Bill Stevens - Artist, Composer, Musician, Educator
Bill Stevens
Biography
Bill Stevens (trumpet and flugelhorn) received a Bachelor of Music degree in Music
Education from Fredonia State University in 1978 and a Masters degree in Jazz Studies
from the University of Miami in 1980. Bill has performed professionally in Miami, Florida;
upstate New York; New York City, San Francisco and Seattle, Washington. He has toured
with Billy Eckstine, Earl ‘fatha’ Hines, Ira Sullivan, Julian Priester, Spyro Gyra and ensembles
under his own name including currently the Bill Stevens Quintet and the Bill Stevens, Rich
Russo, Gary Fogel Trio. Bill has been the recipient of performance and composition grants
from the Seattle Arts Commission and the National Endowment for the Humanities. He has
studied with Elliott Topalian, Herbert W. Harp, Philip Johnson, Randy Brecker, Jack Walrath,
Laurie Frink and with bassist Joe Solomon. In the 1990’s he received a Masters in
Education Administration from New York University and is currently the Assistant Principal-
Administration/Organization and the Supervisor of Performing Arts studios, as well as the
Director of Jazz Studies at the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts in New York City. Bill
Stevens lives in New York City with his wife Laura and their son Miles.
Bill Stevens
Short List of Major Works
Suite for Jazz Quintet - made possible by a grant from the Seattle Arts Commission
Movement 1 - Teton View; New City; Ten Lakes
Movement 2 - Down Aptos Way; It Will Come to You in a Dream; Morro Bay
Flip of the Coin - composition commissioned by the National Endowment for the
Humanities for course of study entitled: Great Issues of Africa: History, Politics and
Literature
Restless Motion - a four movement suite based on the spoken word poetry of Joan Egeland
Scott for two readers and Jazz trio.
La Jetee - new music to the narration behind the 1962 film by Chris Marker, La Jetee.
lema sabchthani - a suite in 15 movements based on the series of paintings by the
abstract expressionist artist Barnett Newman entitled, “The Stations of the Cross”. The
Barnett Newman Foundation has granted their permission to use the images of the
paintings as part of this project.
