Winter Garden Theatre
Opened August 3, 2023

Back to the Future Musicians

Ted Arthur
Conductor/Keyboard 1
Chris Gurr
Keyboard 2/Associate Conductor
PAUL STAROBA
Keyboard 3/Assistant Conductor
Neil Johnson
Reed 1 - Flute/Clarinet/
Tenor Sax/Bari Sax
Dan Willis
Reed 2 - Oboe/English Horn/
Alto Sax/Tenor Sax
Judy Lee
French Horn 1
Ian Donald
French Horn 2
Raul Agraz
Trumpet 1/Flugelhorn
Bryan Uhl
Trumpet 2/Flugelhorn

James Rogers
Trombone/Bass Trombone
Rodney Howard
Drums
Dave Roth
Percussion
Aurélien Budynek
Guitar 1
Ethan Pakchar
Guitar 2
Michael Blanco
Bass
Kristina Musser Gitterman
Violin 1
Tallie Brunfelt
Violin 2
Andrew Griffin
Violin/Viola

Music Team

Kristy Norter
Musical Coordinator
Ted Arthur
Musical Director
Nick Finlow
Musical Supervisor/Arrangements
David Chase
Dance Arrangments
Ethan Popp and Bryan Crook
Orchestrators
Chris Guard
Music Preparation
Russel Bartmus, Jacob Fjeldheim, and JoAnn Kane Music
Music Copying

B2TF Band Q&As

  • Q: Ice cream of choice?

    A: Ben & Jerry's Lights, Caramel, Action!

  • Q: If you weren't a musician, what would you do instead?

    A: Sleep

  • Q: Who is your favorite composer of color?

    A: It's hard for me to identify one "favorite", but I do like Jessie Montgomery's music a lot in recent years.

    Q: What's the longest friendship you've ever maintained? (non-spouse)

    A: One of my best friends is from the 3rd grade and we are still in touch!

    Q: Ice cream of choice?

    A: Cookies and cream ALL the way

    Q: Favorite person to troll in the B2TF band??

    A: I love trolling Neil, Ian, and of course Drew. It comes from so much love 😂 ❤️

  • Q: If you weren't a musician, what would you do instead?

    A: If I wasn’t a musician, I’d be an architect. I’m fascinated with how buildings/homes are designed and how people interact and use that space. I have many ideas for designs for some spaces I’d like to build!

  • Q: Who is your favorite composer of color?

    A: Dizzy Gillespie

    Q: If you could go back and time and save one prominent figure, who would it be?

    A: Probably John F. Kennedy!

  • Q: If you could be anyone for a day, who would you choose?

    A: Roger Federer

  • Q: Who is your favorite person to troll in the B2TF pit?

    A: Dave Roth. All day every day. And it's fun because he laughs at the trolling as much as I do!

  • Q: What's your wildest/strangest gig story?

    A: I was a short term member of a band where my costume was a heavy wool cape and hood, complete with a party city mask (most of the tour happened on 85°+ summer days.) During the show I was regularly launched 30 feet in the air on a very unsteady platform (no harness) while giant flames shot behind me. This would happen in front of audiences ranging 500-20,000 people.

  • Q: Favorite composer of color?

    A: Duke Ellington

  • Q: Favorite female composer?

    A: Julia Wolfe. I had the fortune to study with her in school!

  • Q: If you could save any prominent figure in history, who would it be?

    A: Jimi Hendrix!

  • Q: What's the longest friendship(s) you've ever maintained (non spouse)?

    A: I have a group of 7 friends from 7th grade. We text every day. They are my rock!

  • Q: What is the wildest/strangest gig you've ever played?

    A: One that always comes to mind was in 2004. During my second semester in New York, my teacher, Dave Taylor, gave my name to Chris McIntyre and told me to leave my classical chops at home.

    Chris was starting up TILT Brass, a wonderful new music group that commissions works for brass players downtown, and eventually one of my favorite ensembles to play with.

