William Schimmel
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William Schimmel (1946 - ) is one of the principal architects in the resurgence of the accordion, the revival of the Tango in America, and the philosophy of "Musical Reality" (composition with pre-existing music). He holds Bachelor of Music, Master of Science and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees in composition from the Juilliard School and a diploma from the Neupauer Conservatory of Music in performance/composition. He is a prolific composer with nearly 4000 works in many mediums including opera, Broadway, off-Broadway, solo, and chamber music. He performs music in many genres, has written a number of books and articles, and has made numerous recordings and videos.
He is best known for his recordings with The Tango Project, which also appear in the film Scent of a Woman, as well as performances in True Lies, Mr. & Mrs. Smith (trailer), Sex and the City, Real Sex, Sesame Street, All the King's Men, Equinox, as well as his performances in Kun Dun, The Baker and many others films. He has performed with most major symphony orchestras in the U.S (including the Kirov), virtually every chamber and New Music group in New York, as well as avant-garde groups, rock bands and Jazz ensembles (Ted Nash's Odeon). His work with Tom Waits is notable, as well as other greats such as Sting and the late Leopold Stokowski (who has conducted Schimmel's music). He conducts a yearly three day Master Class and Concert Series (The Seminars) sponsored by the American Accordionists' Association, dedicated to the exploration and establishment of an accordion culture, which is in its fourteenth season. He is a renowned teacher, profoundly influencing a whole new generation of accordionists, composers, performers, performance artists and cross-disciplined artists.
He is married to dancer, choreographer, director and filmmaker, Micki Goodman. Together they founded the Institute for Private Studies, a pluralistic vision think tank and have collaborated in a series of theatre works which have made accordion history: Road to Patagonia, Classic Reality, Opera Fisarmonica, Small Hotels, Strange Narcissism (new realities on early music) and Dead End Avenue as well as video works: Tango of the Winds, Shaman II, Archipelago, Civil War Tangos, Zen and the art of the foxtrot, A brief history of Plaid, Scarlatti was here, The Kid: Billy and the feature length work, The Unforgivable Sin - A Video Symphony in Four Parts. They have one son, Michael, age 28, a visual artist with down syndrome.
