Peter Matz distinguished himself as one of the foremost musical director/arranger/composers in every medium of entertainment. He was honored with three Emmy Awards, a Grammy Award, two Tony Award nominations, a Clio Award, and an Academy Award nomination. His original scores for countless feature films and television movies also earned him additional awards, nominations and critical acclaim.

Born in Pittsburgh (1928), he studied chemical engineering at UCLA and played assorted woodwinds in local dance bands during his spare time; following graduation, he traveled to Paris for two years to soak up the city's music scene, and in 1954 went to New York to study piano and music theory. His first job was as rehearsal pianist for Harold Haerlen's musical House of Flowers; that engagement led to a position as arranger/orchestrator on Arlen's next project, Jamaica, which starred Lena Horne. 

As a musical director, he arranged and conducted for such legendary superstars as Noel Coward, Marlene Dietrich, Bernadette Peters, Peggy Lee, Bing Crosby, Rosemary Clooney, Liza Minnelli, Diahann Carroll, Tony Bennett, Sarah Vaughan, Dionne Warwick, Samuel Ramey, Kiri Tekanawa, Melissa Manchester, and Carol Burnett.

After meeting Barbra Streisand, Matz arranged and conducted her 1963 debut, The Barbra Streisand Album, which made her a star; he also worked on her next four records, including the Grammy-winning People and My Name Is Barbra, the latter of which won him an Emmy for the accompanying TV special. Matz went on to win two more Emmys -- one for 1970's The Sounds of Burt Bacharach, and another in 1973 for his work on The Carol Burnett Show, where he served as musical director from 1971-1979. In 1975, Matz was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Score for his work on Barbra Streisand's Funny Lady. He continued to work in film and television, and returned to Broadway in 1989 to orchestrate Grand Hotel, later producing the cast album.

Peter frequently taught seminars and served on the faculty of the USC School of Music. He and his wife, singer Marilynn Lovell, also wrote and performed a series of benefit concerts around the country which raised several hundred thousand dollars to provide home health care for people with AIDS.

When the SCL was founded in 1983, Peter was one of the principal members of the Organizing Committee. His total commitment to the group, particularly the younger members, exemplifies the kind of generous human being he was. He died in August 2002.

The Society of Composers & Lyricists
https://thescl.com/in-memoriam