William Himes
master of Ceremonies
William Himes earned his Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from the University of Michigan, where he studied composition with Leslie Bassett and George Balch Wilson. For five years he taught instrumental music in the public schools of Flint, Michigan, where he was also adjunct lecturer in low brass at the University of Michigan-Flint. Mr. Himes continues to be in demand as conductor, composer, lecturer, clinician and euphonium soloist and has appeared throughout the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Switzerland, Jamaica, Japan, Argentina, France and the United Kingdom.
Well known for his compositions and arrangements, Mr. Himes has more than 170 instrumental and choral publications to his credit. He is a member of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) and his music is continually featured on international broadcasts and recordings.
Since 1977, Mr. Himes has served as head of the The Salvation Army's USA Central Territory Music and Gospel Arts Department in Chicago, Illinois. In this capacity he is also conductor of the Chicago Staff Band, an internationally recognized ensemble which he has led on successful tours of Panama, Mexico, Chile, Canada, Jamaica, Singapore, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, Korea and United Kingdom.