19 Facts About Tommy Tycho

Thomas Tycho AM MBE DMus was a Hungarian-born Australian pianist, conductor, composer and arranger.

Tommy Tycho was active in both classical music and pop.

Tommy Tycho was associated with musical productions on Australian television for many years from its inception in 1956, including such programs as The Mavis Bramston Show.

Tommy Tycho wrote a number of film scores, and his activities bridged both popular and classical styles.

Tommy Tycho's father was a senior government official and his mother was an opera singer who had retired to raise a family.

Tommy Tycho played George Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue with the Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra at age 10.

Tommy Tycho had been introduced to the work by his teacher, Egon Petri.

Tommy Tycho commenced studying at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest, where his teachers included Leo Weiner and Zoltan Kodaly.

Tommy Tycho resumed his musical studies after the war, but left Hungary after the Communist takeover while still only in his third year of study.

Tommy Tycho commenced his musical career at ABC Radio in the 1950s performing a weekly recital titled "Handful of Keys" which led to a regular popular radio programme with his own chamber group The Thomas Tycho Players.

Tommy Tycho composed the theme for the television program and movie, Number 96.

Tommy Tycho was involved in nine Royal Command Performances, and has conducted all the ABC symphony orchestras.

Tommy Tycho worked with overseas performers such as Sammy Davis Jr.

Tommy Tycho then lived in a nursing home where he received regular therapy; though his left side was paralysed, he would compose and play with his right hand.

Tommy Tycho died on 4 April 2013, aged 84, as a result of complications associated with pneumonia.

In 2003 Tommy Tycho was commissioned by Symphony Australia to compose an overture for the 75th birthday celebrations of the West Australian Symphony Orchestra.

Tommy Tycho was the arranger and conductor for Warlow's album, Let's Face the Music; and he conducted the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra in a Lounge concert.

Tommy Tycho wrote a series of special feature arrangements for Australian clarinetist Andy Firth, when Firth was featured as guest artist with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra in 2006.

Tommy Tycho was Patron of the Mo Awards for many years and won one award during this time.