Richard Perlmutter ’80 Nominated for 2005 Grammy Award for Best Musical Album for Children

Yale SOM alumnus, Richard Perlmutter ’80, composer, musician, and recording artist, was nominated for a second Grammy Award for Best Musical Album for Children for his Beethoven’s Wig 2: More Sing Along Symphonies (Rounder Records 2004), the sequel to the highly popular Beethoven’s Wig, which received a Grammy nomination in 2003.

In Beethoven’s Wig 2, composer Richard Perlmutter again takes on some of the world’s most famous classical tunes – including those of Verdi, Vivaldi, Brahms, and Chopin – and adds fun lyrics to the music. The songs provide lyrical and musical hooks relating to the composition or composer that help listeners to remember each composer and piece – and parents report that their kids love to sing along!

As with the first recording, Beethoven’s Wig 2 came from creator Richard Perlmutter’s passion for classical music and the desire to create a foundation for classical music that would last a lifetime. “It was a challenge to create a new album that would maintain the whimsical nature of the first one but expand on the concept,” states Richard Perlmutter. “The arrangements and production are more theatrical and there is more musical interplay between me and the background singers.” In October, the Billings Symphony hosted the world premier of the Beethoven’s Wig live show with a full symphony orchestra and operatic vocalists – with other live performances in the works for 2005 and 2006.

The first Beethoven’s Wig won an astounding 17 national awards – and the two albums combined have won a total of 27 awards. The Sing Along Symphonies were featured on NBC’s “Today” show and National Public Radio’s “All Things Considered” and “Morning Edition.” US News & World Report said, “The lyrics are truly hilarious” and Pulse magazine called it “Brilliant, absolutely brilliant.”

Richard Perlmutter, a father of three children who lives in Los Angeles, has produced and sung on several other albums and has won a Clio Award for his humorous radio commercials.