Bio

Two time Pulitzer-Prize nominated composer P. Kellach Waddle maintains an active career not only as a composer but also as a bassist, conductor and writer. With nearly 450 performances of his music by the end of the '05-'06 season, and a list of completed works now numbering over 220 , Mr. Waddle continues to maintain a career as one of the most performed and prolific composers of his generation. His works have been performed in 38 states and in 14 countries on 4 continents and radio features/interviews with him have been heard on classical radio stations in Texas, North Carolina, Kentucky and Tennessee and Ohio. A performance by Mr. Waddle of his Op. 1 #1, the bass caprice De Salones Espanoles, marked the first hearing of his music on National Public Radio as part of its Music From Roundtop Series in 1993.

After the major debut of Mr. Waddle's music for the bass at the 1986 International Bass Symposium the list of bassists he has written or is writing for reads like a Who's Who of the instrument including Bert Turetsky, David Neubert, Michael Cameron, Jeff Bradetich, Francois Rabbath, Sidney King, Hal Robinson, Jessica Gilliam-Valls and Paul Ellison among others. Mr. Waddle's music was first published in 1991 and while still adding to his own instrument's repertoire (including another 4 entire volumes of music for solo double bass to be released during the calendar year 2006 by the publisher TFV of Boston, Mass (http://www.thomasbdawkins.com/tfv.html), his medium has expanded considerably -- so much so that now Mr. Waddle has joined lauded composers in music history such as Paul Hindemith and Lars-Erik Larsson in that he has now written at least one major solo chamber work, prominent chamber music part, or concerto, for every standard orchestral instrument except for Timpani.  His list of works also contains many works for nonstandard orchestral instruments such as guitar, organ, euphonium and various percussion instruments as well as series of concertos for "unusual" instruments not usually thought of in a solo context including bassoon, contrabassoon, bass, tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone , alto trombone, e flat clarinet, bass clarinet, contrabass clarinet, and bass trombone. The premiere of this latter concerto marked Mr. Waddle's NYC conducting debut with its premiere at the Juilliard School in February 1999.

Beginning with a lauded performance of his tenor saxophone concerto in 1997, Mr. Waddle now maintains a special relationship with the Contemporary Youth Orchestra through his composing concertos for featured members of the Cleveland Orchestra to perform with this acclaimed organization. The first piece in this genre, a double concerto for Horn, Cello and Orchestra composed for Principal Horn Richard King and his wife Julie and premiered in Dec. of 1999 has already received nationwide acclaim through its hearings on NPR the premiere of the second work in this genre, a double concerto for Two Cellos and Orchestra occurred in Dec. of 2001 and garnered Mr. Waddle's first nomination for the 2002 Pulitzer Prize in Music. In December of 2004 the next piece in this genre for this group for Trumpet, Trombone and Orchestra was premiered to thunderous, ovation-receiving acclaim and the recording of this work garnered his second nomination for the Pulitzer Prize in Music for 2006.

Through his composition for such a wide squath of instruments, Mr. Waddle has been featured/mentioned in a number of instrumental society publications including: The International Double Reed Society Journal (notably for solo bassoon, bassoon/cello/horn, oboe and English horn works, The American Horn Society's " Horn Call" (notably for solo horn works, one of which, " As I Drove Through The Central Texas Darkness" : Aria For Solo Horn was selected as repertoire for the AHS solo competition ), The Trombone Journal (notably for his concertos for Trumpet/Trombone, forthcoming Alto Trombone Concerto, Bass Trombone, among other trombone works) , The TUBA Journal (notably for works for Tuba Choir, Tuba & Piano, and Tuba solo) , as well as The Bass Line and Bass World publications by the International Society of Bassists featuring many of Mr. Waddle's bass works. For the third year in a row, an entry devoted to Waddle's career of the past year is featured in the 2006 issue of the SAI " Pan Pipes" Journal as part of their annual listing of the activities of important American composers. He has also been mentioned in Fanfare magazine where a review of his pieces on a recent CD of famed contrabasoonist Susan Nigro raved " ..P. Kellach Waddle's Severe Thunderstorm Warning and Broken Icicle Twilight are (actually) little masterpieces.... "

