Early life

John Kander, the second son of Harold and Bernice (Aaron) Kander, was born on March 18, 1927, in Kansas City, Missouri.2 He has stated that he grew up in a loving, middle-class Jewish family and maintained a lifelong close relationship with his older brother, Edward, who became a sales manager at a brokerage house in the city.3 Kander attributes his early interest in music (starting at age four) to the family's love of singing around the piano.4 His first composition was a Christmas carol, written during second-grade mathematics class; his teacher's encouragement led to the school choir singing it for a holiday assembly.5 The teacher discreetly asked Kander's parents for permission to use the song, since he is Jewish. He attended his first opera performances at the age of nine, when the San Carlo Opera came to Kansas City with productions of Aida and Madama Butterfly. According to Kander, "My mother took me and we sat in the first row. There were these giants on the stage, and my feet were dangling over my seat. It was overwhelming for me, even though I could see the strings that held the beards on the Egyptian soldiers.... My interest in telling a story through music in many ways derived from early experiences like those."6

Kander attended Westport High School before transferring to the Pembroke Country-Day School. During World War II, Kander joined the U.S. Merchant Marine Cadet Corps. After completing his training in California and sailing between San Francisco and Asia, Kander left the Corps on May 3, 1946.7 However, due to rule changes governing national service, Kander was forced to enlist in the Army Reserves in September of the same year, after having completed one semester at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music. During the Korean War, Kander was ordered back into active duty, but he had to remain in New York City for six months of observation after a medical exam revealed scars on his lungs. He was officially discharged on July 3, 1957.8

Kander graduated with a degree in music at Oberlin College in 1951 and went on to graduate studies at Columbia University, where he was a protégé of Douglas Moore9 and studied composition with Jack Beeson and Otto Luening. He earned his master's degree from Columbia University in 1953.10

Career

Following his studies, Kander began conducting at summer theaters before serving as a rehearsal pianist11 for the musical West Side Story by Leonard Bernstein and Jerome Robbins in New York. While working, Kander met the choreographer Jerome Robbins, who suggested that Kander compose dance music. After that experience, he wrote dance arrangements for Gypsy in 1959 and Irma la Douce in 1960.12

Kander's first produced musical was A Family Affair in 1962, written with James and William Goldman. The same year, Kander met Fred Ebb through their mutual publisher, Tommy Volando.13 The first song Kander and Ebb wrote together, "My Coloring Book", was made popular by a recording from Sandy Stewart. Their second song, "I Don't Care Much", was made famous by Barbra Streisand, and Kander and Ebb became a permanent team.14

In 1965, Kander and Ebb wrote music for their first show on Broadway, Flora the Red Menace, produced by Hal Prince, directed by George Abbott, and with book by George Abbott and Robert Russell, in which Liza Minnelli made her Broadway debut.15

Kander and Ebb have since been associated with writing material for both Liza Minnelli1617 and Chita Rivera (including the musicals Zorba, Chicago, The Rink, and Kiss of the Spider Woman) and have produced special material for their appearances live and on television, such as Liza with a Z. Most notably, Kander and Ebb wrote the dramatic title song that Minnelli introduced in her 1977 film, New York, New York, at the request of director Martin Scorsese and co-star Robert De Niro.18

The Broadway musicals Cabaret and Chicago have been made into films. The film version of Chicago won several 2002 Academy Awards, including for best picture, film editing, costume design, art direction and sound.19 In his musicological and biographical study of the collaboration of Kander and Ebb, James Leve discusses the full history of Cabaret and Chicago in chapters titled "The Divinely Decadent Lives of Cabaret" and "Chicago: Broadway to Hollywood". As Leve notes, Cabaret, a musical adaptation of Christopher Isherwood's The Berlin Stories, was an "ideal vehicle for Kander and Ebb's brittle and self-referential brand of musical theater."20 This insight also holds true for Chicago.

