Kraft, William (1923– )

US composer and timpanist. He founded and directed the Los Angeles Percussion Ensemble, giving the US first performances of Karlheinz Stockhausen's Zyklus and Pierre Boulez's Le Marteau sans maître. He was principal with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra 1955–81 and composer-in-residence 1981–85.

He studied at University College of Los Angeles, then at Columbia University 1949–52, with Henry Brant and Otto Luening.

Works Orchestral and instrumental Concerto Grosso (1961), Concerto for four percussion and orchestra (1966), Triangles for percussion and ten instruments (1969), piano concerto (1973), timpani concerto (1983), Weavings for string quartet and percussion (1984), horn concerto (1988).

Vocal Contextures II for soprano, tenor, and chamber orchestra (1984), A Kennedy Portrait for narrator and orchestra (1988).