User:ALC1990/William Miller

William Miller is a Canadian composer, musician and writer based in Stratford, Ontario. Notable works include operas Henry Hudson, D'Arcy McGee and The Stronger: A One Act Chamber Opera as well as his piece Pour flûte seule which is published in a book of contemporary flute music.

Career highlights
In the 1970s, Miller's piece Au bord de la forêt was performed at the Orchestra London (Canada) under conductor Clifford Evens. Miller wrote the electro-acoustic piece Pagaille in 1978. It is archived by the Concordia electro-acoustic Composers' Group at Concordia University.

Miller is the composer of Pour flûte seule, which was featured in Pierre-André Valade's 1990 book Flûte et creations, a compilation from fifteen composers of various musical aesthetics on the topic of the contemporary flute.

Miller composed the music for operas Henry Hudson, D'Arcy McGee, Voice of an Angel and A Stronger Thought of Love, The Donnelly Legacy with the poet and fellow Stratford resident Charles Mountford. The production of Henry Hudson featured baritone Vanya Abrahams as the titular sea explorer and navigator. A Stronger Thought of Love, The Donnelly Legacy, an opera based on the story of the Black Donnellys, was staged at the Stratford Central United Church in 2007. It featured soprano Catherine Green and baritone Mark Gardner, accompanied by alumni of the St. Mary's Children's Choir and a chamber orchestra under the direction of Sean Kim.

In 2008, Orpheus Productions Stratford produced Miller's chamber opera Henry Hudson as well as his Seppia Suite for Solo Violin for the Spotlight weekend in Stratford with support from the Ontario Ministry of Culture and the Ontario Arts Council. In 2011, Miller was a guest composer featured at the Stratford-based "MMMM Composers in Concert" series. Miller's pieces Nocturne (for violin and piano) and The River Avon (for violin, cello and piano) were performed. Miller played the violin for both pieces.

In 2013, Miller's Seppia Suite for Solo Violin was commissioned and recorded by Gwen Thompson at the Violin Studio in Ottawa. He composed The Stronger: A One Act Chamber Opera, also known as The Rival, in 2014. It is based on the August Strindberg play The Stronger. The premier production featured soprano singer Catherine Green.