From the Press
Company at Barrington Stage
"Role for role, this is the best-sung "Company" I’ve ever heard—not just in regional theater, but anywhere. Dan Pardo, the music director, doubtless deserves a big slice of credit for the quality of both the singing and the playing of the nine-piece orchestra." —The Wall Street Journal
"Indeed, the entire production – backed by Dan Pardo’s super pit orchestra – works splendidly in the nooks and crannies of Sondheim’s musical and literary imagination." —The Daily Gazette
"The cast reveals the lives of 11 longtime friends and gives voice to some of musical theater’s most familiar and satisfying songs. The expert music direction and conducting of the nine-member pit orchestra is by Dan Pardo" —The Albany Times Union
Fun Home at the Weston Playhouse
"Director Malcolm Ewen, with excellent assist from Music Director Dan Pardo, brings life and pace to this short chamber piece. They have honed this fine cast into a perfect ensemble that presents us with a vibrant, rhythmic evening of musical pastiche and a courageous story, tempered by irony and tenderness." —The Chester Telegraph
"Dan Pardo, the music director, led the excellent five-piece pit band at the rear of the stage." —The Barre Montpelier Times Argus
The Bikinis at the Long Wharf
"...the music is lovingly resuscitated. And the music is the point. Harmonizing beautifully under the musical direction of Dan Pardo, they perform fondly remembered classics, with reprises of the Bikinis’ “hits,” appropriately ’60s-style ditties written by Mr. Roderick and Joseph Baker." —The New York Times
"Credit musical director-keyboardist Dan Pardo for muting his band sufficiently [enough] to keep the voices paramount without burying the musicians’ skillful playing. One actually hears and understands lyrics so elusive in their original recordings." —The New Haven Register
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying at The 5th Avenue Theatre
"The score by Frank Loesser, conducted by Dan Pardo with new orchestrations by Bruce Monroe, gives the satire its spirit and sass" —The Daily Record
"A powerhouse ensemble is light and comically charged on their feet in the several big production numbers. Musical direction by Dan Pardo is big, old-school Broadway brassy" —Jetspace Magazine
The Fantasticks at The Cape Playhouse
"...But most of all, see it — or rather, hear it — just for the bliss of savoring a cast of phenomenal voices, each topping the one before... The vocal performances in this show are simply sensational, especially shining in the show's numerous duets. The original score called for harp and piano, and here, [music director Dan Pardo] has topped them off with a little percussion to accentuate the production’s unique rhythm." —Cape Cod Times
What a Man! Goldie Dver Sings Anthony Newley at Don't Tell Mama
"Thanks to impressive arrangements by Musical Director Dan Pardo, Goldie is able to sing Newley compositions like “I’ve Got a Golden Ticket” (from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory) and “Nothing Can Stop Me Now!” (from The Roar of the Greasepaint The Smell of the Crowd) in her own way, which doesn’t only pay tribute to Newley, it pays tribute to Dver. The WHAT A MAN! band is John Miller on Bass, Chip Fabrizi on Drums, and Dan Pardo [conducting] (and singing) from the Piano, and they are all wonderful." —Stephen Mosher, BroadwayWorld
"Dan Pardo’s excellent musical direction, along with John Miller on bass and Chip Fabrizi on percussion, adds a golden touch to the show." —Analisa Bell, BroadwayWorld
"There is also musical director Dan Pardo’s superb accompaniment, alongside the bass of John Miller and percussion by Chip Fabrizi which gives the show a welcomed, polished flair." —Ron Fassler, Theater Pizzazz
"The evening was everything such a tribute should be: highly personal with a tight focus, a mix of emotions and humor and a nicely varied song list drawn from the subject’s expansive repertoire ,with a mix of famous and forgotten numbers. Smoothly directed by James Beaman, and featuring strong musical support from music director Dan Pardo, bassist John Miller and drummer Chip Fabrizi." —Marilyn Lester, Nitelife Exchange
From my colleagues
"Dan Pardo is a genius, plain and simple. There are two cornerstones to what makes someone a truly brilliant musician: technical know-how and that undefinable 'heart/soul' component. Dan has both of those in spades. When I put a song in his hands, I know the arrangements I get back are going to be not only incredibly detailed and precise, but also have true feeling and heart stamped all over them. Dan really feels music, and the way he draws out and finesses every fill and dynamic change elevates the intent of what I write and brings it to a whole new level. When I hand someone a transcription that Dan has made, I know it's going to sound exactly the way I wanted it to."
-Eli Bolin
Emmy-nominated Composer of John Mulaney and the Sack Lunch Bunch, Co-op, Found, Skippyjon Jones, and Volleygirls, among others
-Eli Bolin
Emmy-nominated Composer of John Mulaney and the Sack Lunch Bunch, Co-op, Found, Skippyjon Jones, and Volleygirls, among others
"When you want the work as you requested it and on time, you call a professional. When you want to rest assured that attention to detail has been paid and the work is pristine, you call a skilled technician. When you want the work approached sensitively, you call an artist. When it's imperative that you have all three, you call Dan Pardo. Dan's collaborative transcription work on our new musical, TRAFFIC, has made a once impassable mountain seem like easy terrain. Creating new work is about getting to the next level of development and we are now ready to move forward because of Dan's contribution."
–[The Late, Great] Trent Armand Kendall
Onemoe Music, LLC
–[The Late, Great] Trent Armand Kendall
Onemoe Music, LLC
"I had the great pleasure of working with Dan at the Goodspeed during MAME and was not only impressed with the work he did on that show's score, but also as a pianist, musician, and coach in the private lessons we gave fellow cast members. He is such a rounded artist, and one of the most professional and thoughtful people I have ever met. To be around him is a gift."
-Judy Blazer, Actress, Singer, Vocal Coach
-Judy Blazer, Actress, Singer, Vocal Coach
"Dan Pardo is a consummate professional, an exceptional musician, and a joy to work with. Calliope Brass commissioned a suite from In The Heights for our show and have consistently gotten compliments on the arrangement each time we perform. Many audience members single it out as their favorite on our program. Dan's passion for music shines through his writing, and his drive to continuously improve his craft makes him an outstanding partner to grow with as we shape our group sound!"
-Erin A. Paul, Horn
-Erin A. Paul, Horn