    This gig was for the SoHo Art Parade. I was told to show up to what looked like a sweat-shop clothing factory loft in Chinatown. I was super early because it was my first time going that far downtown--far from the numbered grid system of Upper Manhattan streets.

    Eventually other folks showed up: five trombone players and one disheveled composer who was apparently going through a bad divorce. We were handed five easy, one-line snippets of music that we very quickly rehearsed. We were asked to use those little phrases as a starting point for improvisations. The composer told us "Free Jazz"...except heroic and not "weird Jazz." I threw in some Wagneresque riffs, which he loved (so I got to use my Classical chops after all).

    After rehearsal, we went to a cobblestone street in SoHo and got lined up for the parade. We were behind a large flat-bed truck with an out-there jam band. Surrounding the band were many female dancers with huge black wigs and exaggerated black make-up around their eyes. The uniform was red paint....and red paint only.

    I was told to dress in all black, but at the staging area, I was asked to change into a basic white tee-shirt. This guy in a leather cowl wrapped around his head and neck showed up (he had no shirt on at all) and said my shirt wasn't right, because it was too new and clean (that's because it was new and clean). I was asked to take the shirt off, and it was thrown onto the street and walked over! I reluctantly put the newly dirty shirt back on, and before I could say anything, a woman ran over to me and drew a line on my shirt with black shoe polish. I looked like a 'spare' slash in bowling. I remember this well because, being only slightly less pale than the tee-shirt, the wet polish soaked through the shirt and strained my skin for many days.

    Our music group was led by a little person in a beautiful white tuxedo. He was pulling a rope that was tied to a ten foot long strip of tan felt. At the end of the felt there was a plexiglass pyramid with golf balls inside that were bouncing around.

    The five trombone players were in a flying V formation behind the felt and there were four dancers running alongside us.

    The caboose of this operation was the guy in the leather cowl (which he called a tribal hood). He was overloading a large 'portable' speaker system (making what he called 'primitive' sounds into a microphone) while a friend pushed the amplifier through the cobblestones in a rusty shopping cart.

    The parade wasn't too long and we ended up in an open air event space where a music group was playing. It was five black-American men dressed like they were in the Court of Versailles in the 17th century. One singer and a string quartet. They were playing hip-hop covers. The string arrangements were great, and it was an amazing experience to hear all the hip-hop vocals sung in operatic diction and style.

    I realized I was not in Kansas anymore. I got to keep the shirt...

  • Q: If you weren't a musician, what would you do?

    A: Special FX for movies

    Q: Earliest childhood memory?

    A: Playing with pots and pans with a wooden spoon in my kitchen

    Q: What celeb do you hope will come see the show?

    A: Barack Obama

    Q: Blue with black stripes or white with gold stripes?

    A: White with gold stripes

    Q: Fav person to troll in the pit?

    A: Drew McGriffin

  • Q: If you weren't a musician, what would you do instead?

    A: I kind of always wanted to be an architect; to build something beautiful that would last. Instead, I blow hot air into ornate plumbing! Hey, it’s a living.

Musician Bios

Ted Arthur

Conductor / Keyboard 1

Ted Arthur is a New York-based Music Director.  He’s currently the Music Director and Conductor of Back to the Future on Broadway. Ted is the Tour Associate Music Supervisor for Moulin Rouge and Back to the Future.

He was the Music Director for Diana on Broadway and has also worked on The Prom, Mean Girls, Once On This Island, Dear Evan Hansen, and Wicked.

Ted is a proud member of MUSE (Musicians United For Social Equity) and on the Board of Trustees for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

Chris Gurr

Keyboard 2 / Associate Conductor

Chris Gurr is a pianist, arranger, orchestrator and conductor. Chris began his musical education in Philadelphia attending CAPA (Creative Performing Arts High School) and the University of Pennsylvania.

Chris got his start as a music assistant on developmental readings, working at the fringe festival and NYMF among others. Through assisting on Off-Broadway and Broadway productions he was able to return to the piano as a rehearsal pianist, keyboardist and substitute conductor.

