Michael Starobin

Michael Starobin serves as Associate Professor in the Department of Writing and Production for Musical Theater at Berklee, where he bridges academic instruction with elite industry practice. A preeminent orchestrator and arranger, he has defined the sonic landscapes of Broadway and Hollywood for four decades through landmark works including Falsettos, Sunday in the Park with George, Assassins (2004 Tony Award winner), and Next to Normal (2009 Tony Award winner). His filmography encompasses Disney's The Hunchback of Notre Dame (conductor and orchestrator), Tangled, and orchestrations for Chicago, Nine, Beauty and the Beast (2017), Mary Poppins Returns, and Tick, Tick... Boom!.

Starobin's creative focus centers on:

• Musical Theater Orchestration
• Film Scoring and Arranging
• Vocal Arrangement for Stage and Screen
• Contemporary Musical Theater Composition Support
• Historic Theater Music Reconstruction
• Collaborative Score Development

His exceptional contributions have earned industry's highest honors:

• 2009 Tony Award: Best Orchestrations for Next to Normal
• 2004 Tony Award: Best Orchestrations for Assassins
• 2004 Drama Desk Award: Best Orchestrations for Assassins
• 1984 Drama Desk Award: Best Orchestrations for Sunday in the Park with George
• 1985 L.A. Drama Critic's Award: Best Orchestrations for In Trousers

He additionally received 12 Drama Desk nominations spanning 1984–2018 and a 2018 Tony nomination for Once on This Island, reflecting sustained artistic excellence. Current projects include Adam Gwon’s “All the World’s a Stage”, Shaina Taub’s SUFFS, and collaborations with Mary Testa on “Irons” (by Annie Lennox).