Bill Reed has dedicated his professional life to helping singers reach their potential as performing artists.
Bill was born into a show business family: his father, Vern Reed, sang tenor in the Buffalo Bills barbershop quartet (The Music Man). With his professional course set at an early age, he earned a Bachelor of Music degree at the University of Wisconsin— (Bill is a proud member of the UW Ice Hockey Hall of Fame.) After graduation, Bill taught high school vocal music, then moved on to the County College of Morris in New Jersey, and Louisiana State University, where he joined the faculty as a choral conductor, studio voice teacher, and recitalist.
With dreams of performing and teaching professional singers, Bill moved to New York City. He completed his doctorate at Columbia University, opened a private voice studio, and began his 25-year tenure on the faculty at Circle in the Square Theatre School. During his years in New York, Bill was privileged to study voice with Oren Brown at The Juilliard School. He performed in many classical concerts, including with Musica Sacra and the New York Philharmonic Orchestra at Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall.
In his private studio, Bill trained singers whose specialties ranged from opera to pop and rock, and Broadway to folk and country. Many went on to perform at the Metropolitan Opera, City Opera, European opera houses, and in hundreds of Broadway productions and national tours.
In Vermont, Bill’s adult students have often appeared as soloists with classical music organizations, including the Vermont Symphony Orchestra, and have had leading roles in many Lyric Theatre and other community theater productions around the state. His college and school-aged students have starred in many productions and won numerous All State singing competitions. His singers have gone on to study classical singing and musical theater at the most prestigious colleges, universities, and conservatories in the country, including the New England Conservatory, the University of Michigan, Carnegie Mellon University, The Cincinnati Conservatory, New York University, and The Juilliard School. Many of Bill’s Vermont students are working professionals and have performed leading roles at the New York City Opera, on Broadway and with national tours. Student have also had success as voice actors for TV, animated films, and audio books.
Finally, Bill has appeared nationally as a clinician at colleges, universities, and conferences of professional organizations.
Please check out Bill's Interview with WCAX
Bill Reed, Tenor, In Concert - "Danny Boy"