Bio
Elliott Forrest is a Peabody Award winning Broadcaster, Producer & Director.
RADIO
He is the recipient of broadcasting's highest honor, the George Foster Peabody Award and two New York State Broadcasting Awards.
He can be heard on 105.9 FM WQXR and WNYC in New York. He is heard nationally as the radio host of the syndicated concerts from The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. For WQXR he produced and hosted, THE WQXR CLASSICAL COMEDY CONTEST at Carolines on Broadway, which was also shot for WNET Ch. 13 in NY. Hosts the national broadcasts of SPRING FOR MUSIC live from Carnegie Hall, where he has appeared more than 60 times.
During 1995 Elliott co-hosted the nationally syndicated talk show, The Late Late Radio Show with Tom Snyder and Elliott Forrest, for the CBS Network Radio (1995). The show featured one-on-one celebrity interviews and nightly conversations between Tom and Elliott. As for his part of the show, Elliott interviewed hundreds of people included Christopher Reeve, Richard Pryor, John Cleese, Shirley MacLaine, Peter Arnett, Bill Mahar, Larry King, Garrison Keillor, Garry Shandling, Elvis Costello, Peter Ustinov, members of the rock groups The Moody Blues, Chicago, Fleetwood Mac, among others. On working with Mr. Snyder, Elliott considers it a high point in his career "to have talked over the daily news events and the everyday events of life with one of this country's legendary broadcasters."
From 1986 to 1993, Elliott was morning drive-time host on WNCN-FM, a New York City station. He broadcast special events from The United Nations and Carnegie Hall (co-hosting with Peter Jennings).
His first radio job was in his hometown of Midland, Texas on KNFM. He went on to work at Kansas City's KXTR-FM, (where he was also Program Director); WEVD, NY; and WKJY, Long Island.
PRODUCER/DIRECTOR
Elliott directed the "fusion oratorio" CONSIDERING MATTHEW SHEPARD by Craig Hella Johnson and Conspirare for KLRU, PBS TV in Austin. The special airs in 2018.
He produces projections, lighting and theatrical elements for major orchestras around the country including the Los Angeles Philharmonic, The Philadelphia Orchestra, The Houston Symphony, the New York Philharmonic, The Atlanta Symphony, The Pasadena Pops and the Little Orchestra Society in NY. You can some of the latest concerts at www.SymphonicSpectacular.com .
At Lincoln Center: Music Takes Flight with Sigourney Weaver, a 200th Birthday Celebration with James Earl Jones and at THE TOWN HALL in New York City's Times Square for the 60th Anniversary Concert of The Little Orchestra Society.
He directed a concert version of Act III of Wagner's Gotterdammerung at The Hollywood Bowl with John Mauceri conducting The Los Angeles Philharmonic on July 10th, 2005. Elliott has his own production company, Forrest Productions, LLC. In an exclusive licensing arrangement, he acquired the radio rights to A&E's signature television series, Biography® and produced Biography® for Radio which was heard all across the US and Canada. Over 700 episodes were produced.
Elliott is the Executive and Artistic Director of the new ArtsRock in Rockland County, NY, producing and presenting concerts, events and series of programs. www.ArtsRock.org
For two years Elliott was the Musical Curator and host of the Resonating Light series of classical chamber concerts at The Rubin Museum.
Along with partner, Broadway Producer Don Frantz, Elliott is co-producing WALKIN' BROADWAY™ the first audio-walking tour of Broadway and Times Square. Tourists and theater lovers stroll from theater to theater and hear stories from Broadway stars and artists and hear music from shows past and present. www.WalkinBroadway.com
He has Produced and Directed plays, musicals and events in Texas, Kansas City and New York.
TELEVISION
THAT'S CLASSIC, the WQXR CLASSICAL COMEDY CONTEST appeared on WNET CH. 13 and WLIW21.
In 2013 & 2007 he co-hosted the GREAT MOMENTS AT THE MET, a national television special and in 2008 "The Jewish Americans".
For more than 12 years he was with the A&E Television Network as host of Breakfast with the Arts. He was nominated for an Emmy in 2002 and 2005. The show featured segments on movies, Broadway, rock, jazz, world and classical music, in studio performances and extensive interviews with guests.
Additional A&E hosting duties have included Biography® This Week, Richard Rodgers: Falling in Love, Holiday in New York, A&E In Concert, Pavarotti in Paris, BioArts and The Pablo Casals Festival from Puerto Rico.
In 2006 he co-hosted the Metropolitan Opera's Gala for Joseph Volpe seen on PBS and heard on national radio. In March of 2005 he hosted for PBS "Your Money, Your Children, Your Life" on WNET, Thirteen in New York.
For more than five years Elliott was the "voice" of programs and specials on CNN. He voiced the opening segments on CNN for the 2000 Presidential debates, Vice Presidential debates, Election Night Coverage, the Bush Inauguration and The Attacks on America. He voiced the CNN series: CONNIE CHUNG TONIGHT, Live from..., The Point, Newsstand, and Impact.
A popular voice over artist, he has recorded national and regional commercials, documentaries, industrials and several on-board programs for airlines. Recent voice over work includes narrations for HBO's G-String Divas and Heir to an Execution.
He reported entertainment news for Showtime, The Movie Channel and FLIX and has produced field pieces for E! Entertainment Television, interviewing Anthony Hopkins, Michael J. Fox, Kenny Rogers and Joan Rivers. He's produced pieces for The E! True Hollywood Story and Celebrity Profile.
Elliott hosted the national telecast of The 3 Tenors Concert live from Giants Stadium on July 20, 1996, which was repeated on PBS.
