- drummer/conductor/improviser/clinician
Brian Willson DMA Brian Willson has played with Big Nick Nicholas, Frank Lacy, Katy Roberts, Kenny Werner, Dominic Duval, Cameron Brown, Willie Williams, New Tenor Conclave, Doc Cheatam, Ricky Ford, Jason Kao Hwang, Pauline Oliveros, Montego Joe, Warren Smith, Terry Silverlight, and has several Broadway show tours to his credit. He has performed, conducted, and/or lectured in 25 countries. His first CD as a leader, Things Heard Unheard, features Yuko Fujiyama and Dominic Duval and has been released on the Deep Listening Label. He currently co-leads a quartet with Salim Washington, featuring Radu Ben Judah and Yayoi Ikawa. Their recording; You Dig? will be released in fall, 2007. Mr. Willson is the drummer for the Katy Roberts Quintet CD recorded in Paris, Live at L’Archipel. He recently recorded a CD of duets with Pauline Oliveros, As It Is, to be released summer, 2008. In 2005 he recorded a series of improvisations with Dutch percussionist Ruud Wiener and in 2006 a quartet with bass-trombonist Dave Taylor. Trained in both the classical and jazz traditions, he is currently on faculty in the percussion department of Brooklyn College where has taught for the last 15 years. He has toured Ireland and Spain for five consecutive years as associate conductor with the Brooklyn College Percussion Ensemble, premiering several works in those countries. In 2004, he also presented a week of concerts and master classes in Turkey at Istanbul Bilgi University. Conducting experience includes many contemporary music premieres, two film scores and a CD for Jose Halac, improvised music ensembles, Scandanavian/European tour of "A Chorus Line", Conservatory Wind Ensemble, numerous works for percussion ensemble. He received the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in June 2005 from the CUNY Graduate Center in NY. His dissertation was titled Achieving Fluency in Twentieth-Century Rhythms: A Pedagogical Approach. He has been featured in 3 television specials, the Salim Washington-Brian Willson Quartet; the Imagination Ensemble: Just Playin’; and The New Standard Trio with Dominic Duval and Yayoi Ikawa, aired on CUNY TV as part of their regular broadcast schedule. He is currently conductor/producer for two recording projects, singer Monica Harte, Songs From Another Place; and composer Terry Winter Owens, Sources of Light. In 2005 and 2007 he toured Brazil giving master classes in Campinas, Rio, and Bahia. Mr. Willson is endorsed by Paiste Cymbals, Lang Percussion Drums, Regal Tip Drumsticks, Latin Percussion,and Evans Heads.