William Berz

Dr. William Berz is Professor of Music at the Mason Gross School of the Arts of Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. He teaches classes in music education and conducting, and has conducted a wide variety of performance ensembles, including bands, orchestras, contemporary music groups, and opera. He has premiered many new works for winds, and he has won the praise of many distinguished composers, including Charles Wuorinen, David Del Tredici, Roger Nixon, Walter Hartley, Eric Whitacre, Martin Ellerby, Adam Gorb, David Holsinger, Rob Smith, Jack Stamp, Jonathan Newman, Kenneth Lampl, John Mackey, Mark Zuckerman, Daniel Ott, David Gillingham, Eric Moe, Jan Van der Roost, Felicia Sandler, Michael Daugherty, Frank Ticheli, Norman Dello Joio, and H. Owen Reed.

Dr. Berz served as Music Director and Conductor of the New Brunswick Chamber Orchestra from 1988 until 1994. From 1984 until 1989 he was Assistant Conductor of The Jupiter Symphony and Naumburg Orchestra, both of New York City. He conducted the New Jersey State Youth Orchestra from 1984 until 1988.

In addition to his work as a conductor, he is active as a researcher and writer. He has published a number of articles and presented many sessions in music education and conducting. He is co-author of the book Applications of Research in Music Technology, published by the Music Educators National Conference. He has articles published in Psychology of Music, Music Perception, The Bulletin of the Council of Research in Music Education, The Journal of Research in Music Education, Tempo, The WASBE Journal, The Journal of Band Research, The New Review of Hypermedia and Multimedia, A Composer’s Insight (vol. 2 , 3, and 4), and Teaching Music through Performance in Band (vol. 5 and 6). He has been the editor of the WASBE Journal since 1999. He is also served on the Music Educators Journal Editorial Committee. In 2003 he presented a session on composer H. Owen Reed at the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic. He is a member of CBNDA, MENC, WASBE, NBA, and ABA.

At Rutgers, Dr. Berz has served in a number of different administrative posts in addition to his teaching assignments. He was Chair of the Music Department from 1994 until 2002 and Acting Dean of the Mason Gross School of the Arts in 1997.

A native of St. Clair Shores, Michigan, Dr. Berz began his teaching career in Leslie, Michigan. He is a summa cum laude graduate of Michigan State University with major study in music education and conducting. His conducting teachers include Stanley DeRusha, Kenneth G. Bloomquist, Robert Erbes, and Jens Nygaard.

Contact: e-mail: wberz@rci.rutgers.edu | Music Building | 732-932-8781