• Source: Julius Penson Williams

Julius Penson Williams (born June 22, 1954, in The Bronx, 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, 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 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 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.
People who Williams has credited as having influenced his music are Ulysses Kay, Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson, Charles Bell and John Corigliano.

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.




Personal life


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




Works






= Choral

=
In commendation of music, for SATB (1988). Première: 1988
The Spring, for SATB (1982). Première: 1982 commissioned by Roland Carter and the Hampton University choir
The Fall, for SATB (1982). Première: 1982 commissioned by Roland Carter and the Hampton University choir
The Winter, for SATB (1982). Première: 1982 commissioned by Roland Carter and the Hampton University choir
The Summer, for SATB (1982). Première: 1982 commissioned by Roland Carter and the Hampton University choir
The Lamb, for SATB (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 (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, Berklee recording - 2008
The Great American Songbook-Berklee recording the music of Duke Ellington, Berklee recording - 2007
The Great American Songbook- the Music of Stevie Wonder, Berklee recording - 2007
Love Stories - 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




See also


Trilogy: An Opera Company




References






External links


Official website

Kata Kunci Pencarian:

• Julius Penson Williams
• Penson
• List of people with surname Williams
• List of composers of African descent
• Lehman College
• Trilogy: An Opera Company
• 1508
• Architecture of Wales
• List of people from Kansas City, Kansas
• Deaths in July 2023