Hershy Kay (1919-1981) was an American composer, arranger and orchestrator, especially active in ballet, theatre and concert arrangements. Born in Philadelphia, he studied at the Curtis Institute and later worked in New York.

Kay wrote original concert works, but he is particularly remembered for ballet scores and arrangements, including music for George Balanchine. His work appears in the Pristine catalogue among American light orchestral repertory.

His style is polished, theatrical and rhythmically alert, with a strong professional command of orchestral colour. He knew how to make existing material move cleanly on stage.

Kay belongs to the valuable class of musical craftsmen whose names are often less famous than the works they helped bring to life. His music and arrangements show elegance, fluency and practical imagination.