Colin Williams

Colin Williams joined the New York Philharmonic as Associate Principal Trombone in September 2014. He previously served as principal trombone of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, for 12 seasons, and principal trombone of the San Antonio Symphony, for three seasons. He has also performed with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra (of Washington, D.C.), and Houston Symphony.

Mr. Williams made his solo debut with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra in 2003 performing Paul Creston’s Fantasy for Trombone. He has been a guest soloist with the San Antonio Symphony, U.S. Army Band (Pershing’s Own), U.S. Military Academy Band, Georgia Brass Band, Atlanta Wind Ensemble, Juilliard Orchestra, and James Madison University Brass Band. He has also appeared as a soloist at the Eastern Trombone Workshop and the International Trombone Festival.

Also active as a chamber musician, Colin Williams has participated in numerous festivals, including the Saito Kinen Festival Orchestra under Seiji Ozawa in Matsumoto, Japan; Grand Teton Music Festival; and Amelia Island Chamber Music Festival. He has also performed with the Chicago Chamber Musicians.

Mr. Williams’s first solo CD, Roadwork, is a collaboration with his former Atlanta Symphony Orchestra colleagues Bill Thomas and George Curran. Together with Bradley Palmer at Columbus State University, the four musicians founded the Southeast Trombone Symposium in 2010: through his continuing work with the Symposium Mr. Williams has helped to educate hundreds of young trombonists.

During his high school years Colin Williams studied with Douglass Wright. He continued his education at Manhattan School of Music and The Juilliard School, where his primary teachers included Philharmonic Principal Trombone Joseph Alessi and Philharmonic trombonist David Finlayson. He is an alumnus of the Music Academy of the West, now a partner in the New York Philharmonic Global Academy.