William Cunningham is a composer and pianist, also known for his virtuosic improvisations.

Cunningham has been the full-time pianist in residence at The Dorian, Autograph Collection hotel in Calgary, The Post Hotel in Lake Louise, and the Fairmont Banff Springs hotel. He gives regular performances at the Banff Centre for Arts & Creativity, the Fairmont Palliser hotel in Calgary, and at the prestigious Spruce Meadows Internationalists’ Round Table. William has performed for heads of state, royalty, prominent business leaders, and celebrities throughout the globe, including Canada, the United States, Japan, Australia, Taiwan, Vietnam, China, France, Cuba, and most recently, The Bahamas.

As a composer, Cunningham has produced four solo albums: William, Temperance, Conception, and Enchanted – recorded at the CBC Glenn Gould Studio in Toronto and Banff Centre for Arts & Creativity. He has been commissioned to compose music for the Celebrity Sports Invitational – Water Keeper Alliance Fundraisers for Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the reality TV Show, “I Do…Let’s Eat”, “Mornings with Kerri-Anne Kennerley” in Australia, contemporary dance productions, and the Oscar Wilde play: The Three Tales of Sorrow. Cunningham has improvised for piano meditation programs produced by My Nġuyen Yoġa in Vietnam and LuLu Lemon in Western Canada; and is currently engaged in composition projects entitled, The Pictures of Dorian Gray, and a series of short pieces entitled, The Music of Owls.

As a facilitator and consultant, Cunningham has delivered music team building programs and strategy sessions for organizations throughout North America, including Widex, Opera Las Vegas, The John Perry Academy of Music, the Canadian Federation of Music Teachers’ Associations, the Music Teachers National Association conference USA, and Notes With A Purpose. As a speaker, he has given talks for the North American MENSA Conferences – exploring the science and history of music. In addition to that, he has acted in numerous productions, including a National Geographic documentary aired on PBS and the History Channel.

Using music as a metaphor for life, William Cunningham is devoted to building stronger communities, especially through mentorship, fundraising & development, music programs for youth and seniors, including the Bow Valley Annual Seniors’ Tea at the Fairmont Banff Springs hotel, and formerly through the founding role of music director of a community choir from 2008–2014. William is devoted to making live piano music accessible, approachable, and engaging for all people – especially youth, aspiring musicians, and those with special needs or limited means.

In recent years, William has devoted time to learning the craft of piano technology, including piano tuning and temperaments, action regulation, hammer voicing, and piano maintenance, in recognition of the crucial and significant role a finely maintained piano has in the delivery of musical excellence and soundscapes which are felt.