Gregory K. Williams

A few fun updates for February…

I write this not knowing who won the Super Bowl yet, and not really caring much (last I checked they were in overtime…). For any fans of either team reading, my apologies, and for whoever ends up losing, my condolences. Sorry, football has never been my sport of choice!

It has been a fascinating week with a lot going on, a lot of practicing happening, a lot of fun teaching, a lot of prepping for the third annual Aaron Copland School of Music Viola Day (on February 21st), and a lot of other plans in the works.

The first cool thing that I would like to announce is that I will be teaching viola at Lyra Music Festival this summer in the Hudson Valley region! The festival takes place between June 30 and July 13, 2024, and is a pre-professional summer music festival geared towards students ages 13-18 on violin, viola, cello, and piano. For more information about the festival and how to audition please go to their website.

I am also excited to announce two upcoming recitals that will be taking place in Iowa in early March 2024! I will be performing at the Lisbon Public Library, in Lisbon, Iowa on Wednesday, March 6 (at 7:00pm), and at the University of Iowa on Thursday, March 7 (at 7:30pm) in the Recital Hall at the Voxman Music Building. I am performing works by: Günter Raphael (Sonata, op. 46, no. 3, which is Tracks 7-9 on my album); Sakari Dixon Vanderveer‘s El principe sombrío y los recuerdos de su niñez. (The somber prince and recollections of his childhood); Donna Doyle’s Cave of the Heart; Anthony R. Green’s on/Zeker; LJ White’s Look After You; and J. S. Bach’s Suite No. 2 in d minor. I am excited to put this program together, and will hopefully try to take it on the road elsewhere. Part of what is exciting about it is getting to perform work by two of my classmates from my undergrad days at Boston University (Anthony & LJ); along with my colleague Donna Doyle from Queens College.

Last but not least, I wanted to share a little press that my album “SHADOWS: The Unaccompanied Viola Sonatas of Günter Raphael” has been getting. This article comes from Broadway World. It has been really inspiring getting positive feedback from friends, family, colleagues, current and former students and teachers.