Julius Penson Williams (born June 22, 1954, in

The Bronx The Bronx ( ) is the northernmost of the five Boroughs of New York City, boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. It shares a land border with Westchester County, New York, West ...

, New York), is an American composer, conductor, and college professor. He is currently president of the Conductors Guild. An author of both instrumental and vocal music, Julius Williams has composed operas, symphonies, and chorus works for stage, concert hall, film, and television. Primarily a classically trained musician, Williams also writes in genres including gospel, jazz, and other contemporary forms.

Biography

Born in New York, on June 22, 1954, in the

Bronx The Bronx ( ) is the northernmost of the five Boroughs of New York City, boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. It shares a land border with Westchester County, New York, West ...

, he began playing drums at age eight, then picked up other instruments such as the piano. Williams was educated in the New York public school system and graduated in 1972 from Andrew Jackson High School, a performing arts school in Queens, New York. Williams attended Herbert Lehman College and

Hartt School of Music The Hartt School is the performing arts conservatory of the University of Hartford, a private university in West Hartford, Connecticut. Founded in 1920 by Julius Hartt and Moshe Paranov, Hartt has been part of the University of Hartford since it ...

where he received his, B.S. and M.M.E. respectively. He has an honorary doctorate from Keene State College in New Hampshire. While in Colorado, Williams studied orchestral conducting and composition at the Aspen Music School in 1984. Williams is a frequent guest conductor, and has had several artist-in-residencies and teaching positions. He has received a number of awards for his music. He has studied, performed and taught abroad in countries such as Russia and China. Williams has written articles, edited an anthology, and submitted writings to journals on the music of African Americans. Williams has been a full-time professor at the

Berklee College of Music Berklee College of Music () is a Private university, private music college in Boston, Boston, Massachusetts. It is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known for the study of jazz and modern Music of the United ...

in Boston since fall 1998. He is the Professor of Composition and Artistic Director of The Berklee Contemporary Symphony at Berklee College of Music. He teaches composition, conducting, theory, and also runs the Berklee International Composers Institute. He is also the conductor of the Great American Songbook Orchestra. In 2019, he was composer in residence for the

Boston Symphony Orchestra The Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO) is an American orchestra based in Boston. It is the second-oldest of the five major American symphony orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five (orchestras), Big Five". Founded by Henry Lee Higginson in ...

. People who Williams has credited as having influenced his music are

Ulysses Kay Ulysses Simpson Kay (January 7, 1917 in Tucson, Arizona – May 20, 1995 in Englewood, New Jersey) was an American composer. His music is mostly neoclassical in style. Life and career Kay, the nephew of the classic jazz musician King Oliver, stu ...

Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson (June 14, 1932, Manhattan, New York or possibly (unconfirmed) Winston-Salem, North Carolina – March 9, 2004, Chicago) was an American composer whose interests spanned the worlds of jazz, dance, pop, film, televisi ...

, Charles Bell and

John Corigliano John Paul Corigliano (born February 16, 1938) is an American composer of contemporary classical music. With over 100 compositions, he has won accolades including a Pulitzer Prize, five Grammy Awards, Grawemeyer Award for Music Composition, and a ...

He is president of the International Conductors Guild as of 2020 to 2021, after being appointed in 2019. He was the Music Director/Conductor of Trilogy: An Opera Company starting in 2009. For ten seasons, he was the Artistic Director of the

New York State Summer School of the Arts The New York State Summer School of the Arts (NYSSSA) is a series of summer residential programs for New York State high school students. It provides intensive pre-professional training. It is open to all New York State high school age students wh ...

Personal life

He lives in Connecticut with his wife Lenora Williams. They have three children.

Works

Choral

*''In commendation of music'', for

SATB In music, SATB is a scoring of compositions for choirs or consorts of instruments consisting of four voice types: soprano, alto, tenor and bass. Choral music Four-part harmony using soprano, alto, tenor and bass is a common scoring in classic ...

