Glen Clugston

Glen Clugston, 94, a conductor and pianist and a member of Local 802 since 1957, died on Dec. 4, 2023. Mr. Clugston was born on May 17, 1929 in Cherokee, Kansas to Ward and Clara (Boulware) Clugston. He began his studies in piano at the age of eight. Later the family moved to nearby Pittsburg, Kansas in order for him to attend Pittsburg State University; there, he intensified his studies with pianist Will Humble. After graduation he came to New York in 1953 to attend Juilliard, studying with James Friskin and later with Robert Goldsand, and attaining some reputation as an accompanist to vocalists and instrumentalists in the city. His interest in the theatre led him to private study with conductors Ernst Knoch, Ottavio de Rosa and Gustav Meier. During this time the U.S. State Department established the Cultural Exchange Program, sending American artists on tour not only to concertize but to exchange views and experiences with local musicians. Mr. Clugston was chosen (after a three-hour audition) as accompanist to concert harmonica artist John Sebastian for a tour beginning in Japan and extending to 22 countries including Yugoslavia, Romania, Italy and Israel, as well as engagements at the Berlin Festival and the Osaka Festival, and recordings under the Decca and Toshiba labels. As a performer, Mr. Clugston was pianist for the American premiere of “Pieces for Prepared Piano and String Orchestra” by Toshiro Mayuzumi (who was present, and prepared the piano), as well as Ralph Vaughan Williams’ “Romance for Harmonica.” Mr. Clugston then began extensive work in American musical theatre. He conducted the national tours of “Annie,” “1776,” “Peter Pan,” “Fiddler on the Roof,” “Funny Girl,” “Half a Sixpence,” and a tour of “My Fair Lady” in Germany and the Netherlands. He was chosen to coach and co-conduct the Hallmark Hall of Fame TV production of “The Fantasticks,” starring Bert Lahr, Stanley Holloway, Ricardo Montalban, Susan Watson and John Davidson. Mr. Clugston also had the pleasure of working with Ann Miller, Howard Keel, Juliet Prowse, Sandy Duncan, John Gavin, Elaine Stritch, Edward Everett Horton, Kay Ballard, Lucy Arnaz, Helen Gallagher, Ginger Rogers, Page O’Hara, Mickey Rooney and Jerome Hines; choreographers and directors Peter Gennaro, Rob Marshall, Ron Field, Herbert Ross, Onna White, Larry Kasha, Bill Guske, Leo Muller, Leslie Cutler, Morton Da Costa, and William Francisco; orchestrators Phil Lang, Ralph Burns and Larry Hochman; and composers Hector Villa-Lobos, Charles Strouse, Clint Ballard and Willard Straight. He conducted productions in many of the nation’s leading regional theatres and opera companies, such as the Michigan Opera Theatre, Opera Pacific, Augusta Opera, Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Kennedy Center and the Paper Mill Playhouse. Off Broadway, he was invited by Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt to join “The Fantasticks” early in its run, and the Sullivan Street Playhouse became a second home for several years. He also conducted Willard Straight and David Eddy’s “The Athenian Touch” at the Jan Hus Playhouse with Miriam Marlowe and Butterfly McQueen. Mr. Clugston led the Clint Ballard-Lee Goldsmith score for “Come Back, Little Sheba,” starring Kaye Ballard, in its Chicago production, as well as its 2002 revival at the White Barn Theatre as Sheba with Donna McKechnie, and recordings of both productions. In observance of Lucille Lortel’s 100th birthday and the birth of the Off Broadway movement, he conducted an Actors Fund benefit concert of “The Threepenny Opera” with original 1954 Off Broadway cast members Bea Arthur, Charlotte Rae, Jo Sullivan and William Duell, plus Donna McKechnie, George S. Irving, Charles Abbott and Robert Cuccioli. The evening was directed by Donald Saddler. He also served as artistic director and conductor of the American Musical Theatre of New London, Connecticut, a group whose goal was to present the classics of musical theatre from the 1950s and 1960s with original orchestrations and complete casts of performers. It was a successful venture, with major roles cast from New York performers and minor roles coming from a talented group of locals. The company presented six productions a year for two years, with Ginger Rogers directing the last offering, “Babes in Arms.” As musical director and co-founder of New York’s American Opera Repertory Company, he conducted a sold-out Town Hall performance of Halevy’s “La Juive,” not presented in New York in nearly 100 years, to overwhelming response. Other operatic conducting credits include “La bohème,” “La traviata,” “Madama Butterfly” and “L’amico Fritz” for the Philadelphia Lyric Opera, and “The Mikado” with Michigan Opera Theatre. He dealt in more esoteric compositions when the near-absence of Antonio Vivaldi’s operatic repertoire in the U.S. inspired Mr. Clugston and producer Melvin Fuchs to present “Vocally Vivaldi,” all-Vivaldi concerts with a group of eight singers and Baroque orchestra, at New York’s Merkin Hall. In 1999 Mr. Clugston was offered conductorship of the Stamford Chorale in Connecticut, a position that he held for nearly ten years. “Glen researched and found the orchestrations for the Victor Herbert opera ‘Natoma’ in the Library of Congress,” reported Peter Simmons, Glen’s partner, in an e-mail to Allegro. “Glen spent several years compiling and developing this work, which was Victor Herbert’s only opera, so that it could be heard again after 100 years. He was the force behind the large group of artists that brought this opera to the public. The producer was Alyce Mott, and Gerald Steichen was the conductor of a full, Local 802 unionized orchestra. This momentous performance occurred at the DiMenna Center on July 13, 2014. It was one of Glen’s proudest and successful events in his long career.” Mr. Clugston died in the loving arms of his partner Peter Simmons and his most loving niece Kory Coughy. They provided the care and love along with an incredible team of hospice caregivers from the Metropolitan Jewish Health Services. Mr. Clugston was provided a gentle and painless path toward his next journey.

Glen Clugston

May 17, 1929 - December 4, 2023