Hornist Gail Williams, Professor Emerita at Northwestern University’s Bienen School of Music, has been coaching young brass musicians since 1986. As a masterclass instructor, students have been known to leave her engaging coaching sessions “with an afterglow”.
In this masterclass, she’ll work with the four NACO Mentorship Program horn participants, August Haller, Chia-ying Lin, Rachel O’Connor, and Taran Plamondon. Listen in as they navigate common issues such as buzzing, rhythmic bass lines, and listening to a lot of music!
Professor Williams has given masterclasses and recitals around the world, working with musicians at institutions including the Juilliard School of Music, Manhattan School of Music, the New World Symphony, Eastman School of Music, and Music Hochschule (Frankfurt, Germany).
Recorded May 15, 2023
Gail Williams is an internationally recognized hornist and brass pedagogue. She has presented concerts, master classes, recitals, and lectures throughout North America, as well as in Europe and Asia. After 20 years with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Ms. Williams is in demand as a soloist, chamber musician, and recording artist. She is currently Principal Horn of the Grand Teton Music Festival Orchestra and has recently performed on a number of prestigious chamber music series. Gail is one of the founding members of Chicago Chamber Musicians as well as the Summit Brass.
In addition to her eight recordings with Summit Brass, Ms. Williams can be heard on her seven cd’s also available on Summit Records, Ms. Williams has commissioned many works for horn by composers Dana Wilson, Anthony Plog, Douglas Hill, James Stephenson and Augusta Reed Thomas.
Ms. Williams is the horn professor at Northwestern University, where she has been on the faculty since 1989. Her awards included Ithaca College's Young Distinguished Alumni Award and an honorary Doctorate of Music, also from Ithaca College. In May of 2005, Ms. Williams was awarded the Charles Deering McCormick Teaching of Excellence Professor from Northwestern University.
Gail Williams est une corniste et une professeure de cuivres de renommée internationale. Elle a donné des concerts, des classes de maîtres, des récitals et des conférences un peu partout en Amérique du Nord, de même qu’en Europe et en Asie. Après 20 ans avec l’Orchestre symphonique de Chicago, Gail Williams est aujourd’hui une soliste, musicienne de chambre et artiste de studio très en vue. Elle est actuellement cor solo à l’Orchestre du Festival de musique de Grand Teton, où elle a récemment présenté une prestigieuse série de musique de chambre. Elle fait partie des membres fondateurs des ensembles Chicago Chamber Musicians et Summit Brass.
En plus de ses huit enregistrements avec Summit Brass, Gail Williams figure également sur sept albums parus avec Summit Records. Elle a commandé de nombreuses œuvres pour cor des compositrices et compositeurs Dana Wilson, Anthony Plog, Douglas Hill, James Stephenson et Augusta Reed Thomas.
Gail Williams est professeure de cor à l’Université Northwestern, où elle enseigne depuis 1989. Parmi ses nombreuses récompenses, elle a reçu un prix du Collège d’Ithaca pour s’être distinguée comme jeune diplômée émérite ainsi qu’un doctorat honorifique de la même université. En mai 2005, Gail Williams a reçu le prix Charles-Deering-McCormick d’excellence en enseignement de l’Université Northwestern.