Kander, along with Ebb, also wrote songs for Thornton Wilder's The Skin of Our Teeth, which was set to premiere in London, but the rights were pulled by Wilder's nephew. Kander also says that Harvey Schmidt and Tom Jones, the writers of The Fantasticks, wrote a musical of Wilder's Our Town, which took them thirteen years to write, only to have the rights pulled as well by the nephew.21

Ebb died in 2004, and Kander's first musical without Ebb in many years, The Landing, with book and lyrics by Greg Pierce, premiered off-Broadway at the Vineyard Theatre on October 23, 2013.22 The musical, which was a series of three "mini-musicals", was directed by Walter Bobbie and starred David Hyde Pierce and Julia Murney.23

Kander's musical Kid Victory, with book and lyrics by Greg Pierce, had its world premiere February 28, 2015, at the Signature Theatre in Arlington, Virginia.24 Kid Victory premiered off-Broadway at the Vineyard Theatre on February 1, 2017, in previews, and opened officially on February 22, 2017. Direction was by Liesl Tommy, with choreography by Christopher Windom. The cast featured Jeffry Denman and Karen Ziemba.25

Kander (music) and David Thompson (lyrics) wrote the dance play The Beast in the Jungle, which opened off-Broadway in 2018 at the Vineyard Theatre. The play was directed and choreographed by Susan Stroman, and featured Tony Yazbeck and Irina Dvorovenko.26 Kander (music) collaborated with Lin-Manuel Miranda (lyrics) for Miranda's Hamildrops series: "Cheering for Me Now" is an uplifting track about New York's ratification of the constitution.27

James Leve discusses Kander's prolific career and his late musical style in the essay "John Kander: the First Ninety-Two Years".28

Personal life

In 2010, Kander married dancer and choreographer Albert Stephenson, his partner since 1977, in Toronto.2930 Kander's grand-nephew Jason Kander was formerly the Missouri Secretary of State.31

Works

Lyrics by Fred Ebb unless otherwise noted

Theatre

Film

Kander and Ebb also contributed songs for the following movies:

Film scores

Television

Awards and nominations

OrganizationsYearCategoryWorkResultRef.
Academy Awards1975Best Original Song"How Lucky Can You Get", Funny LadyNominated35
2002"I Move On", ChicagoNominated36
BAFTA Awards2002Best Original MusicChicagoNominated37
Golden Globe Awards1972Best Original Song"Mein Herr", CabaretNominated38
"Money, Money", CabaretNominated39
1975Best Original ScoreFunny LadyNominated40
Best Original Song"How Lucky Can You Get", Funny LadyNominated41
1977Best Original Song"New York, New York", New York, New YorkNominated42
Grammy Awards1963Song of the Year"My Coloring Book"Nominated43
1968Best Musical Theater AlbumCabaretWon44
1969The Happy TimeNominated45
1970ZorbaNominated46
1976ChicagoNominated47
1981Song of the YearTheme from New York, New YorkNominated48
1982Best Musical Theater AlbumWoman of the YearNominated49
1994Kiss of the Spider WomanNominated50
2004Best Song Written for Visual Media"I Move On", ChicagoNominated51
Primetime Emmy Awards1973Outstanding Music Composition for a Special ProgramLiza with a ZNominated52
Outstanding Original Music and LyricsWon
1986Outstanding Music Composition for a Miniseries or SpecialAn Early FrostNominated53
1993Outstanding Music & Lyrics"Sorry I Asked", Liza Minnelli Live! From Radio City Music HallWon54
Laurence Olivier Award1998Best MusicalChicagoWon
Tony Awards1967Composer and LyricstCabaretWon55
1968The Happy TimeNominated56
1976Best Original ScoreChicagoNominated57
1978The ActNominated58
1981Woman of the YearWon59
1984The RinkNominated60
1993Kiss of the Spider WomanWon61
1997Steel PierNominated62
2007CurtainsNominated63
2011The Scottsboro BoysNominated64
2015The VisitNominated65
2023Lifetime Achievement AwardWon66

Honorary awards

OrganizationsYearAwardResultRef.
American Theater Hall of Fame1991InducteeHonored67
Kennedy Center Honors1998MedalHonored68
Signature Theater2018Stephen Sondheim AwardHonored69
The Varsity Show2021I.A.L. Diamond AwardHonored70

References

  1. Green, Stanley (1984). The World of Musical Comedy: The Story of the American Musical Stage as Told through the Careers of Its Foremost Composers and Lyricists. New York, NY: Da Capo. p. 331. ISBN 0498023443. 0498023443 ↩

  2. Kander, John, and Fred Ebb with Greg Lawrence. Colored Lights: Forty Years of Words and Music, Show Biz, Collaboration, and All That Jazz. Faber and Faber, 2003, p.3 ↩

  3. Kander, Ebb and Lawrence, pp. 5-7. ↩

  4. Kander, Ebb and Lawrence, pp. 5-6. ↩

  5. Kander, Ebb and Lawrence, pp. 4-5. ↩

  6. Leve, James (2009). Kander and Ebb (Yale Broadway Masters Series). New Haven: Yale University Press. p. 12. ISBN 978-0300114874. 978-0300114874 ↩

