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“Dawson’s fusion of poetry & music is an unmatched experience”
“Pianist William Dawson performed a provocative recital especially convincing when he played with cellist Anne Williams, Principal Cellist of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. Both artists were well met in the Prokofiev Sonata. It was a highly lyrical performance with some thunderclaps of piano tone to set off the deep, rich flow of cello sound. Altogether, it had an audacious brilliance, especially in the piano.”
“A First Rate musician”
“Loaded with talent. Formidable technical prowess.”
“An exceptional musician”
“I have had the greatest pleasure becoming acquainted with the songs of composer William Dawson Jr. His music is exceptionally well crafted, moving, and diverse in its subject matter and musical character, and he writes beautifully for both singers and piano. He draws from texts by both Mexican and English poets, and his settings are convincing in both languages. Singers would do well to add his music to their repertoire.”
“There is something special about Bill’s music. It is sensuous and yet modern at the same time. Totally expressive. Bill Dawson has the gift of creating new music that touches the heart and the mind without becoming cliche, or bogged down in sentiment. At times it is passionate, and at times witty and dry. Seldom can 21st century music sound as natural and fluent as Dawson’s music.”
“His rendition of the C S Lewis poem is sumptuous and beautifully performed.”
“William Dawson is one of the most sincere and talented people I know. In fact, I consider him to be a musician’s musician. He diligently practices the art of music and selflessly devotes himself to sharing his wonderful gift. His performances, compositions and teaching all show his love for what he does. He deeply cares about the future of music. I have nothing but admiration for such a noble “mission” as his. What a legacy he is leaving behind!”
“I am so unbelievably grateful to have had you (Mr. Dawson) in my life. I would not have had this success had you not been my teacher. You changed the course of my life. I will always be grateful for you and your taking me under your wing!”
“I certainly owe you a huge debt of gratitude. I was lucky to have had the opportunity to study with you in Miami. You were the first person to turn me on to Keith Jarrett. Your mentorship, support and guidance was so integral in my development as a pianist and musician, and I can’t thank you enough for that.”
“I am listening to your C S Lewis Art Songs . . so beautiful! What great composing. I so love the mixture of classical, romantic and 20th century music with, I dare to say, a kind of Sondheim and Keith Jarrett aesthetic. I love your harmonic approach which has a sound that is all once familiar, yet full of subtle curveballs and turns of direction. It is what I strive for in my own writing. I especially love Song of the Angel. Your playing is gorgeous!! What a tone you get. I’m jealous!”
“Bill Dawson was my first piano teacher and the most important step in all the steps of my musical journey. Without his belief in me and his guidance I would not have been able to embark into the beautiful and rewarding musical life I have so far been able to lead”
“Mr. Dawson’s compositions are simply WONDERFUL. A pleasure to hear. Whether for solo voice or instrumental, his music touches the heart of the listener.”
“What I heard of the Abegg Variations by Schumann told me that Dawson has a deep musicality and a glittering facility”
William & Mark Hayes
William & Alex Lacamoire
Video Playlists
To access complete playlists of all videos click the 
icon on the upper right of the video clips below. Then select song. Click X at top right to view and click the square icon at bottom right to enlarge.
C. S. Lewis Poems
Lyrical Reflections – Song Cycle
Scroll below to view scores
“The highlight of the New York C.S. Lewis Society’s 50th Anniversary was your music: I was deeply moved, to my foundation. I’ve never heard CSL better served”.
