He is the foremost interpreter of the Robert ap Huw manuscript, containing the earliest harp music from anywhere in Europe, employing the fingernail technique specified in the manuscript, whilst reading from a facsimile of the tablature and using modern copies of historical harps.

As a teacher of historical harps, he is frequently invited to lead workshops in the UK, Europe and the US on a variety of subjects, such as arranging for small harps, using fingernail technique to play wire-strung harps and playing harp repertoire from medieval, renaissance and traditional sources. He is a teacher-in residence for Ardival Harps in the Scottish Highlands, where he offers harp courses for both beginners and players, and also teaches community music classes through Feis Rois.

He has taught and performed at music festivals, in Cardiff, Edinburgh, Inverness, Nottingham, Warwick and York as well as in Ireland, Germany, Belgium, Italy and the USA. He writes a regular column for the magazine "Sounding Strings" on playing wire-strung clarsachs and currently serves as the president of the International Historical Harp Society. He recently founded the Wire Branch of the Clarsach Society and is its Convener.Bill performs as a soloist and as a member of different groups.

He plays historical Scottish music with singer and early wind player James Ross in "The Art of Musick" and plays medieval and Renaissance music with Belgian recorder player Geert Van Gele. For several years he played with luter Rob MacKillop in "The Rowallan Consort" and has recorded two CDs of early Scottish music with him.He is also a member of the Highland early vocal and instrumental ensembles "Musick Fyne" and "Coronach". In Wales he performs with the trio "Lyræ Cambrenses". Numerous radio and television broadcasts have featured his work with ancient Irish, Scottish and Welsh harp traditions, including live BBC Radio 3 broadcasts with the "Taverner Consort".

He has worked closely with the Glasgow-based choir "Cappella Nova" and "Canty", accompanying the singing of Scottish medieval plainsong, music associated with St Kentigern and music by Hildegard of Bingen.He has recorded for ASV, CMF, Dorian, Greentrax, Maggie's Music, Rhiannon, Rota and Temple. His solo CD "Two Worlds of the Welsh Harp" has recently been released by Dorian.

Discography

Solo:
"Two Worlds of the Welsh Harp". Music from the Robert ap Huw manuscript (1613) and the volumes of Edward Jones?s ?Musical and Poetical Relicks of the Welsh Bards? (1784-1825), played on historical harps. Solo pieces for bray harps and gut-strung medieval harp. Dorian DOR-90260.

With Canty:
"The Wings of Wisdom". Medieval Scottish plainsong and music by Hildegard of Bingen; female voices accompanied by gut-strung medieval harp, wire-strung clarsach and symphony. Rota RTCD0002.

With Cappella Nova:
"The Miracles of St Kentigern". Celtic plainchant from the Sprouston Breviary (13th C); male voices joined by wire-strung clarsach and bells. ASV CD GAU 169.

With Coronach:
"Whip my Towdie". Popular consort, mostly instrumental, from Renaissance Scotland; wire-strung clarsach heard solo and within ensemble. CMF 005.

"A Scots Tune". Popular instrumental consort music from Renaissance Scotland; bray harp heard solo and within ensemble. CMF 007.

"Remember me my deir". Courtly music for voice and instruments from the time of Mary, Queen of Scots, including solos for wire-strung clarsach. CMF 008.

With Hesperus:
"Celtic Roots". 17th and 18th C Scots and Irish music from oral and written traditions; bray harp heard solo and within ensemble. Maggie?s Music MMCD 220.

With Bob Pegg:
"The Last Wolf". Contemporary traditional songs; wire-strung clarsach and bray harp heard solo and within ensemble. Rhiannon RHY D5009.

"Breaking the Silence". Original music played on instruments known to the Picts, including gut-strung and wire-strung Pictish harps, folk flutes, drums and carnyx. PICT 001. (Available from Heritage Officer, Cultural & Leisure Services, Ross House, High Street, Dingwall IV15 9QN SCOTLAND.)

With The Rowallan Consort:
"Notes of Noy; Notes of Joy". Robert Phillips, lute and William Taylor, clarsach, with singers Mhairi Lawson and Paul Rendall. Early Scottish music for clarsach, lute and voice; wire-strung clarsachs heard solo, duetting with lute and accompanying singers. Temple COMD 2058.

"Graysteil". Rob MacKillop, lute and William Taylor, clarsach, with singers Paul Rendall and Andy Hunter. Medieval and Renaissance Scottish music for clarsach, lute and voice; wire-strung clarsachs and bray harp heard solo, duetting with lute and accompanying singers. Dorian Discovery DIS-80141.

"Scottish Harps". Compilation CD, including Rob MacKillop, 18th C 'guittar' and William Taylor, clarsach, playing 'Scots Lament by Mr Oswald/Over the Water to Charlie'. Greentrax CDTRAX 5007.