  7. Leve, James (2009). Kander and Ebb (Yale Broadway Masters Series). New Haven: Yale University Press. p. 12. ISBN 978-0300114874. 978-0300114874 ↩

  8. Leve, James (2009). Kander and Ebb (Yale Broadway Masters Series). New Haven: Yale University Press. p. 12. ISBN 978-0300114874. 978-0300114874 ↩

  9. John Kander (April 7, 2010). "Passing Through Curtains". NewMusicBox (Interview). Interviewed by Frank J. Oteri (published May 1, 2010). http://www.newmusicbox.org/articles/john-kander-passing-through-curtains/ ↩

  10. Green, Stanley (1984). The World of Musical Comedy: The Story of the American Musical Stage as Told through the Careers of Its Foremost Composers and Lyricists. New York, NY: Da Capo. p. 331. ISBN 0498023443. 0498023443 ↩

  11. Green, Stanley (1984). The World of Musical Comedy: The Story of the American Musical Stage as Told through the Careers of Its Foremost Composers and Lyricists. New York, NY: Da Capo. p. 331. ISBN 0498023443. 0498023443 ↩

  12. "John Kander". Playbill. Retrieved April 29, 2025. https://playbill.com/person/john-kander-vault-0000000991 ↩

  13. Green, Stanley (1984). The World of Musical Comedy: The Story of the American Musical Stage as Told through the Careers of Its Foremost Composers and Lyricists. New York, NY: Da Capo. p. 331. ISBN 0498023443. 0498023443 ↩

  14. Green, Stanley (1984). The World of Musical Comedy: The Story of the American Musical Stage as Told through the Careers of Its Foremost Composers and Lyricists. New York, NY: Da Capo. p. 331. ISBN 0498023443. 0498023443 ↩

  15. "Flora, the Red Menace Broadway @ Alvin Theatre - Tickets and Discounts". Playbill. Retrieved January 10, 2018. http://www.playbill.com/production/flora-the-red-menace-alvin-theatre-vault-0000000893 ↩

  16. "Liza Broadway @ Winter Garden Theatre - Tickets and Discounts". Playbill. Retrieved January 10, 2018. http://www.playbill.com/production/liza-winter-garden-theatre-vault-0000011544 ↩

  17. Schillinger, Liesl (February 23, 2006). "Suddenly Liza". New York. New York Media, LLC. Retrieved January 10, 2018. http://nymag.com/movies/features/16105/ ↩

  18. Lunden, Jeff (January 28, 2002). "New York, New York". Morning Edition (Radio broadcast). NPR. Retrieved April 29, 2025. https://www.npr.org/2002/01/28/1137093/new-york-new-york ↩

  19. Lyman, Rick (March 24, 2003). "'Chicago' Is Big Oscar Winner, but 'Pianist' Surprises; Hollywood Glamour Still Stars at Ceremony, but Security and War Play Supporting Roles". The New York Times. Retrieved January 10, 2018. https://www.nytimes.com/2003/03/24/movies/chicago-big-oscar-winner-but-pianist-surprises-hollywood-glamour-still-stars.html ↩

  20. Leve, James (2009). Kander and Ebb. Yale University Press. p. 35. ISBN 978-0-300-11487-4. 978-0-300-11487-4 ↩

  21. Cerasaro, Pat (November 2, 2010). "InDepth InterView: John Kander". Broadway World. Retrieved November 24, 2010. https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/InDepth-InterView-John-Kander-20101102-page2 ↩

  22. "John Kander, Greg Pierce and Nicky Silver announced for 2013-14 Season". Vineyard Theatre. April 23, 2013. Retrieved July 4, 2014. http://www.vineyardtheatre.org/john-kander-greg-pierce-and-nicky-silver-announced-for-2013-2014-season/ ↩

  23. "The Verdict: Critics Review John Kander-Greg Pierce Musical The Landing, Starring David Hyde Pierce, Off-Broadway". Playbill. October 24, 2013. Retrieved February 1, 2017. http://www.playbill.com/article/the-verdict-critics-review-john-kander-greg-pierce-musical-the-landing-starring-david-hyde-pierce-off-broadway-com-210923 ↩

  24. Clement, Olivia (February 28, 2015). "New John Kander Musical Kid Victory Opens Tonight at the Signature". Playbill. Retrieved February 28, 2015. http://www.playbill.com/news/article/new-john-kander-musical-kid-victory-opens-tonight-at-the-signature-342918 ↩