(1988). Première: 1988 *''The Spring'', for

(1982). Première: 1982 commissioned by Roland Carter and the Hampton University choir *''The Fall'', for

(1982). Première: 1982 commissioned by Roland Carter and the Hampton University choir *''The Winter'', for

(1982). Première: 1982 commissioned by Roland Carter and the Hampton University choir *''The Summer'', for

(1982). Première: 1982 commissioned by Roland Carter and the Hampton University choir *''The Lamb'', for

(1982). Première: 1983 commissioned by the Association of Connecticut choruses for the 1983 conference at Yale University Premiered by the New Haven chorale

Instrumental

Instrumental works: *''Fanfare and Fugetto'' (1997) ca - Organ solo ...Dedicated to three organ friends *''Vermont's Escape'' (1989) - Clarinet/Piano/Tuba/Perc, Commissioned: Vermont Contemporary Ensemble, First Performance Congregational Church Vermont, December 1989 *''Times of Troubles'' (1981) - Flute and Piano, First Performance: Society of University Composers 1981, LSU University, February 1982 *''Alison's Dream'' (1981) - Oboe and Piano, First Performance: Dr. Alison Williams, oboe, Wesleyan University, May 1981 *''Serenade'' (1980) - piano solo, First Performance: Real Art Ways Connecticut, 1981 *''In Roads'' (trio) (1986) - ca 12, Flute, Oboe and Cello *''Fantasy on Bach'' (1984) - ca 5, Percussion/marim/xyl, First Performance: Connecticut Valley Youth Wind Ensemble, University of Hartford. Conductor: Peter Boonshaft *''Sounds of Colors'' (1976) - Organ Solo 5', With-In Myself (1976) ca 6, Voice/clarinet/2 Trps/trombone, First Performance: Herbert H. Lehman College *''Fanfare and Fugetto'' (1997) - ca, Organ solo. Dedicated to three organ friends *''Vermont's Escape'' (1989) - Clarinet/Piano/Tuba/Percussion. Commissioned: Vermont Contemporary Ensemble. First Performance Congregational Church Vermont, December 1989 *''Times of Troubles'' (1981) - Flute and Piano. First Performance: Society of University Composers, 1981, LSU University, February 1982 *''With-In Myself'' (1976) - ca 6, Voice/clarinet/2 Trps/trombone. First Performance: Herbert H. Lehman College

Orchestral

Orchestral works: *''Songs of Our Culture'' (Chamber Orchestra) Commissioned by the (Boston Symphony Orchestra) tribute to Maude Cuny Hare CA 15 minutes strings, Flute, trpt, Clarinet, Horn,Tuba,Percussion (2020) *''A Journey to Freedom'' (cantata), the john Daniels tribute CA 30 minutes, 3323/4321/tym,piano, percussion, Chorus, Orchestra, Soprano, Tenor soloist Commissioned by the Reston choral, November 2002 *''Midnight Tolls''. In Memeoriam September 11, 2001(2002) 3323/4321/Tym,percussion,piano,strings CA 9'30. Detroit Symphony Emerging composer recording Thomas Wilkins, March 16/17, 2002 *''March of the Giant Pandas'' (2001) CA 6', 1111/22/strings/percussion.First Performance People's Republic of China. Embassy, Washington dc, Washington Symphony Jan.2001 *''A Mountain night recessional'' (2000) Ca 7'. 2222/4321/strings/perc and solo Soprano Voice. First Performance: Washington Symphony. Biltmore Estates Summer festival, North Carolina, July 2000 *''A Norman Overture'' (1985) ca 8'. 2222/4321/strings/xyl/marim/perc. First Performance: New York Philharmonic. Zubin Mehta, May 1985 *''Meditation'' (1993) ca 6'. from the cantata Easter Celebration. 2222/4321/strings,a/sax/tsax/per. Commissioned Shenandoah University Virginia. Performance: Cleveland Orchestra. Jahja ling, 1994 *''A Dance'' (1993) from the cantata Easter Celebration. 2222/4321/strings/Asax/Tsax/perc. Commissioned Shenandoah University Virginia. First performance: Shenandoah University Virginia *''Toccatina for Strings'' (1985) ca 8'. String orchestra. Commissioned camerata youth orchestra. First performance: cw post college 1985 *''To Praise'' (1982) ca 10'. satb chorus/alto soloist/strings/ piano. Commissioned congregational church Hartford, CT *''Blues Concerto'' for harmonica and orchestra (1996) ca 25'app.. 3232/4331/strings/asax /tsax/ perc /piano. Commissioned Etowah Youth Symphony orchestra. First Performance: Etowah Youth Symphony orchestra. Mike Gagliarodo, conductor *''Easter Celebration'' (1993) ca 60'. Alto, Ten Soloist/ chorus/ orchestra/ jazz ensemble'. Gospel choir / dancers. Commissioned Shenandoah University Virginia. First performance: Shenandoah University Virginia. Julius P. Williams, Conductor, April 10, 1993 *''Cinderella Ballet'' (1987) ca 120'. 2222/4321/strings, perc. Commissioned Nutmeg Ballet Connecticut. First performance: New Haven Symphony. Julius P. Williams, conductor *''Cinderella Ballet Suite'' (1991) ca 15'. 2222/4321/strings, perc. *''Heartbeat'' (1990) ca 3'. 2222/4321/strings/ perc./ piano/ elec/ bass. From the Film Score. First performance: orchestra Virginia Beach, September 1992 *''Is It True'' for high voice and orchestra ca 4'. 2222/4321/Strs/piano. Commissioned Shenandoah University Virginia. First performance: Shenandoah University Virginia. Julius P. Williams, Conductor, April 10, 1993

