Andre Previn Biography 

German-born and American-raised musician Andre Previn remains one of the most influential figures in modern classical composition. Over his extensive career, Previn’s work has received the most exposure through Hollywood films such as Porgy & Bess and My Fair Lady.

Andreas Ludwig Priwin, known popularly as Andre Previn, was born April 6, 1929 in Berlin, Germany. Some sources, however, put his year of birth as 1930.

Born into a Jewish family, Previn’s brother was troubled director Steve Previn, who ended his life in 1993 by gunshot.

When Previn was ten, he and the entire family relocated to the United States. Fleeing the increasing Nazi regime, Previn officially became a US citizen in 1943. He was subsequently raised in Los Angeles, California, where he obtained his initial education from Beverly Hills High School.

His first major career move came in 1967 when he took a post at the Houston Symphony Orchestra. Just one year later, he was conductor to the prestigious London Symphony Orchestra. He stayed with the program until 1979.

He was subsequently appointed to the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

But it is his work within film that has gained Previn his greatest recognition. Over his extensive and varied career as a Hollywood composer, Previn has been acknowledged by the Academy an impressive thirteen times.

His first nomination came in 1951 for Three Little Words starring Fred Astaire, Red Skelton, and Debbie Reynolds.

After many more nominations and disappointing losses, Previn finally secured his first win in 1959 with Vincente Minnelli’s Gigi. The film fetched Previn the Oscar and recognition for stars Leslie Caron and Maurice Chevalier.

Winning in back to back years, Previn also took home the Oscar for his film Porgy & Bess in 1960. Sharing the spoils with Ken Darby, this film was a hit for Sidney Poitier, Dorothy Dandridge, and Sammy Davis Jr.

1964 brought his win for Irma la Douce with Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine, while his last win came one year later with My Fair Lady starring Audrey Hepburn and Rex Harrison.

Outside of film, Previn’s body of work has also been recognized by the Grammy Awards on numerous occasions. Most recently, he walked away with a Grammy in 2005 for Best Instrumental Soloist.

In his personal life, Previn has had less success than in his professional endeavors. At last count, Previn has been married and divorced five times. His first marriage was with Betty Bennet, resulting in two children. He then married Dory Previn followed by noted actress Mia Farrow.

Farrow and Previn were together for nine years. During that time, they had three children together and adopted another three. This included Soon Yi Previn, who found herself in the tabloids for her eventually marriage to Woody Allen. Allen was, of course, romantically linked to Farrow for many years, and the marriage effectively made Previn the noted director’s father-in-law.

Chronicling his eventful and often tumultuous life, Previn’s memoir, No Minor Chords, hit the shelves in 1991.