About our Accompanist
William Schmidt
A finalist in the 2014 Australian National Piano Award, the Australian pianist and composer William James Schmidt studied piano with Julia Breen and piano performance with Glenn Riddle at the University of Melbourne, and with Dr Johannes Kropfitsch in Vienna at the Konservatorium Wien, completing his Master of Music in 2011. He now holds two Masters degrees in piano performance, from the University of Melbourne and the Music and Arts University of Vienna, Austria.
William is currently a Teaching Associate accompanist at the Sir Zelman Cowen School of Music at Monash University. He is annually employed as an official accompanist at the Monash Youth Music Festival and the Ringwood Eisteddfod, and is a sought-after accompanist for recitals, auditions, competitions, and AMEB and VCE music exams.
William has worked extensively as an accompanist, solo and chamber pianist, music director, composer and teacher. He is an active recitalist and performer around Melbourne, and frequently appears with leading chamber ensembles such as Flinders Quartet. He currently accompany a number of Melbourne's leading community choirs including Box Hill Chorale, The Star Chorale and Victoria Chorale.
William has also performed with the Royal Melbourne Philharmonic Choir and Orchestra, both as a rehearsal and choir accompanist, and as a member of the RMP Orchestra. In 2024 he performed in the premiere season for the new Australian musical “Quasimodo” at the Capitol Theatre, conducted by Andrew Wailes.
William also works with the Australian Contemporary Opera Company, accompanies Suzuki Music concerts and workshops, and tours regularly as a collaborative pianist with Promac Productions with shows in theatres around the country. He also works as a regular accompanist at Trinity Grammar School, and was a répétiteur for this year’s Genazzano FCJ College and Xavier College joint performance of “The Pirates of Penzance”.
William has been concerto soloist with ensembles including the University of Melbourne Faculty of Music Orchestra and the Preston and Zelman Symphony Orchestras, and has performed on air many times for radio stations 3MBS and ABC Classic FM, both of which have broadcast his compositions on numerous occasions. William has also recorded live for major radio stations in California, as soloist, chamber musician, and associate artist for singers, and was the featured composer for the Camberwell Music Society’s 2011 concert series.
His competition successes include first prizes in the Australian Youth Piano Recital, the National Pharmacies Piano Concerto Competition, the Musical Society of Victoria’s David Henkels Award for composition, and the Grainger Composition Prize.
In 2004 William was awarded LMusA, and was subsequently awarded the Victorian Music Teachers Association’s Kault Prize.
Other awards include the Australian Music Foundation’s Inaugural Guy Parsons Award, the Australian National Piano Award Travelling Scholarship, and University of Melbourne scholarships including the Katherine Kearns Award, the Sir Rupert Hamer Arts Scholarship, the Eric and Linda Jullyan Memorial Scholarship, the Ronald William Capon Prize, the Ormond Exhibition, the Maude Harrington Prize and the McConnan Memorial Trust.
William’s YouTube piano channel can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/user/willjsch
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Join the biggest and best non-auditioning student choir on campus! With over 80 years of tradition, MUCS is famous for it's mix of student energy, welcoming social activity and high musical standards. Sing excellent repertoire in Melbourne's finest venues with leading soloists and orchestras, under the direction of award-winning conductor Andrew Wailes.
Join in time to tour Eastern Europe in January 2026. Semester 2 highlights include Melbourne Fringe Festival, "Gladiator" film score and Carols in the Cathedral.
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