Discography

*''Heart on the Wall'', Dvorak Symphony,

Albany Records Albany Records is a record label that concentrates on unconventional contemporary classical music by American composers and musicians. It was established by Peter Kermani in 1987 and is based in Albany, New York. In May 2024, Albany Records wa ...

(CD) - released summer 2011 *''This is the Sound of Harmony'' composition ''Dreams'' Boston Children’s Choir - 2010 *''Somewhere far Away'', Dvorak Symphony, Albany Records (CD) - 2008, Troy 1072 *''Place in Time'',Dvorak Symphony, Albany Records (CD)- 2007, Troy 979 *''Midnight Tolls'',Dvorak Symphony, Albany Records (CD) - 2006 *''The New American Romanticism''- Dvorak Symphony, Albany Records (CD) - 2004, Troy 704 *''The American Soloist'' (Dvorak Symphony) Albany Records (CD) - 2004 TROY 687 *''Shades of Blue'' Visionary/Albany (CD) Records Troy 431 - February 2001 *''Symphonic Brotherhood'' The Music of African American Composers ,Albany Records (CD) Troy104 *''Fare Ye Well'' Visionary Records - 2003 *''The Great American Songbook-Berklee recording the music of

Burt Bacharach Burt Freeman Bacharach ( ; May 12, 1928 – February 8, 2023) was an American composer, songwriter, record producer, and pianist who is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential figures of 20th-century popular music. Start ...

'', Berklee recording - 2008 *''The Great American Songbook-Berklee recording the music of

Duke Ellington Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974) was an American Jazz piano, jazz pianist, composer, and leader of his eponymous Big band, jazz orchestra from 1924 through the rest of his life. Born and raised in Washington, D ...

'', Berklee recording - 2007 *''The Great American Songbook- the Music of

Stevie Wonder Stevland Hardaway Morris (; Judkins; born May 13, 1950), known professionally as Stevie Wonder, is an American and Ghanaian singer-songwriter, musician, and record producer. He is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the 20th c ...

'', Berklee recording - 2007 *''Love Storie''s - Julius Williams Conductor track "Violins"- Independent Gordon Chambers - 2007

Musical theatre (compositions)

*June 1999, Musical Score "Indahomey"New Federal Theater, New York, NY *November 1995, Musical Score for "The Paradise"Huntington Theater, Boston, Mass *March 1991, Musical score for "Balm Yard". (Off Broadway). Premiered Riverside Church Theatre produced by the New Federal Theatre, New York. *February 1981, Musical score for "Dreams Deferred" (Woodie King, Producer). Premiered at the New Federal Theatre, New York, NY *February 10, 1979, Musical score for "Princess Too Tall" (Book by Karl Friedman). Premiered at the Henry Street Settlement Arts for Living Center, New York, NY *November 17, 1978, Musical score for ''Mio'' (Book for Shauneille Perry). Premiered at the New Federal Theatre, New York, NY – March to May 1988 *January 28, 1978, Musical score and lyrics for ''The In Crowd''" - (Book by J. E. Franklin) (Off Broadway). Premiered at the Henry Street Settlement Arts for Living Center, New York, NY

Film and video

*October 2002- Fighting for Our Future, Principal Pictures/ lifetime TV *October 10, 2002, 2003 Gracie Award winner, Yeah, My heart Beats loud, Juniper Pictures (independent) 1993

References

External links

Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Williams, Julius Penson American male composers 21st-century American composers 1954 births Living people Berklee College of Music faculty University of Hartford Hartt School alumni 21st-century American male musicians Andrew Jackson High School (Queens) alumni