CHAN POLING
  • Bio
  • The Suburbs
  • The New Standards
    • Holiday Show
    • Orchestral
    • Peggy Lee: Is That All There Is?
    • SCORE! Songs and Themes from Movies
    • Corporate Events & Galas
  • Musical Theater
    • (the defeat of) JESSE JAMES
    • Lord Gordon Gordon
    • Glensheen
    • A Night in Olympus
    • Heaven
    • Theatre de la Jeune Lune
  • Song Licensing & Scoring
  • Contact
  • Jack & the Ghost
  • For Music Supervisors
Chandler Hall Poling -
Composer, Lyricist, Songwriter, Performer, Author.


Starting at age 17, studying composition at California Institute of the Arts under the mentorship of composer Harold Budd, Chan began collaborating with musicians, playwrights, choreographers, film-makers, actors and painters, and continues to work across mediums.


The Suburbs
In 1977, Chan founded the alternative rock band The Suburbs joining the inaugural roster of Twin Tone Records in Minneapolis. Shortly thereafter, The Suburbs were signed to Polygram, then A&M Records, becoming a touchstone of the “Minneapolis Sound” among other seminal MN rock acts of the 1980’s. Noted rock journalist Ira Robbins said of their album Love Is the Law "easily the Suburbs’ apex, a powerful and personality-laden set of songs... A great, great album." The Minneapolis Star-Tribune included Poling and The Suburbs in their round-up of the “100 Most Influential Minnesota Musical Entities of the Twentieth Century.” Chan was awarded the Minnesota Music Award's Lifetime “POP” (Perpetually Outstanding Performer) Award.  Mr. Poling continues to record and perform with the latest incarnation of that groundbreaking group.


​
The New Standards
​Chan Poling, John Munson, and Steve Roehm comprise The New Standards who perform their unique jazzy spin on pop music in theaters and clubs around the world, and at their sprawling and theatrical New Standards Holiday Show (Anchorage PAC, MIM Phoenix, Lincoln Center NYC, City Wineries NYC & Chicago, The State Theater, Mpls, Chicago Theater, ETC). They've performed with world-class orchestras, held court as a trio in intimate clubs, and entertained many corporate clients from Las Vegas to Shanghai, making a variety of albums, videos, animations, films, books,  and friends, along the way.    

​
Musical Theater
Chan's great love is Musical Theater. Since the early '90s, his musical scores have been produced at:

Theatre de La Jeune Lune
​The Guthrie Theater
Yale Repertory Theater
La Jolla Playhouse
Walker Art Center
Portland Center for the Visual Arts
Ritz Theater
Illusion Theater
History Theatre
Park Square Theater
...and more.

A dedicated devotee of the form, Chan has written the musical scores and songs for a variety of shows, including: The 
American Theatre Critics Association's "Best New Play"; "Children of Paradise: Shooting a Dream" composed for the Tony Award-winning Theatre de la Jeune Lune, “Heaven” (originally commissioned by producer Kevin McCollum for The Ordway) directed by Joe Chvala in an award-winning production at the Guthrie Theater, and several shows written with the esteemed playwright Jeffrey Hatcher, including “A Night in Olympus”, “Glensheen”, "Lord Gordon Gordon",  and "The Defeat of Jesse James", the last three originally produced at St. Paul's History Theatre. "Glensheen" is returning to History Theater in 2025 for it's 10th year of summer runs.

In the wings:

​"Heaven Can Wait", the iconic play by Harry Segall and basis of 2 hit movies, is now a brand new musical written by Jeffrey Hatcher (Book) with Music & Lyrics by Chan Poling, with director Scott Schwartz. Stay tuned for news of the world premiere of this exciting new musical.

In the works:
​
"CAROL" a pop-rock musical based on Dicken's immortal Holiday Classic. With playwright Melanie Hoopes.

"Cousin B" a new musical based on Jeffrey Hatcher's award-winning adaptation of the classic Balzac novel; a twisted opera of class, love, and revenge.



Author
Chan is the published author of 2 unique illustrated books.

 "Jack & the Ghost"; 
illustrated by Lucy Michell, is a gothic, lyrical evocation of a shipwreck, ghosts, and lost--and found--love in a North Shore town.

Chan and Lucy's new children's book, "The Moons",  is in stores everywhere.
​


Music Licensing
Many film and television producers have licensed music from Mr. Poling's extensive and varied catalogue, or commissioned Chan to write an original score, for TV shows, commercials, documentaries, and films. 


Awards & Notices
​The Suburbs were voted as one of the "100 Most Influential Minnesota Musical Entities of the Twentieth Century" by the Minneapolis Star Tribune. 

Chan was awarded MMA's Lifetime 
“POP” (Perpetually Outstanding Performer) Award.  

2 Emmys and a Cine Golden Eagle for films featuring Chan's music.
 

The "Overall Excellence" Ivey for “Glensheen”.

"Glensheen"
voted "Best of the Decade" - Mpls Star-Tribune

The Sage Award for Best Music  for "Heaven".
 (Guthrie Theater)

​"POETS PARTY", The Suburbs last album, Minneapolis Star Tribune's "Top Ten Albums of 2021". 

"Ad of the Week" for Target/"Rattle My Bones" collab - Adweek Magazine  

CLICK HERE FOR LINKS TO CHAN'S CURRENT SHOWS!
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Artwork by Owen davey

MN ORIGINAL PROFILE
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Photo © 2023 by Jimmy Steinfeldt
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© COPYRIGHT  CHANDLER HALL POLING 2018. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
  • Bio
  • The Suburbs
  • The New Standards
    • Holiday Show
    • Orchestral
    • Peggy Lee: Is That All There Is?
    • SCORE! Songs and Themes from Movies
    • Corporate Events & Galas
  • Musical Theater
    • (the defeat of) JESSE JAMES
    • Lord Gordon Gordon
    • Glensheen
    • A Night in Olympus
    • Heaven
    • Theatre de la Jeune Lune
  • Song Licensing & Scoring
  • Contact
  • Jack & the Ghost
  • For Music Supervisors