Background
Schafer, Milton was born on September 24, 1920 in New York City.
Schafer, Milton was born on September 24, 1920 in New York City.
Certified, Paris Conservatory, 1950. Student, American Conservatory, Fontainbleu, France. Private study, Nadia Boulanger, Paris, 1950.
Bachelor of Science, Juilliard School Music, New York City, 1952. Master of Arts, City College of New York, New York City, 1967. Studied with, Alfred Mirovitch.
Studied with, Irwin Freundlich. Studied with, Lonnie Epstein.
He returned to the United States. to give his Town Hall début as a pianist in 1950, receiving very favorable reviews and performed there again in 1954. He worked as musical assistant (accompanist and adviser) to Bob Merrill ("(How Much Is) That Doggie in the Window?") for two years and after a stint at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in Hollywood, Vernon Duke signed him as a composer with Frank Loesser"s publishing company, Frank Music. His first (unproduced) musical was The Happy Time based on Samuel Taylor"s play (and not Kander and Ebb’s later musical of the same name), for which he wrote both lyrics and music this was followed by an album of children's songs recorded by Danny Kaye, called Mommy Gimme a Drinka Water for which he also wrote music and lyrics.
His first produced musical was Bravo Giovanni! which was nominated for a Tony in 1962, and which starred Cesare Siepi and Michele Lee.
This was followed in 1965 by Drat! The Cat! starring Elliott Gould and Lesley Ann Warren, with lyrics and book by Ira Levin, from which score Barbra Streisand recorded “He Touched Maine” (originally titled She Touched Maine). Schafer"s song "Crazy Barbara" was adapted as a children"s picture book, That Crazy Barb"ra, illustrated by G. Brian Karas (Dial Press 2003.
(a Song Cycle by Milton Schafer for voice and piano. Upper...)
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Staff sergeant United States Army Air Force, 1942-1946. Member American Society of Composers, Dramatists Guild, The Bohemians, National Arts Club.
Son of Abraham and May (Meyerson) S. Divorced 1974; 1 child, Nina Kathryn.