– James Como (founding member) – PhD Columbia Univ., Prof. Emeritus City Univ of N.Y., Senior Fellow Oxford Univ., Renowned Lewis Scholar & Author
“EVENSONG”
C. S. Lewis
Secular Choral Music
New Art Songs (Spanish)
Instrumental Music
New Art Songs (English)
Piano Performances
Sacred Choral & Instrumental Music
Song of the Immigrant
Compositions
All music for voice is available for Soprano, Mezzo, Tenor or Baritone
Prayer in Gethsemane for String Ensemble
I Sorrow
II Anguish
III Acceptance (Listen On YouTube )
Suite Chichen Itza for Orchestra
I Pyramid of Kukulcan
II Sacred Well
III The Ball Court (Listen On YouTube )
IV Observatory/Caracol (Listen On YouTube )
V Temple of the Warriors (Listen On YouTube )
Trilogía Yucateca for Piano, String Ensemble, & Soprano
I Introduction (Jarana) – Strings (Listen On YouTube )
II Canto a Mi Ciudad – Soprano, Piano & Strings – text by Luis Pérez Sabido (Listen On YouTube )
III Interlude (Peregrina) – Strings (Listen On YouTube )
IV Siempre – Soprano, Piano & Strings – text by Fernando Espejo (Listen On YouTube )
V Interlude (Caminante del Mayab) – Piano Solo (Listen On YouTube )
VI Danza del Pequeño Principe – Soprano, Piano & Strings – text by Antonio Mediz Bolio (Listen On YouTube )
Song of the Immigrant
Musical Drama
For Soprano, Mezzo, Tenor, Baritone
I All This Way or Nothing
II As It Happens
III Beneath the Wings of God
IV God Bless the Man
V The Threshing Floor
VI A Kind Surprise
Piano and voice version available
Five Songs for Soprano & Piano set to poems by C. S. Lewis
I Evensong (Listen On YouTube | View Score)
II Song of the Angel (Listen On YouTube | View Score)
III March for Drum, Trumpet & 21 Giants (Listen On YouTube | View Score)
IV Prayer (Listen On YouTube | View Score)
V A Confession (Watch On YouTube | View Score)
Songs of Dust for Soprano, Cello, Violin & Piano – texts by Hannah Kahn
I Signature – Soprano & Piano (Listen On YouTube )
II Aria – Piano, Violin & Cello (Listen On YouTube )
III Sudden Frost – Soprano, Piano, Violin & Cello
IV Nocturne – Piano Solo
V Ride a Wild Horse – Soprano, Piano, Violin & Cello (Listen On YouTube )
A Songful Cycle – Poems by Peter Meinke
I On Lake Norman
Soprano/Baritone & Chamber Orchestra (Listen On YouTube )
Vocal/Piano Version (Listen On YouTube )
II In Gentler Times
Soprano/Baritone & Chamber Orchestra(Listen On YouTube )
Vocal/Piano Version (Listen On YouTube )
III Miss Arbuckle
Soprano/Baritone & Chamber Orchestra (Listen On YouTube )
Vocal/Piano Version (Listen On YouTube )
IV Poem to Old Friends Who Never Met
Soprano/Baritone & Chamber Orchestra (Listen On YouTube )
Vocal/Piano Version (Listen On YouTube )
V Vegetables
Soprano/Baritone & Chamber Orchestra (Listen On YouTube )
Psalm 150 – SATB Chorus & Piano (Listen On YouTube )
Salmo 150 – (Spanish version)
I am the Light – 2 part Chorus & Piano (Listen On YouTube )
Yo Soy La Luz – (Spanish Version)
Art Songs in Spanish – Soprano & Piano
All music for voice is available for Soprano, Mezzo, Tenor or Baritone
Que Rico – text by Luis Pérez Sabido (Mexico) (Listen On YouTube )
La Vida Niña – text by Luis Pérez Sabido (Listen On YouTube )
El Amor que Yo Esperaba – text by Luis Pérez Sabido (Listen On YouTube )
Danza del Pequeño Principe – text by Antonio Mediz Bolio (Mexico) (Listen On YouTube )
Canto a mi Ciudad – text by Luis Pérez Sabido (Listen On YouTube )
Siempre – text by Fernando Espejo (Mexico) (Listen On YouTube )
Canción del Otoño – Text by Luis Pérez Sabido (Listen On YouTube )
Caudal – text by Miguel Angel Asturias (Guatemala) (Listen On YouTube )
Yo Quiero – Duet for Sop. & Baritone (Listen On YouTube )
Art Songs in English – for Soprano/Baritone & Piano
All music for voice is available for Soprano, Mezzo, Tenor or Baritone
Psalm 100 “Make a Joyful Noise” (Listen On YouTube )
A Dream Within a Dream – text by Edgar Allen Poe (Listen On YouTube )
Signature – text by Hannah Kahn (Listen On YouTube - Soprano & Baritone Verisons )
Ride a Wild Horse – text by Hannah Kahn (Listen On YouTube )
A Songful Cycle – Poems by Peter Meinke
Pass-a-Grille – text by Donald Eastman, President-Eckerd College (Listen On YouTube )
Vegetables – For Soprano & Piano, Text by Peter Meinke (Listen On YouTube )
All This Way For Nothing – For Soprano & Piano, Lyrics by Keith McCune (Listen On YouTube )
The Golden Bird (Listen On YouTube )
A Kind Surprise (Listen On YouTube )
Arrangements
Down to the River to Pray – SATB Chorus & Piano (Listen On YouTube )
The Water is Wide – 2 part Chorus & Piano (Listen On YouTube )
Though I May Speak with Bravest Fire (Alternate version with biblical text) (Listen On YouTube )
Circle Game (Joni Mitchell) SA Chorus & Piano (Listen On YouTube )
