William Flynn is a Midwest-based jazz guitarist highly respected for his playing and teaching alike.
Described as “playing a mean guitar” (Wichita Eagle), William Flynn is a Kansas-based jazz guitarist and educator currently serving as Director of Jazz Studies at Wichita State University. William’s recent professional engagements include performances with Carmen Bradford, Pat Bianchi, and Vincent DiMartino, as well as appearances at the West Virginia Wine & Jazz Festival, the Overture to Overtown Jazz Festival (Miami, FL), and the Charlie Parker Celebration Festival (Kansas City). William’s music can be heard on Armored Records and the Artists Recording Collective, and his forthcoming album Seaside will be released on Origin Records in July 2022.
Widely respected as a leading educator in his field, William has presented and adjudicated at conferences and universities across the country. His educational writing has been published in Just Jazz Guitar Magazine, and he is the co-author of Mel Bay’s 2016 publication Jazz Guitar Duets. Additionally, William is the founder of @thejazzwoodshed, an educational Instagram account followed by thousands of users from around the world.
William holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Jazz Studies from Capital University (Columbus, OH), and a Master of Music degree from the University of North Texas, where he taught as a Graduate Teaching Fellow. From 2011-2012, William held the guitar chair in the world-renowned and Grammy-nominated University of North Texas One O’ Clock Lab Band, and can be heard on Lab 2012.
In his position at Wichita State University, William teaches applied guitar and jazz improvisation, directs the Guitar Ensemble, and coordinates the Jazz Combos. In 2019, he was awarded the University Faculty Excellence Award in Creative Activity.