A former student of several of the finest academies in the United States, William (Robert) Mayer received training at Yale University (B.A. 1949), the Juilliard School (summer 1949), the Mannes College (approximately 1949 - 1952), and the Aspen Music School (summer 1960). At these locations, his instructors included Herbert Baumgartner, Richard Donovan, Salzer, Roger Sessions, and Izler Solomon. This composer of stage, orchestral, chamber, solo instrumental, and vocal works received many awards and commissions; he took a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1966, a Ford Foundation recording grant in 1969, and an NEA composition fellowship eight years later. In addition, A Death in the Family (commissioned by the Minnesota Opera Company in 1982), his second opera, brought him acclaim from the National Institute for Musical Theater in 1983. His compositions were exclusively recorded for Albany, the majority of which are vocal works that form a single compilation; the titles of these pieces include La belle dame sans merci, Enter Ariel (1980), Fern Hill, First Song, and Passage (1981). In addition to writing works for professional musicians, Mayer also wrote a few piano pieces for children.