Pianist Joseph Williams has enjoyed performing at numerous venues across the United States including The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and abroad in Jordan and the United Emirates. He regularly adjudicates young pianists at regional WIAA/WMEA State Solo and Ensemble Contests and has presented masterclasses at Seattle University and Jackson State University. He is thrilled to join the Community Music faculty at the University of Puget Sound as a piano instructor to students of all ages, abilities, and musical interests.
He began playing piano at the age of 10 years old and is from Tacoma, WA. At the age of 17, he was awarded first place in Washington State for solo piano in the 2010 WIAA/WMEA State Solo and Ensemble Contest. He subsequently pursued a Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance at Oberlin College-Conservatory of Music in Ohio. Upon graduation, he received the Piano Faculty Prize in Accompanying and was immediately hired by the faculty as a full-time instrumental collaborative pianist for the 2015-2016 academic year. After this, he obtained a Master of Music in Piano Performance from Cleveland State University, where he studied with Joela Jones (principal keyboardist of The Cleveland Orchestra) and Sheila Paige (founder of Keyboard Wellness Seminar).
Mr. Williams is a passionate advocate for accessible, high-quality music education. He proudly directs Tukwila Kids Make Music, a free after school music instruction program which offers piano, guitar, voice, and violin lesson to 50 children every week, year-round. He also finds fulfillment as an instructor at Key to Change, a nonprofit violin and viola program which aims to inspire under-served youth through world-class music instruction and to support their development as self-aware leaders.
Committed to inclusion, he has been a behavior therapist for children with Autism and regularly mentors youth of color on becoming music educators of today and tomorrow. Additionally, Mr. Williams curates artists for Musical Conversations, a series of concerts at Lakewold Gardens which highlights dialogue and diversity in music-making.
Learn about noncredit Community Music lessons with this instructor