WREXHAM SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Patrick Williams - Conductor
Patrick Williams was born in 1968
and studied at Liverpool University from 1987-90, winning the Rushworth and
Alsop Music Prizes. Since graduating he has pursued an active conducting career
and has appeared with several leading north-west orchestras. From 1990-93 he
was Principal Conductor of Liverpool University Symphony Orchestra, which
enjoyed a close working relationship with Libor Pesek, Principal Conductor of
the RLPO and a visiting Professor to the University. In 1991 Patrick Williams
conducted the University Symphony Orchestra in the first performance by a
British orchestra (and the world’s first ‘amateur’ performance) of Arvo Part’s
Symphony No.3. Subsequent concerts included performances of several student
compositions. In March 1993 he and the University Orchestra gave a performance
of Holst’s The Planets in front of an audience of over twelve hundred people at
Liverpool’s Anglican Cathedral, a concert which was subsequently featured on
local radio.
Besides
the Wrexham Symphony Orchestra Patrick Williams has also been invited to
conduct the Chester Philharmonic Orchestra, Liverpool Mozart Orchestra, Gorton
Philharmonic Orchestra and Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral Orchestra and Chorus.
In addition he has worked with the Merseyside and Wirral Youth Orchestras and
recently has been involved with preparing the Merseyside Youth Orchestra for
Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring, Walton’s Belshazzar’s Feast
and Brahms Symphony No.1, In April 1996 he conducted the Chester Philharmonic
Orchestra at Chester Cathedral with soloist Marie Leenhardt, Principal Harp of
the Hallé Orchestra.
In 1991
Patrick Williams was appointed Musical Director of the Oriel Singers, a
Liverpool based chamber choir, which performs a wide range of choral music at
venues around the North-West. He is frequently called upon to conduct members
of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Choir and in March 1994 he conducted the
off-stage choir in a performance by the Hallé Orchestra of Holst’s The Planets.
In 1995
he was appointed Principal Conductor of the South Cheshire Orchestra, based in
Crewe. Already he has performed with them as part of a choral concert at the
Free Trade Hall, Manchester, in front of an audience of two thousand. In April
1996 he conducted them in a performance of Mendelssohn-Violin Concerto with
soloist Peter Thomas, Leader of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra.
Patrick
Williams is currently Librarian to the Hallé Orchestra in Manchester.
Additionally he has been asked by the Hallé’s Principal Conductor, Kent Nagano
to ‘compere’ Hallé workshop concerts. In his capacity of Librarian he is also
advisor to the Hallé’s Programming Committee.
July
1997