|  | | Noted conductor, pianist, educator,William Appling has received numerous honors including First Prize in Piano in the National Association of Negro Musicians and the first Kulas Foundation Fellowship Award for Choral Conducting with the Cleveland Orchestra.
During his years as educator in the Cleveland area, Appling was Choral Director for Glenville High School, and under his leadership the choir became well-known throughout Ohio and beyond, accepting invitations to sing at the Hollywood Bowl, New York World's Fair and at educators' meetings in Ohio and Indianapolis. In 1965 the Cleveland Board of Education | |
| presented the Glenville High School Choral Club in a sold-out concert at Severence Hall. Appling has also served as the Choral Director of the Case Men's Glee Club, the West Shore Chorale, the Cleveland Philharmonic Chorus, and Director of Choral Activities at Vassar College.
At Western Reserve Academy in Hudson, Ohio, Appling founded and directed Summer Music Experience, an international six-week program offering intensive music training and performance experience to gifted students of high school age. The music camp/festival involved members of the Cleveland Orchestra and included visiting artists and master classes with Robert Shaw, Andre Watts, Yoel Levi, Janos Starker, Lynn Harrell and Lorin Maazel. Many former SME students are enjoying successful careers as performers, composers and teachers at major music institutions worldwide.
In 1979 Appling founded the William Appling Singers and Orchestra (WASO), a professional ensemble that performs chamber works of all periods and styles. Recently released WASO recordings include "Wake Ev'ry Breath," a CD on New World Records of music by William Billings, and "Stresses in the Peaceable Kingdom," the choral music of American composer Richard Wilson, on Albany Records. The ensemble's recording of American hymns and spirituals, "Shall We Gather," was released on Albany records in the fall of 2001 and its recording of music by composer William McClelland, "The Revenge of Hamish," was released in late 2003.
William Appling Singers and Orchestra has been dedicated to premiering the works of contemporary American composers, including those by Hale Smith, Richard Hundley, Donald Erb, Richard Wilson, William McClelland, and Rich Smith. The group has also presented music by Charles Ives, Aaron Copland, Elliot Carter, Roger Reynolds, Richard Feliciano, Randall Thompson, Irving Fine, Janice Hamer, John McDonald, and many others. A composers' forum, where works by Hale Smith and Anthony Davis were performed, was held at Vassar College in 1996 with both composers in attendance.
William Appling has also enjoyed an active career as a pianist, appearing in solo recital at Town Hall, New York City, concerto performances with the Cleveland Orchestra, at the Aspen Festival under Darius Milhaud, and in duo recital with tenor Seth McCoy. He is currently working on a project of recording the complete works of Scott Joplin. Home | | |
