Jazz pianist William Lydell, of Minneapolis, Minn., will perform a solo recital on the Valley City State University campus, in Froemke Auditorium, Thursday, Sept. 30, at 7:30 p.m. There is no admission charge.
Lydell has bachelors degrees in music education and English from Valley City State University; and a Master of Music (piano) from the University of Michigan.
Lydell's extensive musical background includes more than 30 years as a public school music teacher in Minneapolis, 15 years as a church organist and choir director, and professional experience as a jazz pianist in clubs and on cruise ships. He has served as clinician and adjudicator for music festivals and contests through the upper Midwest and Arizona and as music editor for Schmitt, Hall and McCreary Publishing. Lydell is perhaps best known as a composer and arranger, and to North Dakota audiences, for his performances with Lawrence Welk.
His piano style has been described as multi-faceted. Lydell has a repertoire of more than 300 tunes, including standards by composer greats such as Cole Porter, George Gershwin and Rodgers & Hart.
Lydell, an alumnus of VCSU, presents this fourth benefit concert for the Friends of Music scholarship fund: a freewill offering will be taken following the performance. Lydell's CD recordings will be for sale at the concert, and a reception will follow.