  25. Clement, Olivia (February 22, 2017). "John Kander's Kid Victory Musical Opens Off-Broadway". Playbill. Retrieved February 22, 2017. http://www.playbill.com/article/john-kanders-kid-victory-musical-opens-off-broadway ↩

  26. Clement, Olivia (May 23, 2018). "World Premiere of Beast in the Jungle Opens Off-Broadway". Playbill. Retrieved May 23, 2018. http://www.playbill.com/article/world-premiere-of-beast-in-the-jungle-opens-off-broadway ↩

  27. Legaspi, Althea (November 17, 2019). "See Lin-Manuel Miranda Celebrate Diversity in 'Cheering for Me Now' Video". Rolling Stone. https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/lin-manuel-miranda-cheering-for-me-now-video-john-kander-758705/ ↩

  28. Leve, James (2019). "John Kander: the first Ninety-Two Years". The Routledge Companion to the Contemporary Musical. ↩

  29. Teeman, Tim (October 16, 2012). "John Kander: Life is still a cabaret". The Times. Retrieved December 2, 2015. http://www.timteeman.com/2012/10/16/john-kander-life-is-still-a-cabaret/ ↩

  30. "Broadway Composer John Kander Reflects On A Career Of 'Hidden Treasures'". Fresh Air. NPR. November 25, 2015. Retrieved December 2, 2015. https://www.npr.org/2015/11/25/457289950/broadway-composer-john-kander-reflects-on-a-career-of-hidden-treasures ↩

  31. Newmark, Judith (June 24, 2012). "John Kander brings his memories to Muny's 'Chicago'". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved December 2, 2015. http://www.stltoday.com/entertainment/arts-and-theatre/john-kander-brings-his-memories-to-muny-s-chicago/article_4616ccde-bbc2-11e1-b0cb-0019bb30f31a.html ↩

  32. Jones, Kenneth (March 22, 2007). "With Curtains, Kander Writes a Love Letter to Theatre — and to Absent Friends". Playbill. http://www.playbill.com/article/with-curtains-kander-writes-a-love-letter-to-theatre-and-to-absent-friends-com-139465 ↩

  33. "Baryshnikov on Broadway". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. October 23, 2017. Retrieved January 10, 2018. https://interviews.televisionacademy.com/shows/baryshnikov-on-broadway ↩

  34. O'Connor, John J. (May 29, 1986). "'LIZA IN LONDON' PRESENTED ON HBO". The New York Times. Retrieved January 10, 2018. https://www.nytimes.com/1986/05/29/arts/liza-in-london-presented-on-hbo.html ↩

  35. "45th Academy Awards". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. October 4, 2014. Retrieved August 25, 2024. https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1976 ↩

  36. "75th Academy Awards". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. October 5, 2014. Retrieved August 25, 2024. https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/2003 ↩

  37. "56th BAFTA Awards". BAFTA Awards. Retrieved August 25, 2024. https://awards.bafta.org/award/2003/film ↩

  38. "John Kander - Golden Globes". Golden Globe Awards. Retrieved August 25, 2024. https://goldenglobes.com/person/john-kander/ ↩

  39. "John Kander - Golden Globes". Golden Globe Awards. Retrieved August 25, 2024. https://goldenglobes.com/person/john-kander/ ↩

  40. "John Kander - Golden Globes". Golden Globe Awards. Retrieved August 25, 2024. https://goldenglobes.com/person/john-kander/ ↩

  41. "John Kander - Golden Globes". Golden Globe Awards. Retrieved August 25, 2024. https://goldenglobes.com/person/john-kander/ ↩

  42. "John Kander - Golden Globes". Golden Globe Awards. Retrieved August 25, 2024. https://goldenglobes.com/person/john-kander/ ↩

  43. "5th Annual GRAMMY Awards". Recording Academy. Retrieved August 25, 2024. https://www.grammy.com/awards/5th-annual-grammy-awards ↩

  44. "10th Annual GRAMMY Awards". Recording Academy. Retrieved August 25, 2024. https://www.grammy.com/awards/10th-annual-grammy-awards ↩

  45. "11th Annual GRAMMY Awards". Recording Academy. Retrieved August 25, 2024. https://www.grammy.com/awards/11th-annual-grammy-awards ↩

  46. "12th Annual GRAMMY Awards". Recording Academy. Retrieved August 25, 2024. https://www.grammy.com/awards/12th-annual-grammy-awards ↩

  47. "18th Annual GRAMMY Awards". Recording Academy. Retrieved August 25, 2024. https://www.grammy.com/awards/18th-annual-grammy-awards ↩

