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Turn Around and Take a Bow!
Mike Dixon has been involved in the British music industry for over 40 years and has been Musical Director for more than twenty West End productions including, We Will Rock You, The Bodyguard, Grease, Aspects of Love, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and Jesus Christ Superstar. His TV credits include six Royal Variety Performances, countless light entertainment series and Glastonbury with Shirley Bassey, as well as a huge number of high profile television and radio concerts.
His career has taken him all over the world working with some of the most iconic artists of the 20th and 21st centuries, including Dame Shirley Bassey, Lord Lloyd-Webber, Leslie Bricusse, Sir Tim Rice, Don Black, Sir Elton John, Lionel Richie, Sir Tom Jones, Lady Gaga and Queen.
The book follows his journey as his exciting and eclectic musical career develops. From his early musical experiences in Plymouth, studying at Trinity College of Music, to conducting in the Royal Albert Hall, with plenty of humour along the way, it is a little peek behind the scenes into the world of entertainment from a unique, hands-on perspective.
His career has taken him all over the world working with some of the most iconic artists of the 20th and 21st centuries, including Dame Shirley Bassey, Lord Lloyd-Webber, Leslie Bricusse, Sir Tim Rice, Don Black, Sir Elton John, Lionel Richie, Sir Tom Jones, Lady Gaga and Queen.
The book follows his journey as his exciting and eclectic musical career develops. From his early musical experiences in Plymouth, studying at Trinity College of Music, to conducting in the Royal Albert Hall, with plenty of humour along the way, it is a little peek behind the scenes into the world of entertainment from a unique, hands-on perspective.
407 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 28, 2022
About the author
Mike Dixon
1 book4 followersMike is a graduate of Trinity College of Music, London. He is a leading musical director, musical supervisor, composer and arranger working across theatre, TV, radio and live events.
He has worked extensively in the West End with credits including Mrs Henderson Presents, The Bodyguard, We Will Rock You, Grease, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and Jesus Christ Superstar.
TV credits include six Royal Variety Shows, Another Audience With Shirley Bassey, Pop Idol and The Queen's Golden Jubilee Rock Concert. Since 2001 he has been a regular Conductor on BBC Radio 2’s Friday Night Is Music Night.
Mike has composed and been Musical Director for countless live events and concerts and has conducted and co-produced many cast recording albums.
He received the Helpmann Award for Best Musical Direction for We Will Rock You and the Sony Radio Award and New York Radio Award for the Minute by Minute series.
He has worked extensively in the West End with credits including Mrs Henderson Presents, The Bodyguard, We Will Rock You, Grease, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and Jesus Christ Superstar.
TV credits include six Royal Variety Shows, Another Audience With Shirley Bassey, Pop Idol and The Queen's Golden Jubilee Rock Concert. Since 2001 he has been a regular Conductor on BBC Radio 2’s Friday Night Is Music Night.
Mike has composed and been Musical Director for countless live events and concerts and has conducted and co-produced many cast recording albums.
He received the Helpmann Award for Best Musical Direction for We Will Rock You and the Sony Radio Award and New York Radio Award for the Minute by Minute series.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
June 15, 2022
Mike Dixon has had a remarkable career and, as a musical theatre lover myself, I wanted to know more. I really enjoyed reading about some of his experiences. He’s met the Queen and the surviving members of Queen. He’s worked with Andrew Lloyd Webber and Shirley Basset, among many others, and he’s known musical royalty like Liza Minnelli. That said, probably an editor would have been a good idea. I felt like I was drowning in detail. My sister is a professional musician, so I appreciate Dixon’s efforts to include the full lineups of some of his projects but, as a reader, it was not pertinent. There are a lot of interesting anecdotes, but they’re buried in names, dates, places and other details that didn’t add anything. His personal history also takes too much space, in my opinion. I appreciate the enormity of being a cancer survivor but including his email updates to his friends didn’t add much to this book. Having worked in the theatre business myself, I used to help edit program bios and I know how difficult it is to omit credits that people worked hard to get, but it is necessary. Approaching this book as a Playbill bio might have improved it.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, #NetGalley/#Matador!
