William Schimmel (1946 - till now)
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Already as a child William Schimmel was interested in the accordeon. He was impressed by the success his uncles had, as they arrived at the house and took their accordeons. When he was ten years old, in the mid 50s, he threatened dire consequences if he didn't get one for himself for his Christmas.
Schimmel followed composition at Juilliard and his training at the Neupauer Conservatory in Philadelphia (where his uncles also had followed lessons) qualified him for advanced placement in almost anything that had to do with music. After he graduated he taught at Juilliard, Brooklynn College, Upsala College, New School University, Neupauer Conservatory and lectured on accordion related subjects. Schimmel was regarded as the greatest accordionist by National Public Radio and performed with virtually every major symphony orchestra in America. He performed with pop star colleagues from Sting to Tom Waits who declared "Schimmel doesn't play the accordeon, he is the accordeon." |
William Schimmel is also founder of the tango project. He got interested in tango after the success he had with a tango he wrote together with friends. With the tango project he performed for films, such as "Scent of a Woman", "True Lies", "Kun Dun", and many others. He can also be heard in series of films for the Nature Conservancy, which have won numerous prizes in documentary categories.
Schimmel is an authority of the music of Kurt Weill, having recorded all of Weill's music that employs the accordeon.
Dr. Schimmel's theatre works in collaboration with Micky Goodman, his wife, have made accordeon history.
Schimmel is an authority of the music of Kurt Weill, having recorded all of Weill's music that employs the accordeon.
Dr. Schimmel's theatre works in collaboration with Micky Goodman, his wife, have made accordeon history.
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Nowadays Dr. Schimmel heads the Neupauer Conservatory Order of the Shield Program. This is a private studies program for gifted students on a graduate and post-graduate level.
The Confederation International of Accordeonists awarded Dr. Schimmel the distinguished merit award for the AAA Master Class and Concert Series and for his contribution to the international accordeon scene. He received the American Accordeonists' Association Distinguished Service Award for fifty years of Accordion activity and for his work as Lecturer in Residence. He is listed in the Who's Who in America and Great Minds of the 21st century. William Schimmel is a virtuoso accordeonist, author, philosopher and composer. He is one of the principal architects in the tango revival in America and the philosophy of Musical Reality (composition with pre-existing music). |
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Schimmel is seen as the figure who has done the most to promote the accordeon in mainstream art forms including classical, jazz, rock & roll, world music and avant garde.
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Works
Full moon, tempting arms, for piano and accordeon Tango sonata, for piano and accordeon Tango through the centuries, for piano and accordeon The wheel of becoming, for accordeon The accordeon and the skirt, for accordeon Accordeon Boy, for accordeon Sources:http://www.billschimmel.com/bio.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Schimmel http://www.juilliard.edu/journal/william-schimmel-bellows-pleated-world |
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