Beginning in 2005 Mr. Waddle has also begun taking chamber music into much more experimental and different venues, while also creating and performing concerts celebrating the connection between music and the other arts. Along with other prominent Austin musicians Mr. Waddle has given concerts in Art Galleries (utilizing his Art History undergraduate studies) where he has given lectures on art works before premiere performances of pieces written about the artworks themselves. While other gallery collaborations are in the works, Mr. Waddle has worked most notably with The Russell Gallery of Austin, Texas (http://www.russell-collection.com) in projects featuring the works of Rembrandt, Picasso, Chagall, Braque and Cassatt among other artists. Mr. Waddle has also written works about wine for concerts in collaboration with Grapevine Market of Austin, Texas. (http://www.grapevinemarket.com) Also now in preparation are concerts planned for Summer 2006 in collaboration with The Austin Public Library where Mr. Waddle will compose works based on literature for premiere on concerts featuring readings from the works as well as talks on their subject matter by Mr. Waddle himself.

Along these lines Mr. Waddle has now started PKWproductions (http://www.thomasbdawkins.com/pkw.html), an LLC company to be incorporated in Spring 2006 specifically designed to create and promote concerts of this type, both through the presentation of the music in " non regular" concert hall venues and exposing both standard and brand new chamber works to an entire new genre of audience. After a successful movie-music production of a showing of the director's cut of Amadeus along with concerts of Mozart chamber music in Feb 2006, Mr. Waddle's PKWproductions now has launched, in collaboration with the famed Alamo Drafthouse Theatre (www.alamodrafthouse.com) -- noted in Entertainment Weekly in the Fall of 2005 as " The Best Movie Theatre In America") , a series of live concerts with movies which have met with sold-out audiences and wide acclaim. Mr. Waddle has also participated in the theater's famed " Dionysium" -- a combination of the arts that recently showcased a premiere of a new solo bass piece performed by the composer. (www.dionysium.com)

Mr. Waddle's music for bass has been performed by himself and others at a number of notable events for the instrument including the 1986 ISB Symposium in Austin, Texas, The 1987 Midwest Bass Symposium in Champaign-Urbana, The 1990 Bass Symposium at NYU, The 1990 Cincinnati Summer Bass School, and the 1996 ,1997, 2001 and 2003 Texas Bass Symposiums. The extensive list of U.S. music schools which have seen concerts of or have scheduled performances of Mr. Waddle's music include Rice University, Juilliard, Eastman, Hartt, Yale, Harvard, Manhattan School of Music, Indiana University, The University Of Texas, The University Of Miami, Cincinnati Conservatory, The Harid Conservatory, Victoria College, The University of Akron, University of Louisville, Mannes School of Music, Western Kentucky University, Northwestern University, Pan-American University, The University of Evansville, Del Mar College, Franklin Pierce College, The Cleveland Institute of Music, The University of Iowa, Radford University, The University of Tulsa, Appalachian State University, Northwestern University, The University of Chicago, The University of Northern Colorado, Kent State University, Coe College, Southern Illinois University, Friends University, University of Alaska-Anchorage,Wichita State University, Brigham Young University, University of Mary Hardin Baylor, University of North Texas, Northern Oklahoma State University, and The University of Tennessee.

Mr. Waddle has also been a participant in many major music festivals, among them the AIMS Festival in Graz, Austria (Principal Bass and Resident Chamber Music Composer, 1987), The Pacific Music Festival in Sapporo, Japan (Section Bass 1992), The Roundtop Festival (Principal Bass and Resident Chamber Music Composer 1993), The National Festival of Music/National Repertory Orchestra in Breckenridge Colorado (Asst. Principal Bass and Resident Chamber Music Composer, 1994), and The Hot Springs Music Festival in Hot Springs, Arkansas (Principal Bass , 1997 and 98, Resident Composer 1998, 2000 and 2001.)

Mr. Waddle's years in academia have included stints on both sides of the lectern. As a teacher he has served as Adjunct Professor of Theory and History at the University Of Louisville summer semesters 1984-88 and in the fall of 1996, Visiting Professor of Theory and History at Victoria College 1987-88, Asst. Teacher of Bass at the University of Texas from 1992 to 1998 and Guest Lecturer on Politics in Music at Rice University in 1991. As a student Mr. Waddle has received Minors in Opera History and Viola from Cincinnati Conservatory in 1987, Bachelor's Degrees in Art History and Bass Performance in 1992 as well as a Minor in Cognitive Linguistics from Rice University in 1992 and Master's Degrees in Bass Performance and Composition from The University of Texas in 1998.

