William Powell, faculty clarinetist with the CalArts New
Century Players, received the Artist's Diploma in
Clarinet Performance from the Juilliard School in New
York City where he studied with Stanley Drucker,
principal clarinetist of the New York Philharmonic
Orchestra. After additional studies in New York with
Leon Russianoff, he moved to California to study with
the principal clarinetist of the Los Angeles
Philharmonic Orchestra, Michele Zukovsky, at the
California Institute of the Arts where he received the
M.F.A. in Performance in 1979. After graduation from
CalArts, Mr. Powell served on the faculties of the
University of California, San Diego; San Diego State
University; California State University, Long Beach; and
the University of Nevada, Las Vegas before joining the
CalArts faculty.
The recipient
of a Senior Research Grant from the Indo-American
Fellowship Program of the J. William Fulbright
Commission and a CalArts Faculty Creative Leave funded
by George and Mary Lou Boone, Mr. Powell lived from
August 1993 to June 1994 in India where, as the first
non-Indian clarinetist to be accepted as a disciple, he
studied with the "Mount Everest of Clarionet" — Master
Karnatic clarinetist Sri A.K.C. Natarajan of
Tiruchirapalli. Under the patronage of Brhaddhvani
Research and Training Centre for Musics of the World and
its director, Dr. K. S. Subramanian, he presented
concerts of American music for clarinet and electronics
throughout India and collaborated with Sri A.K.C.
Natarajan and Hindustani clarinet virtuoso Sri
Narasinhalu Wadavatti in performances of cross-cultural
compositions at Rani Seetha Hall in Madras. He also
recorded programs of traditional and contemporary music
for All India Radio with Indian pianist Handel Manuel.
Mr. Powell, who has
commissioned many new works for clarinet and premiered
over 300 compositions, has performed at major concert
venues throughout the U.S., Europe and Asia including
Avery Fischer Concert Hall, Merkin and Carnegie Recital
Halls, and Dag Hammarskjold Auditorium at the United
Nations in New York; the Kennedy Center in Washington,
D.C.; at the North American New Music Festival as
soloist with the Buffalo Philharmonic; and at the
International Congresses on Women in Music in Los
Angeles, New York, Paris and Bremen. He has performed as
soloist in Pierre Boulez's Domaines for clarinet and
orchestra at "New Music Los Angeles;" in Igor
Stravinsky's Ebony Concerto for clarinet and jazz band
with composer/conductor John Adams on the "Green
Umbrella" concert series at the Japan American Theatre;
in Ed Bland's Magnetic Variations for clarinet and
chamber ensemble in a concert in celebration of Martin
Luther King Day which was broadcast live on National
Public Radio to networks throughout the United States,
Canada, Europe, and the Near East; and in the West Coast
premiere of Donald Martino's Triple Concerto for three
clarinets and chamber orchestra. He has also performed
for Swedish National Television and on KUSC, FM radio,
Los Angeles; on KFAC, as part of the Los Angeles
Cultural Affairs Department's "Sundays at Seven" series;
and on KPFK as guest soloist and host in numerous
programs featuring both traditional and contemporary
music for the clarinet. He has performed with the Aspen
Festival and Chamber Orchestras, the contemporary music
ensemble SONOR, the Sierra Wind Quintet, the Naumburg
Award-winning Aulos Wind Quintet and, as principal
clarinetist, with the San Diego Chamber Orchestra, the
Las Vegas Symphony, the Reno Philharmonic and the Orange
County Chamber Orchestra. He has recorded for CRI,
Electra/Asylum and Nonesuch labels. He has recorded
Virko Baley's Sculptured Birds for clarinet and piano is
on the Cambria label. His recording of Barry Schrader’s
Arabesques for clarinet and electronics is available on
Innova.