(CelebrityAccess MediaWire) — KOCH Records has entered into a worldwide, multi-record deal with Broadway and pop composer Frank Wildhorn and Jeremy Roberts (GlobalVision Records). KOCH Records/GlobalVision will create recordings based on Frank Wildhorn's musicals and will together develop new theatrically-based recording projects.
Frank Wildhorn's works span the worlds of popular, theatrical, and classical music. From his roots in pop (including Whitney Houston's #1 international hit "Where Do Broken Hearts Go?"), Frank's musical journey took him to Broadway, where, in 1999, he became the first American composer in 22 years to have three shows running simultaneously on Broadway: "Jekyll & Hyde" (written with Leslie Bricusse), which continues to be played all over the world, recorded in many languages; "The Scarlet Pimpernel" (written with Nan Knighton), which is also currently playing internationally; and "The Civil War" (written with Jack Murphy & Gregory Boyd), which opens a five-year run at the Majestic Theatre in Gettysburg nex summer. His other Broadway show, "Dracula: The Musical" (written with Don Black & Christopher Hampton) is currently running to sold-out houses in Europe. He also composed additional music for Julie Andrews for the Broadway production of "Victor/Victoria." Jeremy Roberts has been Frank's musical partner, arranger, and co-producer in all these titles, and has served as the musical director to singer Linda Eder for the past 19 years.
"I am both grateful and excited for all the musical opportunities and adventures I will be taking with KOCH Records, which has given me a wonderful new musical home in which to launch these new endeavors," says Wildhorn.. "Bob Frank shares in Jeremy's and my vision in creating crossover theatrical recordings for the world, and we look forward to a long and successful relationship. With scheduled openings in the U.S., London, Prague, Budapest, Vienna, St. Gallen (Switzerland), Tokyo, and Shanghai, all in the next few years, we will be putting a great deal of focus on the international market as well as the U.S."
KOCH Records plans on releasing concept albums of "Dracula: The Musical" and "Jekyll & Hyde: The Concert" in early 2006. –Bob Grossweiner and Jane Cohen