How Sweet the Sound – Youth Choir, SATB Chorus, Piano, Organ (Listen On YouTube )
Cheek to Cheek – SATB & Piano, Bass
Forever Young – Men’s Trio, Piano, Bass
Exodus – This Land is Mine – Men’s Trio, Piano, Bass
Didn’t My Lord Deliver Daniel for Alto (or Tenor) Saxophone & Piano (Listen On YouTube )
Spiritual Suite (Medley of African-American Spirituals) for Duo Saxophone (Alto & Tenor) & Piano
“Were You There”, “Wade in the Water”, “Sometimes I Feel like a Motherless Child”,
“Go Tell it on the Mountain”
Spiritual Suite– alt. version for Solo (Tenor) Saxophone & Piano
Spiritual Suite – alt. version for Solo Saxophone & Strings
Spiritual Suite for Piano Trio (Piano, Violin, Cello) (Listen On YouTube )
Spiritual Suite –alt. version for Voices & Piano Trio (Listen On YouTube )
River Suite (Medley of Traditional American Songs) for Piano Trio “O Shenandoah”, “Down in the River to Pray”, “Shall We Gather by the River”, “Suwanee River” (Listen On YouTube )
River Suite – alt. version for Voices & Piano Trio (Listen On YouTube )
If – SSA & Piano
Wichita Lineman – For Boys or Men’s Choir and Piano (Listen On YouTube )
Since You’ve Asked – For Girls or Women’s Choir (Listen On YouTube )
Sample Printed Scores
(Use arrows at bottom to turn the pages)
Evensong
EvensongMarch for Drum, Trumpet & 21 Giants
March for Drum, Trumpet & 21 GiantsA Confession
A ConfessionExodus
ExodusSelf-Published Samples
Click the image to view and enlarge.
A Dream Within A Dream | Page 1
“Make a Joyful Noise” – Psalm 100 | Page 1
Que Rico | Page 1
Didn’t My Lord Deliver Daniel | Page 1
Miss Arbuckel | Page 1
Miss Arbuckle | Page 2
Biography
William Dawson Jr is an alumnus of the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia where he studied with world renowned concert pianist, Rudolf Serkin. He went on to earn his Graduate Degree in Music at Yale University where he studied piano with John Kirkpatrick and Composition. He earned his Bachelor Degree at Wheaton College (IL). Dawson has appeared as soloist with major symphony orchestras including an NPR national broadcast with the Boston Pops and Arthur Fiedler, the Florida Philharmonic in Miami and the Orquesta Sinfónica del Estado de Mexico. He has played recitals and given master classes all over the United States, L’Abri Switzerland, Japan, Republic of China and Latin America. Gian Carlo Menotti invited Dawson to perform at the Spoleto Festival in Italy. His chamber music concerts include performances with members of the Miami String Quartet, Anne Williams, Principal Cellist with the Pittsburgh Symphony and Daniel Majeske, late Concertmaster of the Cleveland Orchestra.
He is Professor Emeritus at Miami Dade College and is a founder of the New World School of the Arts in Miami where he was assistant to the Dean, John Delancie, former Director of the Curtis Institute of Music and Principal Oboist with the Philadelphia Orchestra. Dawson was co-founder of the Escuela de Música J.S. Bach in Mérida, Yucatán and has served as Visiting Professor at the Universidad del Valle in Guatemala City and the Conservatorio Victoriano Lopez in San Pedro Sula, Honduras. In 1994 the BiNational Symphony Orchestra premiered Dawson’s composition “Suite Chichen Itza” which was performed at that archaeological zone in Yucatan, Mexico. This work was performed and recorded in Miami by Grammy nominated Mexican conductor, Eduardo Diazmuñoz. The Instituto de Cultura in Yucatan produced a CD of Dawson’s “Trilogía Yucateca” for Soprano, Strings & Piano. In addition, Dawson has composed numerous songs based on poetry and traditional themes of the Yucatan. In recognition of his bi-national cultural achievements Dawson received various official honors and awards from the University of Yucatan, the State of Yucatan, Mexico and the U.S. State Department.
The Florida State Music Teachers Association named Dawson Commissioned Composer of the Year 2007. The Southwest Florida Symphony commissioned Dawson to compose choral music in 2008. At the invitation of Metropolitan Opera conductor, Maestro Paul Nadler, Dawson’s songs were performed in a New York concert in 2017 at the at the International Vocal Arts Institute. Dawson’s latest project is the setting of poetry by Peter Meinke, Florida Poet Laureate to music. Performances of these works have been scheduled throughout the state. His music has been published by Augsburg-Fortress. He is past President of the Music Foundation of SW Florida and past District President of the Florida State Music Teachers Association.
Press
For Purchase of Printed Music Contact William Dawson Jr Using the Form Below
Or email Prof. Dawson directly at wgdawsonjr@gmail.com