Orchestrator and Arranger
As an orchestrator and arranger of the highest calibre, Dunn was mentored by Richard Rodney Bennett. Through his friend Bennett, Dunn also discovered composer Vernon Duke and resurrected the Duke Piano Concerto, which had been written for Arthur Rubinstein but never completed.
Dunn orchestrated the work and premiered it at Carnegie Hall in 1999 as part of the official Gershwin Centennial concerts. He recorded the Concerto in Moscow with the Russian Philharmonic in 2007 (Naxos,2007).
'Stunning arrangements by conductor Scott Dunn'
I Watch You Sleep: Scott Dunn Celebrates Richard Rodney Bennett
With Claire Martin and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
~UK Arts Desk: Album of The Year 2023
In 2013 he reconstructed Duke’s The End of St Petersburg oratorio for performance in St. Petersburg, and subsequently collaborated on a ‘new’ Duke musical, Misia (PS Classics, 2015), which he arranged, adapted and recorded with a brilliant cast headed by Marin Mazzie and orchestrations by Jonathan Tunick.
For the concert platform Dunn adapted and performed his own arrangements of Julius Eastman’s Gay Guerilla (2018) for four pianos and Duke Ellington’s New World A-comin’ for solo piano and chamber jazz ensemble (2019). In 2023 Dunn’s highly personal tribute recording, I Watch You Sleep; Scott Dunn Celebrates Richard Rodney Bennett with Claire Martin and the Royal Philharmonic (Stunt 23012), earned Dunn the UK Arts Desk Album of the Year award, with universal praise for Claire Martin’s singing and Dunn’s arrangements, conducting and playing.
Reviews for I Watch You Sleep: Scott Dunn Celebrates Richard Rodney Bennett
With Claire Martin and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
'My heartfelt thanks to Scott Dunn and Claire Martin for enriching the world with this rapturous musical triumph. The songs are impeccably chosen, beautifully sung by Claire, with flourishes of subtlety and passion, but what makes the whole thing a rare and heart-stopping work of purity and nuance are Dunn’s arrangements. Every time I hear them I learn and discover something new. It's like musical interpretations of Stanislavski's method acting, bar by bar....I really feel inadequate as I search for ways to describe how I feel about them. I could go on feebly trying, but all I want to do is listen again…….the gorgeous placement of strings inspires in me something like passion. In a world drowning in mediocrity, this revealing and heartbreaking album raises the bar to new heights of audio ecstasy' Rex Reed, May 25, 2023
'Of course I’m partial towards anything to do with Richard Rodney Bennett - the man or his music.
In this this glorious album we have both. The choice of tracks and Scott Dunn’s beautiful arrangements capture RRB’s musical fondness and generosity as well as his consummate skills. It feels warmly personal - but a brilliantly executed collection of songs - and Claire Martin’s delivery of them is sublime. I’ll spend many hours with this - a rare treat' George Fenton, March 2, 2023
'From the opening bars of this album I feel the love that has gone into every detail of the music from the beautiful recording by Joshua Blair, to the sensitive playing by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Each song is brought to life by Scott Dunn’s extraordinarily sublime orchestration, full of tenderness and gorgeous colouration. Claire Martin sings like a dream, the warmth of her tone combining effortlessly with the orchestra. It is certainly a very special tribute to Richard Rodney Bennett' Rachel Portman, December 22, 2022
'This recording is treasurable, with superb musicianship and a timeless sensibility. Claire Martin and Scott Dunn have not only lovingly preserved Richard Rodney Bennett's canon but in the process have given us the joy of discovering some songs we might never have heard otherwise, and that would have been a great loss!'
Michael Feinstein, December 19, 2022
'Scott Dunn and Claire Martin have bared their hearts and souls in I WATCH YOU SLEEP...a moving and nuanced tribute to Sir Richard Rodney Bennett and his singular relationship with the world of popular song' Bill Charlap, December 14, 2022
Recordings
Scott Dunn: Hollywood Film Music, Vol. 1
2026
Howard McGill, soloist • Britten Sinfonia • Scott Dunn
Scott Dunn’s orchestral arrangements of mid-century film scores including To Kill a Mockingbird, Rebel Without a Cause, East of Eden, A Streetcar Named Desire and Psycho-adjacent Hollywood repertoire, performed with Britten Sinfonia. Scott Dunn’s own orchestral arrangements of classic mid-century film scores, recorded with Britten Sinfonia.
Scott Dunn: Hollywood Film Music, Vol. 1 (Versions for Piano)
2026
Scott Dunn, piano
Solo piano companion album featuring Scott Dunn’s piano versions of the same mid-century film music programme, including Rebel Without a Cause, East of Eden, A Streetcar Named Desire, To Kill a Mockingbird and Psycho. Scott Dunn’s piano arrangements of classic Hollywood film scores, issued as the companion to the Britten Sinfonia orchestral release.
I Watch You Sleep
2023
Claire Martin (vocals) • Royal Philharmonic Orchestra • Scott Dunn • Matt Skelton • Jeremy Brown • Rob Barron
A tribute to Richard Rodney Bennett with Claire Martin and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra; Scott Dunn conducts and contributes arrangements/orchestrations. Scott Dunn also appears at the piano on selected tracks of this Bennett tribute album. Scott Dunn shapes this orchestral tribute to Richard Rodney Bennett as conductor, arranger and orchestrator.
Vernon Duke: Piano Concerto / Cello Concerto / Homage to Boston
2007
Scott Dunn, piano • Sam Magill, cello • Russian Philharmonic Orchestra • Dmitry Yablonsky, conductor
World première recordings of Vernon Duke’s concert works, including Piano Concerto orchestrated by Scott Dunn and performed by Dunn as pianist. World première recording including Vernon Duke’s Piano Concerto in Scott Dunn’s orchestration/arrangement.