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A violinist described as "a glowing presence" (Boston Globe) and “truly amazing, sending a tingling sensation up my spine” (Fanfare Magazine),

Anna Marie Williams is a passionate soloist, recitalist, chamber musician, interdisciplinary collaborator, and recording artist, whose performances have taken her across the United States, Central America, Europe and Japan. Ms. Williams’ performances, described as "beautifully shaped" (Wall Street Journal), have often been cited among the "Best of the Year" by publications including The New York Times, BBC Radio 3, and the Boston Musical Intelligencer, which has described those performances as “enthusiastic and artful”, displaying “energy and elegance”.

As a featured soloist and recitalist, Ms Williams has performed in some of the finest concert halls , including Lincoln Center's David Geffen Hall, Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital Hall, the Fisher Center at Bard College, New England Conservatory's Jordan Hall, the Smithsonian Museum, The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, the Kauffman Center, and The Boston Opera House. Upcoming solo engagements include the 2023 world premiere performance of a new triple concerto by American composer, Robert Paterson as part of the American Modern Orchestra, under the baton of legendary conductor, Joann Falletta

Recent solo engagements with orchestra include appearances with the Brown University Orchestra, the Desert Community Orchestra, the Fall River Symphony, the California Chamber Orchestra, the Rhode Island Youth Philharmonic, the San Diego State University Symphony Orchestra, the Antigua Symphony Orchestra (Guatemala) and the New England String Ensemble, among others. Ms. Williams has had the privilege of both premiering and recording solo works written expressly for her, including “She Moves With The Music: A Violin Concerto” by Panamanian composer, Jorge Bennett as well as “Fields of Gold for Violin and Piano” by American composer, Lisa Heffter. 

Ms. Williams is the founding violinist of the critically acclaimed Neave Trio. Described as “a brilliant trio” (Music-Web International), “a consummate ensemble” (Palm Beach Daily News) and recognized for both their “bright and radiant music-making” (WQXR) as well as “having exceeded the Gold Standard and moved on to Platinum” (Fanfare Magazine), the Neave Trio enjoys concert and recording success across the United States and abroad, performing on some of the finest chamber music series. Recent notable appearances include performances at Lincoln Center's Mostly Mozart Festival in David Geffen Hall, the Bard Music Festival, Mostly Modern Festival, Carnegie Hall/Weill Recital Hall, the 92nd Street Y, the Rockport Chamber Music Festival, the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center/La Jolla, Music at Kohl Mansion, Syracuse Friends of Chamber Music, the Kalliroscope Gallery Chamber Music Series, the La Jolla Atheneaum and the Chamber Music Society of Utica, Arizona Friends of Chamber Music, among others. Recent live radio broadcasts include those on WGBH, WQXR, KUCO, WFMT , WXXI and WCNY radio stations, as well as stations abroad, most recently featured on BBC3 radio in London as well as Berlin and Latvian public radio.

 

The Neave Trio is signed to the prestigious Chandos Record Label as Exclusive Recording Artists and their discography continues to expand. Beginning In November of 2016, the Neave Trio released their first album for Chandos, American Moments. This successful album lead to the Trio's second album for the Chandos label, French Moments, which features works by Faure, Roussel and Debussy and was met with much critical acclaim in June of 2018.  In October of 2018, the Trio released Celebrating Piazzolla on the Grammy - winning Azica Record Label, featuring works by Astor Piazzolla, including new arrangements of Piazzolla’s songs for piano trio and mezzo-soprano. The Trio's fourth album, Her Voice was released in the Fall of 2019, again for the Chandos Label, and features works by all women composers; Farrenc, Beach and Clarke. In Spring of 2022, Neave Trio released their fourth album for Chandos, Musical Remembrances, featuring trios by Ravel, Brahms and Rachmaninov, to critical acclaim, with the Wall Street Journal highlighting "the expressive alchemy among the players".

 

Neave Trio's recordings have been met with wide critical acclaim, and have been honored to appear regularly on many "Critics Pick"s and "Best of the Year" Lists. Most recently, Her Voice was named as one of "The Best of 2019" by both the New York Times and BBC3 Radio. Other recent recordings have been met with similar enthusiasm and have been placed on Best of the Year Lists (Boston Musical Intelligencer “Best of 2016”, Music-Web International’s “Recording of the Month”, Dean Villa Frey of Canada “Best of 2016,” and Fanfare Magazine’s “2014 Want List”). 

Neave Trio has held residencies at many notable institutions. Recent residencies include those at the Avaloch Farm Music instituteLongy School of Music of Bard College,  multiple residencies at Brown University, the University of Virginia, the Banff Center, Walnut Hill School for the Arts, the Gann Academy, Concord Academy, Providence College and San Diego State University, among others. In 2022-2023, the Trio will be Ensemble in Residence at both the Mostly Modern Festival, and Wartburg College.

A true believer in the importance and vitality of collaboration, Ms Williams, as co-founder of the Neave Trio, has sought out and curated collaborations across many mediums, including those with dancers, choreographers,  filmmakers, and visual artists. Recent collaborations include projects with artist David Michalek,  choreographer Richard Colton and the MIT School of Architectural Design, The Massachusetts College of Art, filmmaker Amanda Alvarez,  projection artist Ryan Brady and Blythe Barton Dance. Upcoming collaborations include Rising, an evening of reflection, music and dance with choreographer Gabrielle Lamb and the PigeonWing Dance company, featuring a world premiere  work by American composer Robert Sirota. In addition, Ms Williams and Neave Trio will premiere their new collaborative work, Gathering Light, an immersive musical and visual experience featuring the music of Ravel and the work of visual artist and Harvard University professor, Sharon Harper.

 

The recipient of the Lillian Fuchs Prize and the Fisch/Axelrod Award, Ms. Williams holds degrees from the Manhattan School of Music (BM), the Longy School of Music of Bard College (MM, GPD) and San Diego State University (Artist Diploma). Ms. Williams is a graduate of the Walnut Hill School/New England Conservatory joint program. Festival appearances have included Yellow Barn, National Arts Centre (under director, Pinchas Zukerman), the Banff International Centre (Canada), Bowdoin International Chamber Music Festival, Niagara on the Lake, Halcyon Chamber Music Festival, and the Bard Summer Music Festival, among others.

Ms. Williams is a passionate teacher, having served as Teaching Assistant to the world-renowned pedagogue, Patinka Kopec at the Manhattan School of Music (Pre-College). She has also served on the faculties of San Diego State University, The Castleman Quartet Program, Bard Conservatory (Pre-College)  the ArtsAhimsa Festival and the Winsor School as well as adjudicator for the Bard Conservatory Pre-College and Society of American Musicians competitions. 

 

Ms. Williams currently serves on the violin and chamber music faculties of the Longy School of Music of Bard College and her students have been accepted, with scholarships, to premiere conservatories, schools of music and universities, including  the New England Conservatory of Music, the Manhattan School of Music, Boston University, Northwestern University, Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University, the Peabody Conservatory, and the Longy School of Music of Bard College, among others.

 

Ms. Williams plays on a 1794 Joseph and Antonio Gagliano violin.

 

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