William Sharp

William Sharp, typically recognized in the bass-baritone range, maintains a performance catalog covering nine centuries yet stands out particularly through sustained promotion of compositions by American creators alongside interpretations of Bach alongside additional pre-classical repertoire. He maintains an extended involvement in pedagogical activities as well.

Born during 1951 within Kansas City, Missouri, Sharp developed an early fascination, while still adolescent, with music from medieval and Renaissance periods at a time predating their broader acceptance. He pursued studies at Lawrence University located in Wisconsin, concentrating on music, and during his undergraduate period established an ensemble dedicated to early music at that institution. Proceeding to the Eastman School of Music situated in Rochester, he encountered opera for the first time and initially targeted a professional path in that domain, under the assumption that sustaining oneself through art song performances would prove unfeasible. Relocating to New York during the 1970s with this objective, he nevertheless secured a place via audition within the Waverly Consort, an early music group. From that point onward, his performances have centered predominantly upon art song, choral works, together with Renaissance and Baroque selections. His initial solo recital occurred in 1982 at New York's 92nd Street Y.

His profile expanded swiftly, leading to engagements at Lincoln Center by the mid-1980s. In the capacity of recitalist, Sharp maintains a close association with the output of Ives, having produced the premiere recordings of the songs titled I knew and loved a maid, I travelled among unknown men, and The Song of the Dead. He has additionally presented works by numerous further American composers; his initial album, issued via New World Records during 1989, included pieces by Virgil Thomson, Paul Bowles, and Lee Hoiby, resulting in a nomination for the Grammy in the category of Best Classical Vocal Performance. One year later, Sharp appeared on the debut recording of Leonard Bernstein's concluding composition, Arias and Barcarolles.

Sharp participated in the American Bach Soloists and has interpreted Bach extensively alongside early music organizations as well as prominent American orchestras. His symphonic engagements encompass the Cincinnati Symphony, both locally and at Carnegie Hall in New York, the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, and the National Symphony in Washington performing Brahms' Ein deutsches Requiem, Op. 45. He commenced instruction during 1977 and initiated voice teaching at Boston University in 1993 amid his work on a comprehensive Ives song cycle for the Albany label. He became part of the Peabody Conservatory faculty in Baltimore during 2002 and continues in that role. His discography exceeds sixty releases; during 2021, he featured on the Naxos release Arthur Farwell: America's Neglected Composer.