William Eddins facts for kids
William Eddins, born on December 9, 1964, in Buffalo, New York, is a talented American pianist and conductor. He led the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra as their music director from 2005 to 2017.
Contents
Early Life and Musical Journey
William Eddins began playing the piano when he was just 5 years old. His parents found a piano at a garage sale, and that's where his musical adventure started!
He studied at the famous Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York. He focused on playing the piano and finished his degree in 1983. He was only 18, making him one of the youngest people to graduate from that school. Later, he learned how to be a conductor at the USC Thornton School of Music.
In 1987, he helped start the New World Symphony Orchestra in Miami, Florida. This was a big step in his career.
A Conductor's Career
William Eddins has worked with many great orchestras. He was an Associate Conductor for the Minnesota Orchestra. He also served as the Resident Conductor for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
He was the Principal Guest Conductor of the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra. He even worked with the famous conductor Daniel Barenboim at the Berlin State Opera.
In 2000, Eddins received a special honor called the Seaver Conducting Award. This award is given to very talented young American conductors.
Musical Tastes and Collaborations
As a conductor, William Eddins enjoys many different types of music. He loves the classic works of composers like Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven.
He also really likes music from North America. You'll often hear him perform pieces by Bernstein, Copland, Gershwin, and Antheil. He is also very interested in the music of Lili Boulanger.
Eddins has worked with many modern composers too. These include Steve Reich, Steven Stucky, Wynton Marsalis, and Aaron Jay Kernis.
William Eddins as a Pianist
Besides conducting, William Eddins is also a skilled pianist. He has recorded his own piano music, including works by Beethoven and Debussy.
He has also recorded cello concertos for Naxos Records. A concerto is a piece of music for a solo instrument, like a cello, and an orchestra.
Eddins loves playing chamber music. This is music for a small group of instruments. He often conducts pieces by composers like Mozart and Gershwin while playing the piano at the same time.
He also creates and hosts podcasts called Classical Connections. In these podcasts, he explores the history of classical music.
Personal Life
William Eddins is married to Jennifer Gerth. She is a clarinet player and a college instructor. They have two sons named Raef and Riley.