During Mr. Waddle's tenure at the University of Texas he served as Principal Bass of the UT Symphony, Solo-Bassist of the UT New Music Ensemble (a highlight of which was Mr. Waddle's performance on a highly acclaimed recording of George Crumb's Madrigals for Soprano, Bass and Vibes), and Principal Bass of the UT Wind Ensemble culminating in his performance with the group in February 1998 in new works in Carnegie Hall.

Mr. Waddle has studied with every bassist he has written for on either a master class or long-term basis plus Edgar Meyer, Jon Deak, Gary Karr, Gottfried Engel and the late Stuart Sankey, among others. His composition teachers have included Steven Montague, Donald Grantham, Karl Korte, Mark Schultz, Dan Welcher and Robert Ward. Inspired by the careers of such bass luminaries as Francois Rabbath, Jon Deak, and Frank Proto, Mr. Waddle actively pursues careers not only as a composer for the instrument but also as a bass soloist and orchestral musician. Mr. Waddle first began pursuing opportunities as a soloist with orchestra in 1993 after winning the University Of Texas Concerto Competition marking the first time in more than a decade the contest was won by a bassist. Since then he has performed his own Bass Concerto and the transcription of the Mozart Bassoon Concerto among other bass and orchestra works with orchestras throughout the U.S. As a recitalist, Mr. Waddle not only plays concerts of standard repertoire but also continues an emphasis on contemporary music. Mr. Waddle's extensive recital schedule began in earnest when he performed more than 20 recitals in the 1997-98 season alone, including a series of works written especially for him by members of the University of Texas Chapter of The Society of Composers International, an organization which Mr. Waddle served as Performer's Chair. Mr. Waddle now performed at least a dozen solo recitals each season and now actively recruits other composers to compose solo bass works especially for him and from this pursuit his repertoire now includes pieces by Christopher Arrell, Paul Richards, Lief Ellis, Peter Knell, Carson Cooman, David Wightman, Johnathan Jeter, David Young , Neil Flory, Thomas Dawkins, David Stybr, Daniel Baldwin, and Adam White. Beginning in the 2001-2 season he added a dual emphasis on the works of J. S. Bach performing the entire series of Courantes from the Bach Cello Suites on a number of lauded recitals and will be concertizing a program of the entire suites' Allemandes beginning in July 2006. Mr. Waddle also plans to continue a series concerts dedicated to accompanied music from the Baroque repertoire following a praised concert of 6 sonatas for continuo and bass with accompanist Martha Dudgeon in October of 2001.

As an orchestral musician he has not only been a member of the summer festival orchestras listed earlier but has also has had an extensive career in professional orchestras beginning with a position in the Bowling Green Symphony which he held during 1985. Since then his positions have included Section Bass the Lexington Philharmonic (1986-87), Principal Bass of the Galveston Symphony, (1988-92), Asst. Principal Bass of The Corpus Christi Symphony (1987-88), Co-Principal Bass of the Brazos Valley Symphony (1997-2001) and Section Bass of the Austin Symphony (1992- present.)

The start of the 2002-3 season saw Mr. Waddle begin his intensive new focus on chamber music performance. As a member of the now-defunct Budjanova ensemble Mr. Waddle performed more of his own works (most notably premiering his solo bass work " To Arise in A prayer of Hope" on a concert in honor of 9-11) as well as being a soloist in the Austin premiere of Jon Deak's " Lucy and The Count: Lovedreams from Transylvania."

