William Averill is truly a “collaborative keyboardist”, at home not only at the piano, but equally at the harpsichord, fortepiano, and organ.  Mr. Averill spent four years honing and refining his skills at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, where he completed a MM in Vocal Accompanying, studying with Kenneth Griffiths and Donna Loewy, and an Artist Diploma in Opera Coaching.  He began his studies at Appalachian State University in Boone, NC, where he completed bachelor degrees in piano, flute, and music education.  He has recently completed a doctoral degree at the Early Music Institute of Indiana University, Bloomington, majoring in harpsichord and fortepiano with Elisabeth Wright.

Mr. Averill has established himself as an opera coach, working for festivals such as the Opera Theatre of Lucca, Italy, Wolf Trap Opera Company, Utah Festival Opera and San Diego Opera.  As the culmination of the Artist Diploma at CCM, Mr. Averill conducted the United States premiere of Vivaldi’s first opera, Ottone in villa.   He also returned to CCM in 2005 to conduct their production of Händel’s Ariodante.  Mr. Averill has also established himself as a forerunner in the field of early music, and has performed throughout the US, Europe, Asia, and Scandinavia as a harpsichordist, fortepianist and organist.

Mr. Averill has taught at the Indiana University School of Music, where he had the opportunity to work closely with Metropolitan Opera soprano, Martina Arroyo.  He has worked with numerous renowned conductors and directors such as John Copley, Tito Capobianco, and Colin Graham.  Mr. Averill has played in master classes for Marilyn Horne, Rudolph Piernay, Benita Valente, Harmut Höll, John Wustman, and in the Baroque repertoire for Emma Kirkby, Nicholas McGegan, and Julianne Baird. At Ohio University his teaching responsibilities include English, Italian, and German Lyric Diction, German Song Literature, as well as vocal coaching for the opera program and for undergraduate and graduate vocal performance majors.