Evan Williams

Drawing from inspirations as diverse as medieval chant to contemporary pop, the music of composer and conductor Evan Williams explores the thin lines between beauty and disquieting, joy and sorrow, and simple and complex, while often tackling important social and political issues. Williams’s catalogue contains a broad range of work, from vocal and operatic offerings to instrumental works, along with electronic music.

His music has been performed and commissioned by the International Contemporary Ensemble, Urban Playground Chamber Orchestra, Quince Ensemble, American Brass Quintet, and by the Cincinnati, Toledo, Detroit, Seattle, and National symphonies. He has received performances at festivals such as MATA, RED NOTE, the New Music Gathering, Strange Beautiful Music, SEAMUS, the Electroacoustic Barn Dance, and the New York City Electronic Music Festival.

Williams has received awards and recognition from the American Prize, the National Federation of Music Clubs, ASCAP, fellowships from the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, and served as the Detroit Symphony Orchestra’s inaugural classical roots composer-in-residence in 2018.

Williams holds a DMA in composition with a cognate in orchestral conducting from the College-Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati. He also holds degrees from Bowling Green State University and Lawrence University.

Before joining the faculty at Berklee, Williams held appointments at Rhodes College (Memphis, TN), Lawrence University (Appleton, WI), and Bennington College (Bennington, VT). He has also served on the faculties at the Walden School Young Musicians Program, Connecticut Summerfest, and Cortona Sessions for New Music.