Tommy Tycho facts for kids

Tommy Tycho (born April 11, 1928 – died April 4, 2013) was a very talented musician from Hungary who became famous in Australia. He was a brilliant pianist, a leader of orchestras (a conductor), a composer who wrote music, and an arranger who put music together in new ways.

Tommy Tycho worked in both classical music and pop music. He was a big part of Australian television music from when it started in 1956. He even arranged the version of Australia's national anthem, Advance Australia Fair, that is often used at big sports events. He also wrote music for movies, showing how he could work with many different music styles.

Tommy Tycho's Life Story

Tommy Tycho was born in Budapest, Hungary, in April 1928. His dad worked for the government, and his mom was an opera singer who stopped performing to raise her family.

Early Musical Talent

Tommy was a child prodigy on the piano, meaning he was incredibly skilled at a very young age. When he was just 10 years old, he played George Gershwin's famous Rhapsody in Blue with the Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra. He then started studying at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest.

During a difficult time in 1943, when he was 15, Tommy was held in a forced labor camp. Luckily, he survived this experience. After the war, he continued his music studies. In 1948, he left Hungary and lived in Iran for three years. There, he became the personal pianist for the Shah of Iran, who was the country's ruler. In Iran, he met Eva Komer, a singer from Hungary, and they got married. In 1951, they moved to Australia.

Working in Australia

Tommy Tycho became a very important person in Australian entertainment. He was the Musical Director for the Seven Network TV channel for 15 years, from 1956 to 1971. He also conducted, or led, all the ABC symphony orchestras.

He helped with music for many big events, like the openings of the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Entertainment Centre. He also worked on the music for the 1982 Commonwealth Games in Brisbane and World Expo 88. In 2008, he played piano for Mary, Crown Princess of Denmark at an important event.

Tommy worked with many famous Australian artists, including Olivia Newton-John, John Farnham, and Hugh Jackman. He also performed with international stars like Sammy Davis Jr., Nat King Cole, and Shirley Bassey.

In 2008, Tommy Tycho had a serious stroke. This affected his left side, but he kept composing and playing music with his right hand. He passed away on April 4, 2013, at the age of 84.

Music Tommy Tycho Wrote

Tommy Tycho wrote and arranged many pieces of music.

Types of Compositions

His works include:

• Three overtures (these are pieces of music played at the start of an opera or show).
• Three concertos (these are pieces for a solo instrument, like a trumpet or violin, played with an orchestra).
  • His Violin Concerto was first played in 2010.
• Music for television shows, like the documentary series ANZAC and the drama series Riptide.
• Music for movies, such as Young Einstein and Reckless Kelly.
• He arranged over 1,500 pieces for film and television. This means he took existing songs and created new versions for orchestras or bands. Some of these arrangements included:
  • A "Cole Porter Concerto" using songs by Cole Porter.
  • A "Fantasia" based on songs by Irving Berlin.
  • A symphonic version of "Macarthur Park".
• He wrote the music for the medal ceremonies at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games and the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games.
• He also wrote songs for stage shows and musicals.

In 2003, Tommy Tycho was asked to write an overture for the West Australian Symphony Orchestra's 75th birthday. He also conducted concerts and arranged music for singer Anthony Warlow.

Music Albums

Tommy Tycho released some albums. Here is one that was popular:

Awards and Recognitions

Tommy Tycho received many awards for his amazing work:

• In 1977, he was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE). This is an honor given by the British monarch.
• In 1987, he was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM). This is a high honor given by the Australian government.
• In 1992, he received the Rotary International Paul Harris Fellowship Award for helping to build understanding and friendly relationships between people around the world.
• In 2007, the University of Sydney gave him an Honorary Doctorate of Music. This is a special degree given to people who have achieved great things in music.

Mo Awards

The Mo Awards were Australian awards for live entertainment. Tommy Tycho won one of these awards.