It was just under a month ago that Idina Menzel was joined by the legendary Marvin Hamlisch conducting the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. It saddens us deeply to hear that Marvin Hamlisch passed away yesterday at the age of 68. Hamlisch has appeared at the festival 7 times since 1991, and he was far from slowing down with positions held at Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Pasadena Symphony and Pops, Seattle Symphony, San Diego Symphony, and, starting next week, the Philadelphia Orchestra. Hamlisch was a prolific composer as well, working on such films as The Way We Were (which he won an Oscar), Sophie's Choice, Ordinary People, Ice Castles, and The Informant!. In his career Hamlisch has taken home just about every award an artist can, winning three Oscars, four Grammys, four Emmys, a Tony, three Golden Globes and even a Pulitzer Prize for the landmark musical A Chorus Line. He is an irreplaceable talent, and will be greatly missed.