As of Spring 2006, Mr. Waddle's numerous recent premieres and performances include : "Kentucky's Winter Shadows; Some of Hope, Some Of Malice": Poeme-Satz for Trombone Duet in Louisville, Kentucky by Will Kimball And Brent Schuster in Feb. 2006--"Paraphrase/Metamorphosis on Debussy's Prelude to The Afternoon of A Faun:" : For Solo Bass premiered by the composer in Austin, Texas in March 2006---" The Rain On Clocktower Road": Trio-Poeme for Bassoon, Horn and Cello by the Neoteric Trio in Carbondale , Illinois in March 2006-- The Neoteric Trio also gave several repeat performances of Mr. Waddle's "Hauntings" : Trio In Forma Di Three Evocations for Bassoon, Horn and Cello at the Banff Center outside Calgary , Canada in Nov. 2005--" The Mist Over The Downtown Anchorage Cemetery" : for Violin, Horn and Piano premiered by Carson Cooman (www.carsoncooman.com) , Piano with The Gordon Ensemble in Pittsburgh, Pa. in Nov. 2005---"All The Regret"; Homage To Rachmaninoff-Paganini; For Solo bass was performed along with the premiere of " No Donuts For Your Wine"; A Charleston, West Virginia Nocturne : for Solo Bass by the composer in Austin, Texas, in Feb.2006---"Warning: A Replacement Haunting" : For Bass and Flute was premiered by the composer and Karmen Suter on a concert by Audio Inversions in Austin, Texas in Dec. 2005----" Stolen From Churches" : Reverie for Unaccompanied. Bassoon was performed by Jon Beebe in Boone, North Carolina in Feb. 2006---"When I Pondered The Snowy Columbus Sunrise " : Intermezzo Atmosferico for Solo Violin was premiered by Jessica Mathaes in Austin, Texas, in Feb.2006---"Dreams of Finland"; Fantasia on Themes of Sibelius for solo Contrabassoon premiered by Lewis Lipnick in various locations throughout Finland in conjunction with Aho's Contrabassoon Concerto in Feb. 2006, " The Pain in Unwanted and Unseen Photographs" : Trio for Contrabassoon, Viola and Piano to be premiered during the calendar year 2007---and Mr. Waddle's Gallery Images #1 : "Pissarro's " Boats After Fishing" and #4 : " Rembrandt's Descent from The Cross" were performed again in Feb. 2006 in Austin, Texas by the composer along with Benjamin Westney and Stephanie Teply ( these works having been premiered during in the Summer of 2005.)

Also as of Spring 2006, the extensive list of Mr. Waddle's pieces-in-production and scheduled premieres includes : Four concertos for solo instrument and strings; Oboe, English Horn, Alto Trombone and E-Flat Clarinet, with premieres to be conducted by the composer in Albuquerque, Memphis, Provo, and Memphis again respectively during Fall 2006---" The Night Materials" : Sonata for Solo Cello In Three Movements scheduled for premiere in Illinois in April 2006---"A Detergent Serenade", "What The Night Isn't" & "Commemoration of Saint Gabriel The Archangel" : 3 Mini-Cantatas for Mezzo-soprano and String Trio scheduled to be premiered in Austin, Texas in Fall 2006 by the musicians of MammaJamma Productions (http://www.mamajamaproductions.com/) --"Night Colored Bedspreads and Mint Chocolate Flavored Smoke" : Trio-Satz for Violin, Cello and Piano scheduled to be premiered in Austin, Texas in May 2006---"Pandora's Arrival" : Trio Drammatico for Violin, Trumpet and Piano and " The 1 A.M. Anchorage Twilight " Poeme for Solo Trumpet scheduled to be premiered in June 2006 in Austin, Texas with trumpeter Nathaniel Mayfield (http://www.natemayfield.com) ---"Vodka Heat ": Russian Dance for Marimba and Bass to be premiered with the composer performing in Austin, Texas during Summer 2006---"Liquor Cabinet Rhapsody" : Sonata for Wind Doubler for Oboe, Clarinet, E-Flat Clarinet, English Horn, Alto Sax, Bass Clarinet and Bassoon to be premiered by Nathan Nix in Memphis, Tennessee in Fall 2006--- "White Tornadoes and Navy Blue Cigarette Smoke" : Sonata for Chimes, Vibes and Cello in One Movement to be premiered in Austin, Texas in Spring 2006 with Leanne Zacharias, Cello -- Paraphrase/Metamorphosis on Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto #1, Mvmt.1 : For Solo Bass will be premiered by the composer in Austin, Texas in April, 2006--- and "Women of the Page" : 4 Book Sonatas for Violin, Viola, Cello and Bass to be premiered in Austin, Texas in May, 2006.