CONSULTING
Overlapping his broadcasting work he has been a media trainer, presentation coach and lecturer. Working first in New York with Carl Byoir and Associates, then Hill & Knowlton Public Relations he then went on to consult with Virgil Scudder and Associates, one of the top media training companies in the world. For the past 15 years he has prepared CEOs, managers, sports figures, doctors, authors, rock stars, celebrities and politicians on how to deal with the media, be on radio and television, handle crisis situations and give press conferences. Both individually and in large groups he has instructed people on how to enhance their presentation skills. From New York to Toronto to Marrakesh he has lectured or coached men and woman from such fields as entertainment, education, health, finance, technology and international trade.
HOST / PERSONAL APPEARANCES
Over the years, Elliott has been a host, moderator, guest speaker and lecturer for scores of events, shows and galas. He hosts the regular concerts on stage, including 60 concerts at Carnegie Hall. In December of 2005 he moderated a panel in Las Vegas in front of an audience of thousands on Deep Vain Thrombosis for a major pharmaceutical company. And in January of 2006 he hosted the opening concerts of the new Globe-News Center for the Performing Arts in Amarillo, TX.
Originally from Texas, Elliott received a Bachelor of Arts in Drama from the University of Texas in Austin. He is on the board of The New York Youth Symphony.
INTERVIEWS
ACTORS Harrison Ford Alec Baldwin William Baldwin Lauren Bacall Uta Hagan Albert Brooks Philip Seymour Hoffman Andrew Garfield Antonio Banderas Michael Caine James Earl Jones Lewis Black Vanessa Redgrave Annette Bening Holland Taylor Alfred Molina Nick Nolte Daniel Stern Boyd Gaines Richard Thomas Martin Short Kevin Bacon John Cleese Diane Lane Elizabeth Ashley Dominic Chianese Bill Irwin Jeremy Irons Eddie Izzard Eve Ensler Dave Gorman Anne Heche Jimmy Smits Josh Lucas Val Kilmar Tab Hunter Chita Rivera Peter Ustinov Kenneth Branagh Isabella Rosselini Blythe Danner Stanley Tucci Matthew Broderick Catherine Deneuve Jason Isaacs Bob Balaban Chazz Palminteri Ashley Judd Ally Shedey Tovah Feldshuh Javier Bardem Tim Robbins Leslie Uggams Imelda Staunton Emma Watson Kyra Sedgwick Brenda Blethyn Casts of Venus in Fur, Master Class, Avenue Q and Wicked Harvey Fierstein FILM DIRECTORS Chris Columbus Robert Altman Michael Mann Tony Scott Joel Schumacher Francis Ford Coppola Norman Jewison Michael Mann Jonathan Demme Mike Figgis Mike Leigh Mike Nichols CLASSICAL ARTISTS Yo-Yo Ma Itzhak Perlman Luciano Pavarotti Placido Domingo Renee Fleming Midori Joshua Bell Daniel Barenboim Murray Perahia John Mauceri Susan Graham Andre Previn Cecilia Bartoli Helene Grimaud Kronos Lorin Maazel Michael Tilson Thomas Kurt Masur Mark O’Connor Eugenia Zukerman Merce Cunningham Twyla Tharp The Emerson String Quartet James Galway Gil Shaham Deborah Voigt Marilyn Horne Denyce Graves Juan Diego Florez Leif Ove Andsnes Stephanie Blythe Keith Lockhart Lang Lang Emanuel Ax Nadja Solerno-Sonnenberg Trisha Brown Eroica Trio Sarah Chang Edgar Meyer Meredith Monk Lars Vogt Audra McDonald |
INTERVEWS
ROCK and COUNTRY Ringo Starr Keith Urban Tori Amos Sarah McLachlan Phil Collins Paul McCartney Joe Perry Wide Spread Panic Jon Anderson Jessi Alexander NRBQ Aimee Mann John Mellencamp Billy Corgan Billy Joel Howie Day Jem Indigo Girls Jesse Harris Cindy Lauper Linda Ronstadt The Radiators Rufus Wainwright Chrissie Hynde Ron Sexsmith Suzanne Vega Lisa Marie Presley JAZZ AND BLUES ARTISTS Dave Brubeck Wynton Marsalis Brandford Marsalis Ellis Marsalis Dr. Billy Talor Charlie Haden John Hammond Buddy Guy Arturo Sandoval Blind Boys of Alabama Michel Camilo Cassandra Wilson Charmaine Neville Dave Douglas McCoy Tyner Monica Mancini Terence Blanchard Jane Monheit Chris Botti Diana Krall Kenny G Peter Cincotti Bela Fleck Bill Frisell Joe Sample WORLD MUSIC The Chiefians Ladysmith Black Mambazo Ibrahim Ferrer, Buena Vista Social Club The Afrocelts Yerba Buena Lila Downs COMPOSERS Stephen Sondheim Elmer Bernstein Howard Shore Danny Elfman Philip Glass James Newton Howard Randy Newman John Barry James Horner Cy Coleman Peter Schickele Maury Yeston Lalo Schifrin Tan Dun Edward Albee, Playwright Dana Gioia, Chairman of the National Endowment of the Arts Gloria Feldt, President of the National Chapter of Planned Parenthood Elizabeth Diller and Ricardo Scofidio, Architects Timothy Greenfield-Sanders, Photographer Museum Curators from exhibits in New York, Boston, Washington & Hong Kong Artistic Directors from Alvin Ailey, Manhattan Theater Club, Lincoln Center, Kennedy Center, Houston Grand Opera David Sedaris, Author |