Gregory K. Williams

Biographical Information:

Gregory K. Williams is a multifaceted musician, appearing regularly as a violist, violinist, conductor, and teaching artist. He is a member of the Golden Williams Duo, a viola-cello duo committed to collaborations with living composers. As a chamber musician, he has performed with the Seven Hills Chamber Music Festival, Canta Libre, MOSSO- Springfield Chamber Players, and The Red Door Chamber Players. He has appeared in solo recitals in the Netherlands, Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic, and throughout the United States. He has also appeared with popular artists such as Joe Hisaishi, The Who, Peter Cetera, Jane Birkin, Iggy Pop, and the Three Irish Tenors. His debut solo album, Shadows: the Unaccompanied Viola Sonatas of Günter Raphael, was released in 2024 by Affetto Records, a subsidiary of Naxos. He is the Assistant Principal Violist of the Hudson Valley Symphony Orchestra, and has performed with ensembles such as the American Symphony Orchestra, American Ballet Theatre, Albany Symphony, New Haven Symphony, Vermont Symphony, Binghamton Philharmonic, The Orchestra Now, the Syracuse Symphony, and the Aspen Music Festival. On Broadway, he has performed as a substitute violist for Sweeney Todd and Phantom of the Opera. 

Dr. Williams is the founder of Aaron Copland School of Music’s Viola Day, and has been on the viola faculty of the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College, CUNY since 2012. He serves as the Strings Orchestra Coordinator and the Violin and Viola Professor at Sacred Heart University. At the Eastman School of Music, he served as a Guest Artist and Visiting Assistant Professor of Viola for the 2022-23 school year, and taught as the Visiting Lecturer of Viola at the University of Tennessee – Knoxville in Fall 2023. He has taught at summer festivals including the Lyra Music Festival, NYU SummerStrings, the National Music Festival, and the Mountain Springs Chamber Music Festival. Additionally, he maintains a private viola and violin studio for advanced students in the New York metropolitan area.

As a conductor and orchestral coach, Dr. Williams has conducted and coached student ensembles including the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra on Long Island, Greater Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra, Southampton String Festival, LIU – Post Summer Music Festival, and the Queens College String Ensemble. He has served as a guest conductor for All-County Orchestra festivals and at the UT Knoxville Viola Celebrations in 2023. 

Dr. Williams received his Doctorate of Musical Arts in Viola Performance at the CUNY Graduate Center, where he studied with Karen Ritscher and Dr. Linda Sinanian. Previously, Dr. Williams studied with Michelle LaCourse at Boston University, where he received his Bachelor’s degree in Viola Performance, and with George Taylor at the Eastman School of Music, receiving his Master’s degree in Viola Performance and Literature. 

For more information, please go to https://gregorykwilliamsviolist.com/.