William Appling › Texts

APPLING --William T. Renowned conductor, pianist, and educator William Appling passed away on Friday, August 29, 2008. He was 75 and lived in Poughkeepsie, NY. In 1979, Mr. Appling founded William Appling Singers & Orchestra (WASO) in Cleveland, Ohio, a professional ensemble dedicated to performing music of all periods, and particularly the works of American composers. WASO released four critically acclaimed recordings on the New World and Albany record labels and premiered numerous contemporary works. Relocating to Poughkeepsie in 1989 when Mr. Appling was appointed Director of Choral Activities at Vassar College, WASO presented concerts at Lincoln Center, Bard College and many other venues, both as its own entity and under the auspices of the Bard Music Festival and American Symphony Orchestra. Early in his career as educator in the Cleveland area, Mr. Appling was Choral Director for Glenville High School where under his direction the choir received widespread acclaim and was invited to sing at the the Ohio Music Education Association in Columbus, Ohio, and the New York World's Fair. He 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.

From his obituary published in The New York Times on Sept. 7, 2008