William Hicks, piano

William Hicks, conductor, pianist, and voice coach, recently conducted the London Sinfonietta in a recording of Jerome Kern's "Have A Heart." In 2003, he made his New York conducting debut conducting a Mozart/Beethoven concert; in that same year he conducted two Opera Galas at Binghamton featuring tenor Richard Leech and baritone Jake Gardner.

From 1995 to 2001, Mr. Hicks served as Assistant Conductor for the Metropolitan Opera; he made his Metropolitan Opera stage debut as the concert pianist Lazinksi in Giordano's "Fedora.". He is scheduled to conduct Puccini's "Il Tabarro" at Binghamton in April, 2005. His recording with the legendary Marta Eggerth Kiepura is scheduled for release in February, 2005.

Mr. Hicks also works as a free-lance pianist and voice coach. He has coached, appeared in recital, master classes, and on television with some of the leading singers of our time, including Luciano Pavarotti, Renata Scotto, Marta Eggerth Kiepura, Roberta Peters, Anna Moffo, Carlo Bergonzi, Regina Resnik, Sherill Milnes, Catherine Malfitano, Thomas Hampson, Jerry Hadley, Ruth Ann Swenson, Teresa Stratas, Marcello Giordani, Rockwell Blake, and Harolyn Blackwell. He is the pianist on Ms. Blackwell's recordings: "A Simple Song: Blackwell Sings Bernstein" and "All Through the Night; he will appear in concert with her at the Kennedy Center in March, 2005.

Mr. Hicks also presents master classes in preparation and presentation for opera singers in the San Diego and New York City areas, and is available in that capacity throughout the country.