Elliott Forrest
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SHORT BIO

RESUME

Bio

Picture

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, WQXR.org 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 is the Producer and Projection Designer for the national tour AN EVENING WITH ITZHAK PERLMAN and the Michael Feinstein concert celebrating Judy Garland at 100.

Elliott directed the "fusion oratorio" CONSIDERING MATTHEW SHEPARD by Craig Hella Johnson and Conspirare for KLRU, PBS TV in Austin.

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

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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

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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