Marta Richardson: GRAMMY Award-Winning Conductor and Violinist John McLaughlin Williams Coming Home to Greensboro, North Carolina

John McLaughlin Williams

As a GRAMMY Award-winning conductor and violinist, Williams has been critically acclaimed for his outstanding interpretive abilities and his engaging podium presence (Classical Music Across Cultures)

Marta Richardson writes:

Dear Bill,

I just wanted you to know that we're continuing our work with Classical Music Across Cultures and actually were able to partner with another organization, Music for a Great Space.  It's been an exciting collaborative effort to bring Williams to Greensboro.

Sincerely,

Marta Richardson

Guess who is coming home? GRAMMY Award-winning conductor and violinist John McLaughlin Williams!

This fall get your ears ready for a musical feast as Music for a Great Space and Classical Music Across Cultures jointly present John McLaughlin Williams in concert on September 20, 2013 at 7:30 pm – opening day for the 17 DAYS Arts & Culture Festival. But what makes a John Williams violin concert so special?

LOTS. Williams, an accomplished African American musician, composer and acclaimed conductor, was born in Greensboro, N.C. and later moved to Washington, D.C. where Williams began studying the violin at the age of 10. What makes Williams so special is his mastery of the instrument and his musical selections. “It always impressed me that there were all these composers described as eminent, wonderful, great and important, but I wasn’t hearing them in any of the concerts I was going to or any of the music I was playing,” Williams said. “I love standard repertoire but there’s all this other music that’s equally great and never gets played.” At age 14, Williams played solo with the National Symphony and by age 15 had read “Baker’s Biographical Dictionary of Musicians,” cover-to-cover. His talent and unique interest in neglected American composers, and recordings of their works on the Naxos label, earned William’s four GRAMMY nominations in 2010. In 2007, Williams won a GRAMMY for “Best Instrumental Solo with Orchestra.”

“I can’t wait for the Williams’ concert this fall,” said Classical Music Across Cultures founder and violin teacher Marta Richardson. In addition to the concert, Williams has agreed to an artist residency September 17-20, working with approximately 1,500 Guilford County School students, providing inspiration and an exceptional learning opportunity. “We want to help overcome the cultural stereotype of the classical musician by giving our students role models that will inspire, motivate and captivate them.”

ArtsGreensboro is pleased and honored to support Music for a Great Space in its work to bring extraordinary classical musicians to Greensboro. Arts Greensboro was instrumental in the formation of Classical Music Across Cultures to bring the Sphinx Virtuosi Orchestra to Greensboro for the inaugural 17 DAYS Arts & Culture Festival in 2011. Last year, CMAC hosted Harlem Quartet as part of 17 DAYS.  “We’re thrilled that MGS and Classical Music Across Cultures are working together to bring Williams to Greensboro as part of 17 DAYS Arts & Culture Festival this year. We’ve built the festival on a solid foundation of collaborations, and this is a stellar example of how we can bring talent and organizations together for our students and our community,” said ArtsGreensboro President & CEO Thomas Philion.