University of York Music Press

For thirty-five years Bill was Director of the London office of Universal Edition. Committed to the task of furthering new music, he was responsible for initiating and nurturing the careers of many British composers (including Birtwistle, Bedford, Osborne, Cardew, Rands, Hoyland, MacMillan, Holt, Finnisey and Muldowney) as well as acting for composers such as Boulez, Stockhausen, Berio, Feldman and Cage. At Universal Edition he collaborated on a forward-looking educational programme with John Paynter (Emeritus Professor of the University of York) which culminated in a summer school at York University: 'Music in Action'. In 1994 he founded University of York Music Press with David Blake and remained a Director of the company until his death. He served as Chair for several years on the board of the new British Music CD label NMC. In 2002 Bill was awarded the Lesley Boosey Award for services to publishing. In May 2008 the University of York bestowed upon him an Honorary Fellowship of the Department of the Music, a fitting tribute to a 'grand seigneur' of British music publishing. The news of Bill's death will come with great sadness not only to all who knew him, but to everyone interested in contemporary music. A memorial service planned for this year has been postponed - it will now be held next year in London, to mark Bill's 80th birthday on 25th November 2009. See a tribute in Resonate Magazine and an obituary in The Guardian