Reviews of Mr. Waddle's music include his first notable critique from a concert review in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico in 1988: ".. with this endless flow of lovely melodies along with virtuosic display Mr. Waddle seems to be trying to turn the unwieldy double-bass into some sort of Chopin-esque vehicle….and given his youth he seems to be already well on his way to succeeding.." Famed Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Robert Ward said of Mr. Waddle's work in 1996.. " [he probably] has written more unaccompanied melody that is idiomatically good than any other 20th century composer by now... "

Mr. Waddle also has a number of academic publications to his credit including papers on Strauss' Salome and The Cello Suites of J.S. Bach. He has been an active pit musician throughout his career having played with nearly four dozen musical theater productions and has himself directed award-winning productions of Pippin and They're Playing Our Song. Mr. Waddle now also maintains an active career on the other side of the podium. After conducting a lauded performance of his tenor saxophone concerto in 1996 during the South Carolina Conductor/Composer Symposium he was invited to Cleveland to guest conduct the Contemporary Youth Orchestra and served the Associate Conductor of The Amadeus Chamber Orchestra of Austin, Texas for the 1997-98 season. In June of 1999 Mr. Waddle was named Music Director/Conductor of The Austin Philharmonic, leaving this position to devote more time to his busy solo and writing careers after 2 1/2 seasons.

On a more personal note, Mr. Waddle continues to quell the notion that classical musicians are dogmatic purveyors of austere personas. A native Kentuckian, Mr. Waddle's speaking voice was noted during a 1988 Houston radio interview as "sounding like some hillbilly who got a jolt of genius-IQ moonshine." Also noted from an article during the same time period was this following anecdote related by Mr. Waddle: " I was chatting with a gentleman outside a church where there was about to be a concert of some of my sacred music. Noting my odd attire (jeans with a tailcoat, a bolo tie and cowboy boots) this nice elderly fellow began telling me how nice it was for people like ME, who obviously was not a classical music fan, not only to be at church at all, but to be at a concert. I merely smiled and pointed out that the composer was very involved in his church from the bio in the program. The man noted that he had heard some of Mr. Waddle's lovely music before, after which I bade him good day and hoped we both enjoyed the concert. .. It was a very big thrill to watch the man's jaw drop when I was introduced at the beginning of the concert AS the composer." Mr. Waddle has been a club musician as a singer and bassist in many blues, pop, soul and country bands throughout his career (including a handful of concerts playing and singing with Grammy-Award winning artists such as B.J. Thomas and Larry Gatlin) and is proud to have amassed more than 60 karaoke contest wins.

Mr. Waddle also enjoys an extensive career in journalism, especially in the field of entertainment journalism. He is renown as an expert in the field of Daytime Drama has consulted on a number of books and articles on Soap Operas and has written articles under his own byline for Soap Opera Magazine and Soap Opera News After a 2-year stint as a weekly columnist writing daytime drama analysis for Soap Opera Weekly's "Critical Condition" , which was read by five million people each week, Mr. Waddle entered into the area of Political Writing as a reporter for Evote.com. He also spent three years as an employee of America Online/Nick-At-Nite Online serving as a chat room host and resident trivia expert fielding subscriber's queries about Classic Television. Mr. Waddle served also a pop, soul, classical and country CD critic for the web magazine ACCESSTOTHEMUSICZONE for nearly four years before assuming his current position as a Contributing Editor to Blueswax.com and Senior Contributing Editor to Folkwax.com.. (http://www.blueswax.com, http://www.folkwax.com, http://www.folkwax.com)  He has also published more than 1500 other pieces on books and movies (many as a featured reviewer on Epinons.Com--- http://www.epinions.com/user-pkwbassguy) as a freelancer and is also a noted poet with more than 75 small and feature-length publications of poems among long list writing credits. He is now also currently at work on a mystery novel and 40 pieces of "micro fiction"-- short stories under 2000 words, a form which is now published in over 5000 on-line and print magazines.

Finally, as another eclectic pursuit added to Mr. Waddle's busy existence, he is now a trained Blackjack (as well as the card games Let It Ride, Caribbean Stud and Three-Card Poker) dealer and Roulette Croupier and has employed by Casino Connections of Austin, Texas since August 2000.

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