Illinois State University

• State: Illinois
• State School (public)
• School Website
• Map Link

Bill Koehler, bass faculty

• Email Bill
• Bill’s Website

General Statistics

• US News Ranking: #152 (tie) in National Universities
• US News Overall Score (out of 100): 37
• In-State Tuition & Fees 2016-17: $13,296
• Out-of-State Tuition & Fees 2016-17: $20,886
• Room & Board 2016-17: $9,816
• Total Enrollment: 20,760
• Acceptance Rate (from 2015): 80%
• Student – Faculty Ratio: 18:1
• 4 year graduation rate: 48%
• % of undergrads receiving Financial aid: 61%
• Average Financial Aid: $9,736

Double Bass Statistics

• Average number of undergraduate bass students: 8
• Average number of graduate bass students: 2
• Studio Class, Orchestral Repertoire Class, Bass Ensembles, improvisation/composition

What Alumni Are Doing

• Dorian Jackman – Indiana University Doctoral Fellow Graduated this year
• Mike White – U of Iowa – Doctoral Fellow Graduated this year
• Claudia Amaral – Currently Doctoral student U of Georgia
• Trevor Mason – Currently masters student in Berlin, Germany
• Numerous public school teachers, conductors, performers

Perspectives from the Bass Faculty

Q: What are some of your favorite experiences teaching at your school?

A: I enjoy teaching for the individual needs and aspirations of my students.

I also enjoy teaching improvisation and composition to my bass students in order for them to cultivate their own individual musical voices. My book A Guide to the Developmental Processes of Improvisation and Composition is available by writing me.

About The Bass Faculty

William Koehler is Professor of Music at Illinois State University where he teaches applied double bass, string techniques, string pedagogy, graduate courses in music education including psychology of music, and improvisation. Bill just recorded his 5th CD entitled “Living Time”, which features original compositions for solo bass, and in duo combinations with Manpreet Bedi , table virtuoso (Indian drums), as well as solo bass performances of the Suite #1 by J. S. Bach, and Ricercar #6 by Domenico Gabrielli.

Bill and Manpreet joined forces with the Sonic Exploration Society to record our fourth CD.  This CD includes a number of my original compositions for the group and features the 5 string double bass with a high C. We are proud of it.

Joshua Kleine, reviewer for Double Bassist Magazine (London) wrote the following about Bill’s third CD entitled Journey2gether: “Double bassist Bill Koehler, Professor of Music at Illinois State University, here joins forces with Indian Percussionist Manpreet Bedi to create a blend of polyrhythmic and mixed-metre sounds which will be new to many listeners. This intrepid duo weaves a brightly-coloured patchwork of original pieces based on a fusion of jazz, western contemporary classical music and Indian classical music. The result is a sound that is at once transcendental, joyous, serious, contemplative, and mystical. Journey2gether is an exotic and inspirational release that successfully brings together the sounds of two very different cultures. A high note for world music.”  The CD also received a great review in Bass World, the official publication of the International Society of Bassists.

Bill has also written a book entitled A Guide to the Developmental Process of Improvisation and Composition, Bill’s first CD entitled Glimpse features original compositions in jazz, and world fusion idioms, as well as Romantic and Contemporary classical pieces for unaccompanied solo bass.  A native of New York City, Dr. Koehler has performed in England, Belgium, Germany, Austria, Russia and Belo-Russia, Puerto Rico, and throughout the U.S.  He has performed in numerous orchestras in New York City, the southeast, the mid-west and has performed with notable jazz and improvising musicians such as Sam Brown (gui. with Keith Jarrett), Joe Tekula (vc. With Ornette Coleman), Harold Seletsky, Ronu Majumdar, Umalpurim Siveraman, Patrick Marks, John Clark (hrn. with Gil Evans), Joe Morello (dr. with Dave Brubeck), John Campbell, Carl Fontana, Dave Burrell, Jimmy Guiffre, Richard Davis, David Baker, Harvey Phillips, Turk Van Lake, and Nashville country music producer Byron Gallimore.  Koehler has been an active performer in the electronic music medium on MIDI Electric Double Bass, having performed annually at the College Music Society – Technology Symposiums.  Dr. Koehler is a frequent clinician (ISB, Richard David Festival, etc.); and, has written on bass pedagogy, and reviewed new music for string bass and string orchestra for the American String Teacher.  Dr. Koehler has a number of transcriptions and original compositions for solo double bass, which are available through Schorer Publications. One of his early research interests in string education involves the application of biofeedback to study physiology and to aid the reduction of excess muscle tension in string playing. He has illustrated double bass techniques and made editorial contributions in the two editions of Robert Klotman’s string education textbook entitled Teaching Strings. Koehler earned his doctorate at Indiana University.  His double bass teachers include:  Murray Grodner, David Izenson (bassist with Ornette Coleman), Philip Albright, Ernest Szugyi, and Neal Mason.  Bill studied musical composition with Roque Cordero, and David Baker. Koehler’s Double Bass recordings and book can be purchased through the Illinois State University School of Music (309-438-7631), or directly from Bill Koehler at wkkoehl@ilstu.edu.