Bill Lewis Celebration of Life Will Honor Musical Director in NYC
Dr. Ronan Tynan, Janice Hall and other collaborators are among the singers Lewis worked with over his career.
The Spiritualist Church of NYC (SCNYC) is presenting 'Bill Lewis: A Steadfast Musical Visionary,' a Celebration of Life for William Russell Lewis, who passed away on Nov. 11, 2025. The Celebration of Life will feature many of the singers he worked with and will be held Saturday, Aug. 29, at 4pm at The Church of Saint Paul and Saint Andrew, 263 West 86th St, New York, NY 10024.
Lewis was an accomplished pianist, who worked as musical director, arranger, and cabaret creator. He served as musical director for musicals and operas, and multiple concerts based upon the classical music canon. He also worked as a teacher and vocal coach.
Lewis worked with many singers, including Irish tenor, medical doctor, and Paralympic athlete Dr. Ronan Tynan. Lewis taught, recorded, and toured with Dr. Tynan, and they performed for U.S. Presidents Reagan and George H.W. Bush and their families.
In addition, Lewis played for Marcello Giordani, mezzo-soprano Dr. Victoria Livengood, Irish violinist Gregory Harrington, opera, theater, and cabaret singer and actor Janice Hall, and mezzo-soprano Janice Meyerson. On one occasion, Lewis even filled in for the pianist working for Patti LaBelle to help her complete her concert engagement.
Lewis performed throughout the U.S., Canada, Iceland, Brazil, Germany, Sicily, the British Isles and China. In 2024, he was also featured as the pianist for an aspiring singer-psychic-medium in the A24 movie 'Look Into My Eyes,' the critically acclaimed documentary by Lana Wilson.
Lewis served as a vocal coach for the Santa Fe Opera, Lake George Opera Festival, Opera Omaha, Texas Opera Theatre, Central City Opera House Festival and Natchez Opera Festival. His work as a teacher included serving on the faculties of the Boston and New England Conservatories and at Rutgers University. He taught master's degree classes across the U.S. and most recently as Artist in Residence at the University of Kentucky with Dr.Tynan.
In addition, Lewis performed a successful fundraising concert last year for a new fund created in honor of the late Stephen Robinson, a key founder of SCNYC. The concert, 'Other Folks' Tunes: The Journey of a Piano Picker,' was recorded and is available for viewing here: https://shorturl.at/2GwPb