National Medal of Arts, Pulitzer Prize, and Grammy Award-winner William Bolcom (born May 26, 1938) is an American composer of chamber, operatic, vocal, choral, cabaret, ragtime, and symphonic music.
He joined the faculty of the University of Michigan's School of Music in 1973, was named the Ross Lee Finney Distinguished University Professor of Composition in 1994, and retired in 2008 after 35 years. Bolcom won the Pulitzer Prize for music in 1988 for 12 New Etudes for Piano, and his setting of William Blake's Songs of Innocence and Songs of Experience on the Naxos label won four Grammy Awards in 2005.
As a pianist Bolcom has performed and recorded his own work frequently in collaboration with his wife and musical partner, mezzo-soprano Joan Morris. Cabaret songs, show tunes, and American popular songs of the 20th century have been their primary specialties in both concerts and recordings. Their 25th album, "Autumn Leaves," was released in 2015.
In 2018, nine world premieres of Bolcom works commemorated William Bolcom's 80th birthday.
In a performance we can only describe as exquisite, Marc-Andé Hamelin paid homage to one of Bolcom's most beloved compositions, “Graceful Ghost Rag,” in his January 2023 appearance on a Tiny Desk Concert at National Public Radio in Washington, DC.
Tiny Desk Concerts is a video series of live concerts hosted by NPR Music at the desk of All Songs Considered host Bob Boilen in Washington, D.C.
Read moreMaki Namekawa and Dennis Russell Davies honored Bolcom in May with the program “Bill’s Garden: A Celebration of William Bolcom at 85.”
Read moreBolcom’s Suite of Preludes was given its World Premiere in October 2021 at Hudson Hall in Hudson, New York by Steinway Artist Jenny Lin. Composed during the Coronavirus lockdown, this nine-movement suite is comprised of miniatures that reveal the personal side of Bolcom - they contain elements of humor, obscure thematic quotes, jazz chords - all within the European American style for which the composer is known.
Read moreWilliam Bolcom’s recent work, written for the pianist Igor Levit, is streaming after its premiere earlier this year.
Read moreNew recording from the Fischer Duo celebrates the piano-cello group’s 50 years of performances together.
Read more
Bennett Gordon Hall, 200 Ravinia Park Rd, Highland Park, IL 60035
Program to include songs by John Adams, Leonard Bernstein, and William Bolcom
Cabrillo Festival, Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium, 307 Church Street, Santa Cruz, CA
Cristian Macelaru, Cabrillo Festival’s new Music Director and Conductor, conducts the west coast premiere of Symphony No. 9 as well as works by Gerald Barry, Jörg Widmann, and Cindy McTee.
Music Mountain, 225 Music Mountain Rd , Falls Village, CT 06031
Harlem String Quartet; Fei-Fei Dong, Piano
Lincoln Performance Hall, Portland State University, Portland Oregon
an exciting evening of jazz-inspired chamber works including William Bolcom's new Sextet.
Kaul Auditorium, Reed College, Portland Oregon
Chamber Music Northwest presents "Jazz Variations on an American Theme," an exciting evening of jazz-inspired chamber works including a world premiere by William Bolcom.
George Enescu Philharmonic Concert Hall, Str. Franklin no. 1-3, Sector 1, Bucharest, Romania
Angela Draghicescu, piano; concert will be broadcast live on Romanian national radio
The final concert of our Tarrytown Music Hall season is a musical portrait of mystical, faraway lands, and historic local landmarks. Our soloist will be Christopher Creviston, performing William Bolcom’s Concerto for Soprano Saxophone.
The Duplex Cabaret Theatre, 61 Christopher Street, New York, NY
Countertenor Jordan Rutter and conductor Jennifer Peterson perform all four volumes of William Bolcom’s Cabaret Songs. Join us as we explore the “mystery mile” of strange characters like Uncle Murray the Furrier, Black Max, and Radical Sally. Each song unfastens another mask on a musical journey for love.
A pre-show cabaret of favorite Bolcom art songs, followed by Lucrezia, a 50-minute romp. Lucrezia, an intelligent seductress, takes charge of her own needs and tricks her suitors into not only giving her pleasure, but also their money.
A pre-show cabaret of favorite Bolcom art songs, followed by Lucrezia, a 50-minute romp. Lucrezia, an intelligent seductress, takes charge of her own needs and tricks her suitors into not only giving her pleasure, but also their money.
A pre-show cabaret of favorite Bolcom art songs, followed by Lucrezia, a 50-minute romp. Lucrezia, an intelligent seductress, takes charge of her own needs and tricks her suitors into not only giving her pleasure, but also their money.
The Chopin Theater, 1543 W Division Street, Chicago, IL
A pre-show cabaret of favorite Bolcom art songs, followed by Lucrezia, a 50-minute romp. Lucrezia, an intelligent seductress, takes charge of her own needs and tricks her suitors into not only giving her pleasure, but also their money.
Saeunn Thorsteindottir, cello and Angela Draghicescu, piano
Muskingum University Department of Music, 163 Stormont Street, New Concord, OH
Muskingum Valley Symphonic Winds perform Bolcom: 5 Cabaret Songs for Band .
Chamber Music Concert with the Delphi Trio includes Beethoven, Bolcom, and Mendelssohn.
McKenna Theatre, San Francisco State University, 1756 Holloway, San Francisco, CA 94132
The Delphi Trio - Liana Bérubé, violin; Michelle Kwon, cello; and Jeffrey LaDeur, piano - performs Bolcom's Piano Trio (2014, commissioned by the Delphi Trio). Pre show talk at 7 pm.
Attend a live performances of excerpts from new American operas by today’s leading composers, and join in lively conversations with the featured artists.
