William Davis has been a faculty member in the University of Georgia School of Music since 1981. He earned Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees at the University of Kansas, and the Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the Eastman School of Music. His bassoon teachers have been Austin Ledwith and David Van Hoesen, and he studied composition with John Pozdro, Samuel Adler, and Warren Benson.

He has performed solos and chamber music in the United States and Europe. He is featured on three commercial compact discs as a bassoon soloist and in chamber works. His published compositions include works for soloists, chamber ensembles, chorus, and symphonic band. His orchestral works have been performed by the Toronto Symphony, Atlanta Symphony, San Antonio Symphony, and other orchestras.

He can be heard playing his Capriccio For Bassoon and Piano on Bassoon With a View:Late 20th Century Bassoon Music (1998, Innova Recordings). The Georgia Woodwind Quintet CD, Twigs, features winning compositions from The Unversity of Georgia Symposia for New Woodwind Quintet Music (1996, aca Digital Recording, CM 20032). Parisian Nights features the Romantic opera arias of Rossini and Donizetti arranged for bassoon, oboe, and fortepiano (1994, Bravura Discs, CD 103).

Currently under recording by the University of Georgia Woodwind Quartet is Woodwind Quartets by Contemporary American Composers featuring:

• Eight Etudes and a Fantasy by Elliott Carter
• Music for Woodwind Quartet by Emma Lou Diemer
• Fragments for Woodwind Quartet by Alvin Etler
• Diversion for Woodwind Quartet by Arthur Harris
• Quartet in C Major by Arthur Berger
• Woodwind Quartet by Walter Hartley
• Four Movements for Four Woodwinds by William Davis