Chris still enjoys creative projects alongside his performance schedule. This includes producing demo tracks for composers, orchestrating and arranging or BCEFA events, and designing keyboard programming for tours and regional productions.

Select credits:
Broadway: Back to the Future, The Prom, Bandstand, Mean Girls
Substitue: Dancin', Almost Famous, Merrily We Roll Along, Scotland PA
Off-Broadway: Between the Lines (MD), Merrily We Roll Along, Jerry Springer the Opera, The View Upstairs, Popesical, Clinton the Musical
Regional: Beau, In The Heights (Westport CT), The Sting
Tour: The Prom (MD), Cinderella, Bandstand
Developmental: Newton's Cradle, The Book Thief, Five Points

More credits and videos at www.ChrisGurr.com

IG: @ChrisGurr42

Paul Staroba

Keyboard 3 / Assistant Conductor

Paul Staroba is originally from Santa Rosa, California in the heart of the wine country in the Sonoma Valley. After receiving his Bachelor’s degree in Piano Performance from the University of the Pacific in Stockton, California, he took a leap of faith and moved to New York City to pursue a career in professional theatre.

Credits:

Broadway: Back to the Future, Company, A Christmas Carol, My Fair Lady, War Paint, A Gentleman’s Guide To Love and Murder, Next to Normal, A Little Night Music, and Grey Gardens.

Off-Broadway: The Mad Ones, Dear Evan Hansen, Far From Heaven, Carrie, The Blue Flower, Take Me Along, Happiness, and Saved.

Favorite Regional Engagements Include: The Flamingo Kid (Hartford Stage), Big Fish (Chicago Pre-Broadway), and I Am Anne Hutchinson/I Am Harvey Milk (Strathmore).

He has also performed for four seasons with the Radio City Christmas Spectacular Orchestra; been featured in concert with Kristin Chenoweth, Patti LuPone, and Lea Salonga; and performed in the pit of over 25 Broadway shows.

Neil Johnson

Reed 1 - Flute / Clarinet / Tenor Sax / Bari Sax

Neil Johnson plays saxophone, flute, and clarinet as a freelance musician in New York City. He has performed with Harry Connick Jr, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Peter Dinklage, Jessica Vosk, and has worked with the composers Marc Shaiman, Alan Slyvestri, Glen Ballard, and Jason Robert Brown. He has performed with the New York City Ballet at Lincoln Center. He has toured over 25 countries, and played at Carnegie Hall, Beacon Theater, Glastonbury Festival, and Montreal Jazz Festival. He can be heard on the soundtrack to Pixar's Incredibles 2, Documentary Now! (IFC), and the cast recordings of Prince of Broadway and Some Like it Hot. Originally from Dallas, Texas, Neil holds a Bachelor’s degree in Jazz Studies from the University of North Texas, a Master’s degree in Multiple Woodwinds from New Jersey City University, and is a D'Addario Woodwinds artist.

IG: @neiljohnsonwoodwinds

W: www.neiljohnsonjazz.com

Dan Willis

Reed 2 - Oboe / English Horn / Alto Sax / Tenor Sax

Dan Willis has enjoyed a diversified career across a variety of musical genres over 32 years. He has performed with the NY Philharmonic, Orchestra of St. Lukes, NYC Ballet, NY Pops, and J@LC. Toured with Michael Brecker, Don Henley, Deep Purple, Liza Minnelli, Chita Rivera and Barry Manilow. He has played 25 Broadway shows. Dan has played on countless recordings, jingles, TV appearances, and film scores. He serves on Local 802’s Trial Board, the RMA-NY Board of Directors and is a voting member for the Recording Academy (Grammy Awards). 

Dan also has lead his own Jazz quartet “The Velvet Gentlemen” for 25 years producing six critically acclaimed recordings. Dan Willis teaches and continues his own journey exploring composition, producing and programming with the Electronic Wind Synthesizer.

