Bill Solomon, percussion
Hailed as a "fine soloist" (NY Times) and "a stand out" (The Boston Globe), New York percussionist Dr. Bill Solomon performs with Ensemble Signal, having appeared at Lincoln Center, Tanglewood, Carnegie Hall, LA Philharmonic, Library of Congress, Guggenheim, Miller Theatre, Big Ears, and June in Buffalo. Signal works closely with Steve Reich, having performed dozens of concerts of his music alongside him, and recorded two critically-acclaimed discs of his music on harmonia mundi, including Music for 18 Musicians, which was awarded a Diapason d’Or in 2015. Signal has performed and worked with many other leading composers, including Lachenmann, Knussen, Haas, Chin, Reynolds, Ferneyhough, Wuorinen, Paredes, Abrahamsen, and Gordon.
Mr. Solomon has performed the solo vibraphone part for Boulez's Répons in collaboration with the Lucerne Festival and IRCAM with Mr. Boulez as conductor. Solo appearances have included the NYC premiere of Unsuk Chin's Double Concerto at Miller Theatre; new German works at Harvard University by Johannes Kriedler and Hannes Seidl; MC Maguire's Narcissus auf Naxos at Victoriaville Festival ("brilliant percussion work", The Wire), as a featured soloist at SEAMUS National Convention, and at Princeton Sound Kitchen playing music by Donnacha Dennehy. Additional appearances have included Liz Gerring Dance, performing an hour-long work for percussion and electronics by Michael Schumacher; music by Crumb at BAM Next Wave Festival with Dawn Upshaw; and Ryan Trecartin’s Jazz Fest at Park Avenue Armory. He performs solo recitals throughout the US and abroad, often premiering new works, and gives masterclasses at universities.
Mr. Solomon frequently performs with Talujon Percussion, Hartford Symphony, and has appeared with Talea Ensemble, Alarm Will Sound, A Far Cry, Sound Icon, and Callithumpian Consort. He is a member of Bent Duo with pianist David Friend, having toured throughout the US performing experimental works.
He is a founder of the Queer Percussion Research Group, an international research and performance collective, and has given papers at conferences and symposia on queer musicology and percussion in the US, Norway, and Australia. His recordings can be found on Mode, EUROArts, Cantaloupe, Naxos, Albany, Weighter, New World, and on the soundtrack for Project Rebirth by Philip Glass. He received his Doctorate and Masters degrees from the Hartt School.