Brian Katona

Brian Katona, DMA, is a composer, pianist and musical director of musical theatre and classical/choral music. Brian’s compositions and arrangements have been performed in Los Angeles, New York, the Aspen Music Festival, and appeared on television and in films. He is a member of the prestigious BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop, and his brass and orchestral music is published with Imagine Music Company in NYC. Brian’s original musical, Jesse James DEAD OR ALIVE, has been developed at the Workshop Theatre Company in NYC. Selections from ‘Dead or Alive’ were recently presented at New York's Golden Fleece Composers Chamber Theatre Series.

Currently Brian is collaborating with Jerrod Bogard on a new musical based on the blockbuster movie and hit novel, The Neverending Story. He is also collaborating with lyricist/librettist Barry Harman on the new musical EMPRESS. Brian is the music supervisor/vocal arranger for Amazing Sex, the new musical (Harman & Herrman). Additional projects include: copyist/transcriber for the new Dreamworks animated film, LIDSVILLE (lyrics by Glenn Slater, music by Alan Menken), and for the new musical, BLACK BEAUTY (Harman & Sommer).

Brian has performed internationally as a conductor and pianist, including appearances in Berlin, Venlo, Utrecht, Lucca, Cincinnati, Los Angeles and New York. Brian’s ensembles have performed at the Hollywood Bowl, Walt Disney Concert Hall and Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles. His work has been heard at Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall. He performed as a keyboardist for the national tour of Guys and Dolls, in addition to numerous other shows.

This Holiday season, Katona's music will be featured on the Christmas albums of America's Got Talent finalist, Branden James and star of Broadway's Lion King, Derrick Davis. Katona will also have his Lincoln Center debut this December with the new Christmas classic, Don't Say Merry Christmas.

As his alter-ego, Dr. Katona, Brian is an Associate Conductor at the Trenton Symphony Orchestra and New Jersey Repertory Orchestra. Dr. Katona also educates the musicians of the future as a professor at Rutgers University's Mason Gross School of Music. He also serves as the cooridinator of Musical Theatre at Rutgers, and is in the process of desigining and implementing a BFA degree in Musical Theatre.

He is a member of the Dramatists Guild, the Songwriters Guild of America, BMI Inc., League of American Orchestras, the American Federation of Musicians, and the Directory Of Contemporary Musical Theater. Dr. Katona is the founder and owner of EMLA PRODUCTIONS, LLC.

Visit:

https://soundcloud.com/brian-e-katona?

to listen to some new recordings.