W: danwillismusic.com

X (Twitter): @danwillismusic

IG: @danwillismusic

Judy Lee

French Horn 1

Judy Yin-Chi Lee, native of Taiwan, is an active musician in the New York Metropolitan area. As a commercial player, Judy has performed and/or recorded with more than 20 Broadway shows, Ray Charles, Harry Connick Jr., Hugh Jackman, Audra McDonald, Jason Robert Brown, CBS news, the NFL, Lang Lang, award-winning or nominated recordings, Netflix, Paramount, and Warner Brothers movies, commercial jingles and more. As a freelance classical musician, Judy has performed with many orchestras, including the New York City Ballet, the New Jersey Symphony, the American Symphony Orchestra and many more. Judy has also traveled many countries in her career as a soloist, including Japan, South Korea, and China. Currently, she is the First Horn in the hit Broadway musical Back to the Future.

Besides being a professional musician, Judy is also very passionate about serving the arts community by working as an Arts Administrator. Judy worked nearly 8 years at the New Jersey Symphony running the Community Engagement Program where she arranged over 160 events/chamber music concerts annually for schools, senior/community centers, hospitals and other venues all over New Jersey and beyond. Judy is currently the Chief Program Officer at Maestra Music where she oversees all the organization's programs. 

As a way to give back, Judy serves as a council member with the Metuchen Arts Council, where she resides with her two sons and husband, to promote and present all arts related activities for the town. Judy was selected by the Metuchen Mayor to sit on the Steering Committee for the Metuchen Arts District, a multimillion project to preserve and reinvent the town theater and area.

Ian Donald

French Horn 2

Ian Donald was born and raised in Santa Cruz, California, and studied horn at the University of Southern California. He worked in orchestras and recording studios in and around Los Angeles until finding his way to NYC twenty years ago. Since arriving in New York, he has played in over 40 Broadway shows and is now happy to be a part of the Outatime Orchestra at Back to The Future.

Besides playing in Broadway pits, local orchestras, and recording sessions, he also has a photography business, mostly catering to professional musicians. He lives in Brooklyn with his partner Rachel, daughter Saskia, and cat Winnie.

IG: @iandonaldphotography

Raul Agraz

Trumpet 1 / Flugelhorn

Trained in the legendary musical conservatory of Caracas, Venezuela this trumpet player is indeed one of the most comprehensively prepared musicians alive today. Raul is a complete master of Jazz, Afro-Cuban and Classical repertoire in a way that almost defies description. Equally at home playing the music of Bach, Machito, or Coltrane, Raul lends a textbook perfection to everything he does. From his burnished tone and clock-like precision as a sight reader to his incisive solo skills, “this guy is the definition of a trumpet player's trumpet player.” -Oscar Hernandez

Born and raised in Venezuela, his musical career began to take shape at the early age of 7, with the internationally famous choir "Niños Cantores De Villa de Cura." With this choir, he traveled to many international choir congresses throughout the world, including performances in France, Spain, USA, Belgium, and Vienna among others.

About this same time, he began to play flute to learn how to read music. Soon after he switched to the French Horn, but at 9 years old, he discovered his passion: the trumpet. In a very short time, he became the principal trumpet player for the orchestra accompanying the same choir.

He attended the superior school of music, "Jose Angel Lamas" in Caracas, Venezuela to begin his formal classical education with Albreth Egon, a German native and principal trumpet of the Venezuela Philharmonic.

At the age of 17, he had the opportunity to work with different classical Orchestras including the international Venezuela Symphony Simon Bolivar (from the Venezuela system) (aragua) founded by Jose Antonio Abreu.

After a long career in Venezuela, having the opportunity to work and record with the most important artists of his country, he relocated to New York in 1996 and began studying with the great Victor Paz, lead trumpet for 18 years for the musical Cats among many other artists.
 
He was the Lead trumpet player for the super smash hit, winner of four Tony awards, and a Grammy including Best Orchestrations: In The Heights. He also played lead for the national tour of Movin’ Out: the Billie Joel Musical, and on Broadway The Book Of Mormon for over 12 years.

Throughout his career he had the opportunity to perform as a lead trumpet player in a variety of styles including Jazz, Rock, R&B, Latin, and Classical. He was invited to record the new theme for the Super Bowl with the New York Philharmonic sitting next to Mr. Phil Smith and music of John Williams.