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, #NetGalley/#Matador!
January 1, 2023
What a great descriptive journey of a very talented musician that I had the pleasure to share a very small part of. Well done Mike and I look forward to reading the sequel.
July 25, 2022
I've just finished Turn Around and Take a Bow and I really enjoyed it.
Mike Dixon, whose autobiography this is has had a fascinating career, and he explains the work a musical director does.
His love of music shines through and his enjoyment kf working on team efforts is palpable.
It started when, as a child he just absorbed music - and doesn't remember learning to read it. As he says rhe same of learning to read English too I suspect it only came so easily because of his incredible talent.
From working as an assistant to becoming Dame Shirley Basset's MD seems to have happened as an effortless series of chances, bur none of these would have fallen I to his lap without years of hard work.
His first Royal Variety Performance was one I remember, it introduced Bradley Walsh whom I'd met before a performance just a month before. The Eurovisions, the An Audience with along with humorous twiddly links in Joseph and Friday Night is Music Night are all shows I too have experienced as an audience member.
This is a very generous book and shines the spotlight on other talents too, rather than hogging the limelight.
As one would expect from a globetrotter who hob nobs with showbiz royalty his vision of his dream destination kept him going during gruelling cancer treatment. However, one wouldn't expect it to be a caravan in Cornwall, initially without plumbing or electricity!
He speaks fondly of his parents and it seems they trained him well so he cidnt get list in excess when flushing toilets became an option!
Mike Dixon, whose autobiography this is has had a fascinating career, and he explains the work a musical director does.
His love of music shines through and his enjoyment kf working on team efforts is palpable.
It started when, as a child he just absorbed music - and doesn't remember learning to read it. As he says rhe same of learning to read English too I suspect it only came so easily because of his incredible talent.
From working as an assistant to becoming Dame Shirley Basset's MD seems to have happened as an effortless series of chances, bur none of these would have fallen I to his lap without years of hard work.
His first Royal Variety Performance was one I remember, it introduced Bradley Walsh whom I'd met before a performance just a month before. The Eurovisions, the An Audience with along with humorous twiddly links in Joseph and Friday Night is Music Night are all shows I too have experienced as an audience member.
This is a very generous book and shines the spotlight on other talents too, rather than hogging the limelight.
As one would expect from a globetrotter who hob nobs with showbiz royalty his vision of his dream destination kept him going during gruelling cancer treatment. However, one wouldn't expect it to be a caravan in Cornwall, initially without plumbing or electricity!
He speaks fondly of his parents and it seems they trained him well so he cidnt get list in excess when flushing toilets became an option!
June 22, 2022
I have followed Mike Dixon for a good while - I am a huge lover of musical theatre and Dixon seems to be the god of musical theatre MD'ing.
Was super intrigued to read about him in this book.
I loved the insights to the theatre shows, and all the backstage gossip - these were my favourite bits as I love musical theatre, and have seen the majority of the shows Dixon worked on.
I was less interested in Dixon's more personal life, and flipped the pages a bit faster when he spoke about these moments.
Overall I really enjoyed this book - just wish it focussed more on the shows...
Was super intrigued to read about him in this book.
I loved the insights to the theatre shows, and all the backstage gossip - these were my favourite bits as I love musical theatre, and have seen the majority of the shows Dixon worked on.
I was less interested in Dixon's more personal life, and flipped the pages a bit faster when he spoke about these moments.
Overall I really enjoyed this book - just wish it focussed more on the shows...
December 4, 2022
What an amazing musical journey Mike has been on. An excellent read (and listen, read by Mike),truly awe-inspiring finding out what he has done and the opportunities that the performing arts can provide to you.
A must read.
A must read.
January 29, 2024
See behind the curtain!!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews