Neil Sedaka: When Pop Meets Classical Music in a Special Conversation at 92Y
On May 2, 2012, Grammy-winning pop legend Neil Sedaka appeared at the renowned 92nd Street Y cultural center in New York City for an in-depth conversation with music journalist Anthony DeCurtis. More than just an interview, the event became an intimate “unplugged” performance, where Sedaka shared his career story and played the piano live for the audience.
During the conversation, Sedaka recalled his early exposure to popular music through the radio program Make Believe Ballroom on WNEW. There, he first heard legendary singers like Rosemary Clooney, Patti Page, Peggy Lee, and the duo Les Paul and Mary Ford. These influences shaped Sedaka’s later music, creating a unique blend of modern pop and classical “evergreen standards.”
One of the most surprising stories from the conversation was Sedaka’s near-career as a professional classical pianist. As a young man, he was chosen by piano legend Arthur Rubinstein as the best high school pianist in New York in 1956. He was even invited to the International Tchaikovsky Competition in the Soviet Union after submitting a recording of a Sergei Prokofiev sonata. However, just weeks before the competition, he received a letter informing him of his disqualification for “being associated with capitalist rock and roll.”
Despite this, Sedaka looks back on the event with humor and relief. He believes that instead of just playing classical music, becoming an “American music ambassador,” performing his own songs around the world, was his true destiny.
At the event, Sedaka also shared his classical compositions, including his first symphony, Joie de Vivre, and the piano concerto Manhattan Intermezzo, performed at the Royal Albert Hall in London with the London Philharmonic Orchestra. He said this work was inspired by the cultural diversity of Manhattan.
The atmosphere of the conversation came alive when Sedaka sat down at the piano and performed a piece by Frédéric Chopin, recalling advice from his professors at the Juilliard School: even while pursuing pop music, he should never lose sight of Beethoven or Chopin.
Sedaka also revealed his songwriting secret: “The hardest thing is to write a song that is simple but has an unexpected chord – a ‘drop-dead chord’ that surprises the listener.” He illustrated this with his famous song Laughter in the Rain, explaining how an unexpected chord change can elevate the emotion of the entire song.
The conversation at 92Y was more than just a typical interview. It offered a rare glimpse into Neil Sedaka: a renowned pop artist who still possesses a solid foundation in classical music and an unwavering passion for songwriting after more than half a century in the music industry.
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