Charles Segal (pianist)

Charles Segal (born in Joniškis, Lithuania) in 1929 is a classically trained jazz and commercial pianist, and composer. When Charles was 2, his mother, mandolinist, Riva Segal, brought her two sons, Louis and Charles, to escape the Holocaust from Lithuania to Cape Town, South Africa. They travelled from Germany on the ship, the SS Adolph Woermann. Riva also brought with her, her half sister, and her family: Ella (née Zotnickaita) and Ber Skikne and their three sons, the youngest being Hirske, who became renowned actor, Laurence Harvey. [1][1] Segal studied classical music, becoming an Associate (ATCL) and a Licentiate of the Trinity College of London (LTCL) in performance and teaching. Segal had a well-known musical career as a pianist, composer, publisher, arranger and teacher. He was a founding member of the Southern African Music Rights Organization (SAMRO) and the Drama and Literary Rights Organization (DALRO) in 1961 along with Dr. Gideon Roos Senior.[2] He founded the Charles Segal Music School in Pretoria and Cape Town. In 1971 Charles met his third wife, Colleen Hay, an actress, musician and singer in the popular band called The In-Set.The Cape Argus January 1978. Colleen later founded the Hay-Schneider School of Speech and Drama in Cape Town The Cape Times 1976 and the Centre stage Theatre school in Newton, MA, USA. Boston Sunday Globe 1986. Charles and Colleen have two children together, Reeve Segal, attorney, and Melanie Segal, PR expert. Charles also has two older children from his second marriage.

For the American classicist, see Charles Segal (classicist).

Charles Segal

Career

Charles Segal, an English-speaking, Jewish pianist first gained public recognition in 1952 when his first song, the Afrikaans "Miskien" ("Perhaps") won the Rooi Roos magazine song-writing competition. From 1953 through 1986 Segal performed regularly on live and recorded SABC radio shows in South Africa, such as "Piano Playtime" "Sundown Serenade" and "SA Showtime" and, in the US has been featured on Supreme Master Television.[3] "The Music of Charles Segal" on the SABC television network was a 1985 TV special featuring a wide range of South African musicians performing Charles Segal original compositions.[4]

Segal composed, performed and arranged 50 transcription long-playing recordings for the SABC and was frequently commissioned to compose music for SABC productions, such as "The Forsyte Saga", "Story of an African Farm", and "The Saga of Prunella" and "The Summons". His song, "Carousel" was the theme for the "Radio RSA" overseas broadcasts from 1969 through 1996. Numerous Charles Segal compositions have become part of traditional South African music: songs such as "Africa," "Kwela, Kwela," "Sy Kom Van Kommetjie," "Kalkoenkie" and "Hy-Ba-Ba-Rie-Bab," many of which were sung in Afrikaans. In 1973, Segal's song, "My Children, My Wife" (Segal-Roos), was voted by the South African audiences as the Song of the Year. Segal was presented the SARI Award (equivalent to a Grammy Award) by Dr. Christiaan Barnard, renowned surgeon who performed the world's first heart transplant. "My Children, My Wife" (Segal-Roos) was subsequently recorded in the Netherlands, Germany and Israel and reached European hit parades.[5]

Segal founded the Spin Record Company in 1954 to record and promote his music. Once established as a popular performer, Segal was recruited by other record labels, such as Trutone, Gallo Africa, Trek Music, CBS, MFP Music for Pleasure and Reader's Digest to record on their labels. Segal's Publications was established in 1953 to maintain the copyright of Charles Segal compositions, to publish popular Segal songs on sheet music and to also promote fellow musicians and songwriters. Segal's Publications is also known as Charles Segal Publications and is affiliated with BMI. Some popular Charles Segal Sheet Music Albums include: "Charles Segal's Favourite Melodies", "Charles Segal's Favourite Melodies Volume 2", "The Charles Segal Dorothy Arenson Song Book" and "Sing With Charles Segal". Children's sheet music albums include "Magical Mystery Man", "Everyday Things", "Animal Concert", "Sprankelende Liedjies".

Segal's Publications also published music tutor books in English and Afrikaans such as: "Home Piano Course for Beginners", Volumes 1 and 2, "Instant Organ" and "Kits Orrel", "Instant Chord Book for the Piano", "Instant Keyboard" and "Instant Songwriting".

Segal's musical career spread to other parts of the world, including London (1961),[6] Boston (1967),[7] and in New York where his song "Another Time, Another Place" written with US lyricist Gladys Shelly (1968) was recorded by jazz singer, Arthur Prysock.[8] Other hits written in the USA include "Girl Power" with Sheila Davis and "Tomboy", sung by Ronnie Dove, which received a "bullet" rating in Billboard Magazine in 1968. Segal's song, "You're Not Alone", written with lyricist, Barbara Brilliant, was featured at an AIDS Foundation fundraiser at the Boston Garden in 1992, where Joan Rivers was the M.C. and his song, "Just Talk to Me" was the theme song of a 1990s TV Talk Show of the same name on Boston's WBZTV with presenter Barbara Brilliant.

Segal has composed 8 full-length Musicals with his wife, Colleen Segal, which have been performed in South Africa, the US, Britain and Australia. These musicals include: "Magical Mystery Man", "Living! The Inside Story", "Rocky Road", "Mystery Mansion", "Once upon a Storyland", "Melanie!" and "Summer Camp". In 1987, shortly after arriving in the USA, the pair wrote a musical called "Freedom! A Refusenik Story". They have also written and published several music tutor books, such as "Instant Keyboard", "Instant Guitar" and "Instant Songwriting." Segal is a member of BMI as a songwriter and publisher.[9]

Segal moved from Boston to Los Angeles in 2018. He performs piano regularly at celebrity events for award shows such as the Oscars and Emmys, the MTV Movie Awards and the Kids Choice and Teen Choice Awards.[10] In June 2017, Segal was awarded the Guinness Book of World Records title of Most Recorded Pianist in the world, citing 11,721 tracks of his over 25,000 recorded titles.[11]


Awards

References
  1. Emery, Jane. "Behind the Music with Charles Segal." LA's The Place, n.d. Web. 15 July 2013.
  2. "CISAC: 50 Years of Protecting Intellectual Property Rights". Billboard: C–44. 6 November 1976".
  3. SupremeMasterTV13. "At the Piano With Mr. Charles Segal: Brilliant Artist, Composer, and Teacher." Online video clip. YouTube. 30 July 2011. Web. 15 July 2013.
  4. Graff, Joyce. "Charles Segal and Music for Relaxation." Powerful Patient, 2008. Web. 9 July 2013.
  5. Lebovits, Susan. "Hitting the High Note In Life." Boston Globe 6 April 2008. Print.
  6. Steinman, Sampl."U.S Col. Releases Allison's Disk." Billboard Weekly 5 June 1961: 35–41. Print.
  7. "Segal S. Africa in States". Billboard Weekly 7 October 1967:9–10. Print.
  8. "Publisher Segal Completes Deals". Billboard Weekly 6 April 1968: 6. Print.
  9. Publisher member number: CAE/IPI #: 239453062 Composer member #: CAE/IPI #: 28244984
  10. Emery, Jane. "Behind the Music with Charles Segal." LA's The Place, n.d. Web. 15 July 2013
  11. "Most recorded pianist". Guinness World Records. Retrieved 25 October 2018.
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