Beatrice Renee Collins Williams

Beatrice Collins Williams, founder and director of the Valley Conservatory in Huntsville, Alabama, served as director of string and piano studies as well as teacher of theory and conducting at Oakwood College, now University, from 1994 to 2001. In 1996, she organized and successfully led an orchestra that debuted that fall at the Sabbath service of the OC centennial Finale Celebration.

This first performance was followed by a number of successful concerts. During its five years of existence, the longest for any ongoing orchestra in OC's history, the orchestra sponsored a concerto competition. In 1998, they premiered Two Romances for Viola and Orchestra by Adolphus Hailstork.

Williams graduated from the University of Northern Colorado with dual bachelor's degree in piano and music education. Both the excellence of her teaching and the superior performances of her ensembles were recognized while she resided in Colorado. A violist, she has played in a number of orchestras.

Williams subsequently received a master's degree in music and a D.M.A from Michigan State University in orchestral conducting. During her doctoral study, she conducted the MSU Symphony and Chamber Orchestra in selected performances, served as vocal director for several opera and musical productions, and presented the first concert of symphonic music by composers of African descent.

She has taught music at primary through collegiate levels and has extensive experience in orchestral conducting, having led the Colorado Symphony; Denver Young artist Orchestra; the Women's Philharmonic in San Francisco; the Huntsville Youth Orchestra; Alabama All-State Reading Orchestra; West Tennessee All-State Orchestra; members of the Aspen School of Music Festival Orchestra, where she was a conducting scholarship recipient; and the OC orchestra.

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Sources: Biographies at the Valley Conservatory in Huntsville, Alabama, website, 2008 and 2013; other online sources.