William Doppmann (Springfield, Massachusetts, 1934 - Honokaa, Hawaii, January 27, 2013) was an American concert pianist and composer. At the University of Michigan he was the only musician ever to win both the Walter W. Naumburg Award and the Michaels Memorial Award in a single season. As a composer, Doppmann was the recipient of two Guggenheim Fellowships.

Early life

William Doppmann starting his piano lessons at the age of 5. His first major show was when he was 10 years old he performed for the Cincinnati Orchestra. By the time he entered college he had been in over 500 performances. Doppmann moved to Michigan and attended University of  Michigan studying composition with Homer Kelly and Ross Lee Finney, and also studied with Carl Hugo Grimm at the  University of Cincinnati College - Conservatory of Music. At his second year in college Doppmann won his first awards, the Walter W. Naumburg Award and the Michaels Memorial Award as a young artist.

Career

William Doppmann had graduated from college and had went on his life to New York city where he spent some alone time studying and performing for symphony's like Marlboro Music Festival. Doppmann was then inducted into the Army and put to charge in France and Germany for 2 long years. Returning from the Army, Doppmann had the responsibility of taking care of his children and his wife, and later became a professor in three major universities in Washington, and was a composer for the next 12 years.In 1985 he moved back to New York to continue his career a a pianist/composer. He was married to Willa Doppmann, who was a Director of the Second City Chamber Series.

Selected Works

  • Spring Songs for Mezzo Soprano, Piano, Clarinet, Percussion (1981)
  • Fantasy I Winter Dreams for Solo Piano (1995)
  • Fantasy II Thaw: Shards To The Sea for Solo Piano (1997)
  • Four Pieces for solo cello (1951)
  • Four American Sonatas for piano (1999)
  • Dance Suite for cello, timpani, flute & clarinet (1953)
  • Rhapsody for cello, piano & tape on themes of George Crumb & Béla Bartók (1977)
  • Evensong for solo violin (1963)
  • Five Studies for solo piano (1969)
  • Dance Variations for solo clarinet (1978)
  • Rikki-Tikki-Tavi for Narrator and Chamber Orchestra (1981)
  • Distances . . . for solo piano and off-stage piano or tape (1982)
  • Duo for Flute and Harp (1982)
  • Counterpoints for Solo Piano, Chamber Strings and Percussion (1987)
  • Four Short Pieces for Solo Piano (1988)
  • The Marriage Ring for Baritone, Oboe/English Horn and Piano (1989)
  • Octobersong for Mezzo Soprano, Piano and Percussion (1995, revised 2006)
  • Toccata In Nomine for Solo Piano (1997)
  • Two Movements for Solo Viola (1996)
  • Passacaille for Harp, Alto Flute/Piccolo, & Mezzo Soprano (1996)
  • Psalm 66 for Choir SATB and Brass Trio (1996)
  • Partita  for Solo Fortepiano (1997)
  • Elegy for Solo Cello (1997)
  • Mirror Song for Soprano & Mezzo with Piano accompaniment (1998)
  • Fantasy III Bells of MidSummer for Solo Piano (1999)
  • Justice Variants I & II for solo piano (1997 – 2000)
  • Duo In D, La Ricordanza for violin and piano (1999)
  • For Herself for High Soprano and Piano (2000)
  • Seven Duets for two Solo Violins (2001)
  • Swordplay for full orchestra and concertante of soloists – piano, clarinet, cornet (2003) .

References

http://www.music.umich.edu/muse/2013/spring/InMemoriam.html

http://www.diversink.com/downloads/pdf/Doppmann%20Press.pdf

http://library.newmusicusa.org/WilliamDoppmann

http://scchamberseries.org/artistic-directors/

http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Bio/Doppmann-William.htm