William Thomas McKinley
American composer and executive (1938-2015) · United States · On the map · Musicians · Died at 76
William Thomas McKinley was an American composer and jazz pianist born in New Kensington, Pennsylvania.
William Thomas McKinley is read about 4 times a day, in 6 languages.
A typical day, 30 days to 21 June 2026
The middle day of the days counted, so one week of news cannot move it. The line under it is the last 60 days, one point a day.
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Media & music
Photos 5
William Thomas McKinley in 2011.
McKinley in 1979 teaching in a classroom at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston.
A page from an early work, "Attitudes" (1967)
A page from McKinley's "Deliverance, Amen" (1983), an oratorio.
Tanglewood Music Center celebration of the "Generation of 1938" in August, 2007. Top Row (L to R): Harvey Sollberger, David Borden, Olly Wilson, John Harbison. Middle Row: William Thomas McKinley, Charles Wuorinen, Joan Tower, Richard Teitelbaum, Alvin Curran. Bottom Row (seated): Ellen Taaffe Zwilich, John Heiss, William Bolcom, Stanley Silverman, David Chaitkin, Charles Fussell. Front (on ground): Paul Chihara, David Del TrediciAwards
About this person
He wrote more than 300 musical compositions in what he called a neo-tonal style, of which Margalit Fox writes, for The New York Times, "were known for their lyricism, rhythmic propulsion and accessibility" and adds that his music "could recall not only jazz and blues but also Bach, Debussy, Ravel and Vaughan Williams.". Many of these works have been recorded by such ensembles as the London Symphony Orchestra, the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Boston Modern Orchestra Project, and the Seattle Symphony.
