Billy Childs
American arranger, composer, conductor and jazz pianist Billy Childs was born William Edward Childs in Los Angeles on 8 March 1957. He studied composition with Robert Linn at the University of Southern California, but was also playing professionally while still in his teens.
Working as a jazz musician, he became influenced by the desire to merge jazz and classical music, and has received a series of classical commissions since 1993 from organisations such as the American Brass Quintet, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, the Dorian Wind Quintet, Fontana Chamber Arts, the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, the Los Angeles Master Chorale, Pacific Serenades, the San Diego Symphony Orchestra and the Ying Quartet.
Further information: billychilds.com
A selection of articles about Billy Childs
Ensemble. Unique Strengths - Ron Bierman listens to music by Billy Childs, Sergei Prokofiev, Nikolai Medtner and Ludwig van Beethoven played by Alexander Malofeev, the San Diego Symphony Orchestra and conductor Rafael Payare
Classical music news - Weight in the Fingertips - Ukrainian-American pianist Inna Faliks' recent book tells the story of her upbringing in a Soviet state and her path to becoming a concert pianist