Bryan Uhl

Trumpet 2 / Flugelhorn

After graduating from Iowa State University and the University of North Texas, Bryan Uhl has enjoyed a varied and prolific performing career. He has provided entertainment in theme parks, such as Busch Gardens (VA) and Walt Disney World (FL). In his 20-year tenure with the West Point Band (NY), Bryan performed everything from big band jazz, classical chamber music, at major sporting events, and for military and State Department ceremonial functions. His military performance highlights include live solo performances on nationally-televised events, including Memorial Day commemorations, presenting Taps at the funeral service in honor of General Norman Schwarzkopf as well as playing lead trumpet on the Macy’s July 4th Celebration on NBC. Prior to joining the Back to the Future orchestra, Bryan has been a regular substitute in 18 Broadway pits and has held trumpet chairs in the Radio City Christmas Spectacular orchestra since 2018.

James Rogers

Trombone / Bass Trombone

James Rogers can be found in the New York metropolitan area performing in a wide variety of styles any night of the week. Primarily a bass trombone player, he has also doubled on tenor trombone, tuba, euphonium, and string bass as a chair holder on three Broadway shows (Back to the Future, Mean Girls, and Groundhog Day) as well as being a substitute player on over a dozen other Broadway shows. Mr. Rogers has also won auditions for the Radio City Christmas Spectacular and their summer New York Spectacular.

James can be heard on J Cole’s platinum selling record “2014 Forest Hills Drive” which was also nominated for two Grammy awards. More recently, he can be heard on The Tango Jazz Orchestra’s Latin Grammy winning album “Puertos” and on the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra’s Grammy nominated album “Virtual Birdland”.

Mr. Rogers attended California State Hayward University and received a Bachelors and Master of Music from Manhattan School of Music. He is also on faculty at the Horace Mann School and Hofstra University.

Dave Roth

Percussion

Dave Roth, a freelance percussionist in New York City, has been performing for over 35 years and has appeared in over 200 cities worldwide. He has performed in over 40 Broadway shows including Back to the Future, Cats, Finding Neverland, Evita, King Kong, How The Grinch Stole Christmas, A Christmas Story at famed Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall's Christmas Spectacular, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and The Pirate Queen where he also served as an assistant conductor. 

Dave also performed in numerous musicals internationally including the North American and Asian tour of West Side Story, the national tour of Mamma Mia, and the national tour and European tour of Smokey Joe's Cafe. He has also freelanced with orchestras throughout the midwest and east coast and has appeared in productions with Sir Paul McCartney, Sting, Aloe Blacc, Joni Mitchell, Ricky Martin, Natalie Cole, Gladys Knight, Art Garfunkle, Doc Severinson, Henry Mancini, Michael Martin Murphy, The Chieftains, Pincas Zuckerman, Susan Anton, and many more.

Dave trained at Kansas State University where he received his Bachelors of Music Degree and also at Northwestern University in Chicago where he received his Masters of Music degree in percussion performance. He is a proud artist endorser for Yamaha Percussion, Paiste Cymbals, Latin Percussion, and Vic Firth sticks and mallets.

www.daveroth.com

Aurélien Budynek

Guitar 1

Aurélien Budynek was born and raised in Bordeaux, France, and moved to NYC in 2006 after graduating from Berklee College of Music. 

Broadway chairs: Back to the Future, Tina, Gettin’ the Band Back Together

Subbing: Hamilton, Book of Mormon, MJ, Rock of Ages, Dear Evan Hansen, among others. 

Touring: Cindy Blackman-Santana, Marky Ramone, The Dan Band (MD), One Vision of Queen featuring Marc Martel, DareDevil Squadron, Broadway’s Rock of Ages Band, Rochester Fringe Festival (MD)

@aurelienbudynek

www.aurelienbudynek.com

Ethan Pakchar

Guitar 2

Ethan D. Pakchar is a NYC-based composer, writer, and guitarist. Most recently, his animated short film “Morning Joy” which he produced, wrote, and scored, premiered at Sundance Brand Storytelling Film Festival with additional acceptances and screenings at Tribeca X, SCAD, Boston, Woodstock, Cleveland International, San Diego International, and Dumbo Film Festivals. 

