Through His Music, He’s Still Here: My Love For Sondheim

Musical theatre is full of brilliant composers, but for me, no one comes close to Stephen Sondheim. His work is the perfect blend of complexity and specificity—his music and lyrics are deeply cerebral, intricate, and intelligent, yet never self-indulgent. There’s no unnecessary flourish, no clever wordplay for the sake of showing off. Everything he writes serves the story, the character, and the emotion—and that’s what makes him truly great.

A Musical and Theatrical Masterpiece: Sunday in the Park with George

If I had to pick just one Sondheim show (an impossible task, really), it would be Sunday in the Park with George. It’s a gorgeous explosion of music and color, a show about art, obsession, creation, and legacy.

• “Move On” is one of the most breathtaking duets in musical theatre, a piece that feels like theatre itself distilled into music.

• “Children and Art” is storytelling at its simplest and most effective, a reminder of what we leave behind.

• As a pianist, playing this score is incredibly satisfying—it feels like painting with music, layering harmonies and motifs in a way that mirrors the pointillism of Seurat’s painting itself.

Performing and Playing Sondheim

I’ve been lucky enough to perform and work on Sondheim’s music in different ways, and every time, it’s a gift.

• In 2016, I was part of an amateur production of Sweeney Todd in York, and I had the absolute time of my life. Rehearsing and performing that show was intense, intricate, and wildly rewarding.

• Years later, I worked on a play called Steve at The Seven Dials Playhouse, where I was a pianist on stage, playing nothing but Sondheim for 90 minutes. It was a dream. But it was also incredibly emotional—Sondheim had passed away just before we opened. I had always imagined that, somehow, I might get the chance to meet him. On opening night, I cried, realizing that dream would never happen. But in a way, playing his music was a way of meeting him—because his genius is in every note, every lyric, every perfectly placed pause.

The Commitment to Storytelling

What I admire most about Sondheim is his unwavering commitment to storytelling. His lyrics are never about just rhyming for the sake of it. His music never follows predictable patterns just to sound pleasant. Everything serves the character, the moment, the truth of the scene.

And yet, his work is universal—not in the way that it’s broad or general, but in the way that it’s so deeply personal to each person who experiences it. Everyone gets something different from Sondheim. His music and lyrics meet you wherever you are in life, and somehow, they always seem to know exactly what you need to hear.

The Songs That Stay With Me

Some of Sondheim’s songs have been anchors in my life.

• “No One Is Alone” helped me through grief—not just losing family members, but the grief of losing relationships, friendships, and moving forward into unknown parts of my life.

• “Move On” is a constant companion when I’m stuck creatively or uncertain about my path. The lyric:

“Stop worrying if your vision is new, let others make that decision—they usually do.”

That line has reshaped how I approach art and creativity. I’m not in control of how others perceive my work, so why try to control it? All I can do is create.

A Legacy That Lives On

Stephen Sondheim changed musical theatre forever. He made it smarter, deeper, more human. His music forces both performers and audiences to think, feel, and connect. He has influenced generations of composers, lyricists, actors, and musicians—including me.

I never got to meet him. But every time I sit at the piano and play his music, I feel like I do. And I think that’s the magic of Sondheim—he isn’t really gone. His work continues to move people, teach people, and shape people. And that’s the greatest legacy any artist can leave behind.