Background
Duchin was born in New York City, the son of pianist and band leader Eddy Duchin. His mother was Marjorie Oelrichs, a Newport, Rhode Island and New York City socialite who died unexpectedly when he was just five days old.
Duchin was born in New York City, the son of pianist and band leader Eddy Duchin. His mother was Marjorie Oelrichs, a Newport, Rhode Island and New York City socialite who died unexpectedly when he was just five days old.
Duchin was educated at Eaglebrook School and The Hotchkiss School prep schools in New England. He spent time in Paris, France and studied at the Sorbonne before returning home and graduating from Yale University.
She had been removed from the New York Social Register for marrying Duchin"s father — himself a bandleader — because Eddy Duchin was Jewish, and her reaction was reportedly, "Who cares? Duchin formed his first professional band, which played the Saint Regis Hotel in New York City, in 1962 thanks in part to his family name and the networking it had made possible. The band"s style and genres have been described as "a musical approach that incorporates big bands, swing and Broadway songs (and nowadays, old-fashioned rock "n" roll)."
Duchin"s music was much heard on MOR radio in the late 1960s and early 70s from albums and singles released on the Decca, Bell and Capitol labels. His single "Star Dust" reached #143 in the Cashbox survey, 1964.
By 2009, Duchin"s band had played at an estimated 6,000 performances.
Duchin is an honorary member and former Vice-Chairman of the New York State Council on the Arts. He has served on the boards of American Ballet Theatre, Carnegie Hall, Spoleto Festival United States of America, The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, the board of Trustees for the Glimmerglass Opera of Cooperstown, New York, the Advisory Council for the American Russian Youth Orchestra, the National Jazz Service Organization, the World Policy Institute, and the Citizens Committee Foreign New York City.
He was also a board member for The Center for Arts Education.
Board directors Chamber Music Society, Lincoln Center, Ballet Theater Foundation, Citizens Committee for New York City, Incorporated, New York York Foundation for the Arts, World Policy Institute, National Jazz Service Organization. Member advisory board Congressional Arts Caucus Educational Program, Planned Parenthood, Musicians Emergency Fund. Member American Center (board directors), New York State Council on Arts.
Clubs: Yale (New York City). Racquet and Tennis, Century Association.
Married Cheray Zauderer, June 22, 1964 (divorced 1982). Children: Jason Edwin, Courtnay Oelrichs, Colin Zauderer. Married Brooke Hayward, December 24, 1985.