  48. "23rd Annual GRAMMY Awards". Recording Academy. Retrieved August 25, 2024. https://www.grammy.com/awards/23rd-annual-grammy-awards ↩

  49. "24th Annual GRAMMY Awards". Recording Academy. Retrieved August 25, 2024. https://www.grammy.com/awards/24th-annual-grammy-awards ↩

  50. "36th Annual GRAMMY Awards". Recording Academy. Retrieved August 25, 2024. https://www.grammy.com/awards/36th-annual-grammy-awards ↩

  51. "46th Annual GRAMMY Awards". Recording Academy. Retrieved August 25, 2024. https://www.grammy.com/awards/46th-annual-grammy-awards ↩

  52. "Nominees / Winners 1973 Emmy Awards". Television Academy. Retrieved August 25, 2024. https://www.emmys.com/awards/nominees-winners/1973 ↩

  53. "Nominees / Winners 1986 Emmy Awards". Television Academy. Retrieved August 25, 2024. https://www.emmys.com/awards/nominees-winners/1986 ↩

  54. "Nominees / Winners 1993 Emmy Awards". Television Academy. Retrieved August 25, 2024. https://www.emmys.com/awards/nominees-winners/1993 ↩

  55. "1967 Tony Award Nominations". American Theater Wing. Retrieved July 25, 2024. https://www.tonyawards.com/nominees/year/1967/category/any/show/any/?ref=broadwaynews.com ↩

  56. "1968 Tony Award Nominations". American Theater Wing. Retrieved July 25, 2024. https://www.tonyawards.com/nominees/year/1968/category/any/show/any/?ref=broadwaynews.com ↩

  57. "1976 Tony Award Nominations". American Theater Wing. Retrieved July 25, 2024. https://www.tonyawards.com/nominees/year/1976/category/any/show/any/?ref=broadwaynews.com ↩

  58. "1978 Tony Award Nominations". American Theater Wing. Retrieved July 25, 2024. https://www.tonyawards.com/nominees/year/1978/category/any/show/any/?ref=broadwaynews.com ↩

  59. "1981 Tony Award Nominations". American Theater Wing. Retrieved July 25, 2024. https://www.tonyawards.com/nominees/year/1981/category/any/show/any/?ref=broadwaynews.com ↩

  60. "1984 Tony Award Nominations". American Theater Wing. Retrieved July 25, 2024. https://www.tonyawards.com/nominees/year/1984/category/any/show/any/?ref=broadwaynews.com ↩

  61. "1993 Tony Award Nominations". American Theater Wing. Retrieved July 25, 2024. https://www.tonyawards.com/nominees/year/1993/category/any/show/any/?ref=broadwaynews.com ↩

  62. "1997 Tony Award Nominations". American Theater Wing. Retrieved July 25, 2024. https://www.tonyawards.com/nominees/year/1997/category/any/show/any/?ref=broadwaynews.com ↩

  63. "2007 Tony Award Nominations". American Theater Wing. Retrieved July 25, 2024. https://www.tonyawards.com/nominees/year/2007/category/any/show/any/?ref=broadwaynews.com ↩

  64. "2011 Tony Award Nominations". American Theater Wing. Retrieved July 25, 2024. https://www.tonyawards.com/nominees/year/2011/category/any/show/any/?ref=broadwaynews.com ↩

  65. "2015 Tony Award Nominations". American Theater Wing. Retrieved July 25, 2024. https://www.tonyawards.com/nominees/year/2015/category/any/show/any/?ref=broadwaynews.com ↩

  66. "2023 Tony Award Nominations". American Theater Wing. Retrieved July 25, 2024. https://www.tonyawards.com/nominees/year/2023/category/any/show/any/?ref=broadwaynews.com ↩

  67. "Notes for John Kander". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved July 4, 2014.[dead link] http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/98230 ↩

  68. "List of Kennedy Center Honorees". John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Archived from the original on November 15, 2013. Retrieved July 4, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20131115121714/http://www.kennedy-center.org/programs/specialevents/honors/history.cfm ↩

  69. Gans, Andrew (December 12, 2017). "Tony Winner John Kander Will Receive Signature's Stephen Sondheim Award". Playbill. Retrieved April 7, 2018. http://www.playbill.com/article/tony-winner-john-kander-will-receive-signatures-stephen-sondheim-award ↩

  70. "General 1". The Varsity Show. Retrieved September 19, 2021. https://www.thevarsityshow.com/ial-diamond ↩