Bill Doerrfeld


William "Bill" Doerrfeld is an American classical and jazz pianist and composer.
His primary focus is on compositions for classical symphonic orchestra, classical and jazz solo piano, and his fusion piano trio. In October 2014, Doerrfeld started the Doerrfeld Trio.

Biography

Youth

Doerrfeld started playing piano at the age of 4. At the age of 14, Yamaha invited him to perform his solo jazz piano work "Unidentified Flying Fingers" at the Togo no Sato Interior Hall in Japan as part of their 7th Junior Original Concert in 1978. He received a DownBeat magazine DB award, the Jacksonville Jazz Festival and The Great American Jazz Piano Competition, the Yamaha National Electone Festival, a BMI Student Composer Award, a New York Youth Symphony commission and Carnegie Hall orchestral premiere performance.

Education and performances

Doerrfeld earned degrees in classical piano and composition from Eastman School of Music, Interlochen Arts Academy and Yale School of Music. His composition teachers included Joseph Schwantner, Samuel Adler, Louis Andriessen, Jacob Druckman, and Martin Bresnick.
Doerrfeld's compositions have been performed by the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Saint Petersburg State Symphony Orchestra, and Lamont Symphony. He has been a featured guest of the Northwest Sinfonietta and the Methow Music Festival. His piano compositions have been performed by Ralph Votapek, winner of the first Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. His work has been conducted by David Zinman, David Alan Miller, David Effron, and George Tsontakis.
On November 16, 2010, Doerrfeld released his debut album titled Time and Again followed by A Passing Moment and Flurious.

Awards and honors

Doerrfeld received awards, fellowships and honors from ASCAP, Banff Centre, Delius Foundation, Fontana Arts Society, MacDowell Artist Colony, Tanglewood, and Yaddo.

Discography