Bill Houston has an interesting and varied background. A native of Albuquerque, New Mexico, he began viola studies in the public school system. In college, while performing professionally with regional orchestras, majoring in chemistry and minoring in music, he received his first conducting experience as church choir director. Shortly after, while finishing an MBA in finance at Columbia University, he spent time studying viola and playing in orchestras.
Houston returned home for his viola degree under such notables as Metropolitan Opera principal violist John A. DiJanni, concert artist Toby Appel, and Cleveland Quartet violist Atar Arad. During this time he founded and for four years led the Duke City Chamber Orchestra, an ensemble that provided talented young players and composers much needed performance opportunities. From here he studied conducting at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. At the end of his masters degree he was selected to receive the Deans' Outstanding Achievement Award and the Richard C. Church Memorial Award given to the outstanding student conductor.
Returning home again, Houston created The New Southwest Orchestra, a professional summer residency orchestra, while conducting all musicals at the Albuquerque Little Theatre. After four seasons, he moved East again to serve as Executive and Artistic Director of The Orchestra at William Paterson University for seven years.
Currently, Houston freelances as violist and conductor, teaches privately and coaches chamber groups, teaches a course entitled "A New Approach to Listening," and has been a consultant and program evaluator for the New Jersey Performing Arts Center Arts Education Department since 1998. His latest orchestra project, the Suburban Philharmonic Society, officially began March 4 with a duo recital he presented with violinist Aisha Dossumova.
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