In September 2022, he released a meditation album (available on all streaming platforms) titled “Focus on the Breath” which aurally guides listeners to actively breathe and meditate to the music. 

With playwright Douglas Lyons and Broadway director Josh Rhodes, he is currently in development of two original musicals Beau and Five Points. 

As a guitarist, Pakchar has played for Sara Bareilles, Jennifer Hudson, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Billy Porter, Cynthia Erivo, the Radio City Orchestra, and the Broadway productions of Hamilton, Wicked, Book of Mormon, and Lion King. He currently holds the guitar chair at Back to the Future on Broadway.

IG: @epakchar 

Kristina Musser Gitterman

Concertmaster

Originally from the Midwest, violinist Kristina Musser Gitterman is thrilled to be a part of the Broadway community. She has played in over 30 musicals and is currently the Concertmaster at Back To The Future.

Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra, The New York Pops, American Ballet Theater, Encores! at City Center and the Oratorio Society are some of the many ensembles and orchestras with which she has had the pleasure of performing.

Music has taken Kristina around the globe, traveling throughout North America, Europe, and Asia with various ensembles. Her vast studio work includes dozens of cast recordings as well as TV and film soundtracks.

Kristina holds Music Degrees from the Manhattan School of Music, Ithaca College, and the North Carolina School of the Arts. She also has a degree in Comparative Religion.

Kristina enjoys playing chamber music on a regular basis for memory care patients, dreams of growing dahlias, and loves offering help to strangers.

Tallie Brunfelt

Violin 2

Violinist Tallie Brunfelt enjoys a busy freelance career in New York City. She has played in more than 20 Broadway and Off-Broadway shows and has spent seven seasons at the Christmas Spectacular Starring the Radio City Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall. She is currently Violin 2 on the hit show Back to the Future: The Musical.

Tallie is an in-demand studio musician with credits that include Barbie and Mean Girls, as well as more than 30 other motion picture and television soundtracks. Other recording and live TV credits include performances with Bruce Springsteen and Michael Bublé.

 Tallie also serves as Concertmaster of the Akron Symphony Orchestra and as Assistant Concertmaster of the Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra. In her time off, she enjoys hiking and traveling with her husband.

Andrew Griffin

Violin / Viola

Andrew Griffin is an award winning violist, composer, and orchestrator. He has performed in such diverse settings as Saturday Night Live, Radio City Music Hall, and in the viola section of the New York Philharmonic, the Houston Symphony Orchestra, and the Orchestra of St. Luke’s.  Since 2019, Andrew has held chairs for multiple Broadway shows. He can be found on the soundtracks of several films including the Oscar-winning Everything Everywhere All At Once, Judas and the Black Messiah, and Mean Girls (2023).  He was also a semifinalist at the 2012 Washington International Competition for Strings.

As an active copyist and editor, his credits include: Kidding (Showtime, feat. Jim Carrey); For Colored Girls (Broadway, Booth Theater); Ride the Cyclone (Off-Broadway); Planet Earth 2 (BBC); Lempicka (Williamstown Theater); Witness Uganda/Invisible Thread (Off-Broadway) and many more.

His original compositions, arrangements, and orchestrations have also been commissioned by notable ensembles such as the Seattle Symphony Orchestra Chamber Series, Simply Three, Sphinx Virtuosi, The Queens College Orchestra, and Traverse City Dance Company. He is also the composer for the new horror play, The Hollow, which debuted in Dallas, TX in 2022.

Andrew received his bachelor’s degree with honors as a double major from Carnegie Mellon University under Toby Appel (viola BFA) and Nancy Galbraith (composition BFA), and a master’s degree (viola MFA) from Rice University under Ivo-jan van der Werff.

IG: @drewjgriff

Website: www.AndrewGriffinMusic.com