Herbie Helbig (c. 1933, Germany - June 21, 1983, Toronto) was a Canadian pianist, harpsichordist, arranger, and composer of German birth. He was trained as a musician in Germany, Canada, and England.^[1][2] While his schooling was principally in classical music he had success as a jazz pianist.^[2] He worked as a composer and arranger for film, television, radio, and the stage.^[2][3]

Born in Germany^[3][4] in c. 1933,^[5] Helbig initially trained as a classical musician in his native country;^[2] learning to play standard works by Ludwig van Beethoven and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart among other composers.^[3] In 1953 he immigrated to Canada^[6] where he studied music composition and piano at The Royal Conservatory of Music^[3] with Samuel Dolin.^[7] He pursued further studies in music at the University of Toronto^[2] and in England at Durham University.^[1]

In 1954 Helbig performed in concerts sponsored by The New Jazz Society in Toronto.^[8] In Canada he performed in concerts with American jazz musicians J. J. Johnson, Kenny Dorham, Sonny Stitt, and Wardell Gray during the 1950s.^[6] In England he performed in concerts with Jack Parnell and Tony Crombie.^[6] He also performed in Canada as a member of Mart Kenney's orchestra.^[9] In 1960 his Herman Helbig Trio performed at the Canadian Jazz Workshop Festival in Toronto,^[10] and that same year performed and recorded as a member of Pat Riccio's band.^[11]

Helbig was a resident pianist at the Windsor Arms Hotel beginning in the 1960s^[2] until the end of his life.^[5] His repertoire in the piano bar of Windsor Arms's Club 22 ranged from jazz standards to classical works by Mozart to his own original compositions.^[12] He was a member of Peter Appleyard's quartet with whom he recorded the 1965 LP The Peter Appleyard Quartet.^[2] He made a LP recording in 1969 titled A Classical gas in which he played both piano and harpsichord.^[3][2][13] He was music director for the show That 5 AM Jazz at Toronto's Theatre in the Dell in 1967 which starred the actor and singer Stevie Wise.^[14][15] In 1969 he was a featured pianist on the Canadian daytime television series Islands and Princesses;^[16] a series in which he performed classical piano works by composers like Chopin.^[3] The following year he returned to Theatre in the Dell to work as the musical director for the original production of the revised version Oh, Coward!; a revue of the music of Noël Coward which starred Tom Kneebone, Dinah Christie, and Roderick Cook.^[17] It was the seventh professional musical production he had worked as musical director.^[3] In 1974 he composed and directed the music for the premiere production of Munroe Scott's Wu-feng which was staged at the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts.^[18]

Helbig had his own program on Canadian radio for five years.^[2] He was also known for his work as a concert pianist and film and television score composer in Canada.^[19][2] He composed the scores to the films The Crowd Inside (1971),^[20] and Feelin' Great (1973).^[21] He also wrote the scores for many television documentaries made by the Canadian Broadcast Corporation;^[5] including First Person Singular: Pearson – The Memoirs of a Prime Minister (1973).^[22] From 1971-1983 he was the pianist for the children's television show Polka Dot Door.^[5] In 1979 he performed for the inaugural opening of the new Sotheby Parke Bernet auction house in Toronto.^[23] He also worked as a composer of jingles for Canadian television and radio which he made with his own production company.^[3][4][5]

Helbig died in Toronto from a blood clot on June 21, 1983 at the age of 50.^[5][24]

• Herbie Helbig at IMDb