William Roper's professional experience ranges from the symphony stage to free improvisation groups. He has toured the United States, Canada, Mexico and Europe with jazz and classical ensembles. His musicianship is represented on recordings with the rock bands: Thelonious Monster, The Fibonaccis and The Other Woman; poets: Jimmy Townes and Mark Weber; avant ensemble: Motor Totemist Guild; the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Parachute Express, and Chimurenga musician Thomas Mapfumo. He has played and/or recorded with jazzmen: The Clayton/Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, American Jazz Institute ensembles, The Luckman Jazz Orchestra under James Newton, Bobby Bradford, Anthony Braxton, John Carter, Jimmy Cleveland, Douglas Ewart, Vinny Golia, Billy Higgins, Glenn Horiuchi, Clay Jenkins, Yusef Lateef, James Newton, Charles Owens, John Rapson, Kim Richmond, Adam Rudolph, Wadada Leo Smith, Horace Tapscott, Michael Vlatkovich and Francis Wong. He has received performance grants from Meet the Composer/CA. He is cofounder and a performing member of Judicanti Responsura, a tuba and percussion ensemble specializing in contemporary classical and improvised music. He was resident at the Djerassi Institute as the Gerald Oshita Memorial Fellow in March 2000.
