N.C. A&T Taps Internationally Acclaimed Vocalist Williams as Jazz Artist-in-Residence

EAST GREENSBORO, N.C. (Sept. 16, 2022) – Acclaimed international musician Lori Williams will bring her soulful jazz sounds to the campus of North Carolina Agricultural and  Technical State University as its 2022-2023 Jazz Artist-in-Residence.

Williams, a performing artist, music educator, songwriter, producer and musical theater actress, will work with N.C. A&T’s music and performing arts students on song writing and vocal techniques. Her residency will begin in October and will feature a series of clinics, master classes and workshops at different times throughout the academic year, engaging with students in the University Choir, Jazz Ensemble, and music and theater programs. The residency will also include jazz concerts with students and faculty jazz artists.

“We are excited to have Ms. Williams as our Jazz Artist-in-Residence for this academic year,” said Frances Ward Johnson, Ph.D., dean of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences. “This program gives our students an opportunity to interact with a highly talented international artist who embodies the desire to educate and train students who are passionate about performing arts and want to pursue careers in that arena.”

Williams comes to A&T as part of the university’s inaugural Artist-in-Residence program, which is designed to provide opportunities for an artist to further explore his or her practice, mentor students and continue developing his or her artistic talents. The artist is selected based upon outstanding professional credentials, creative accomplishments and national recognition in one of the fields of theater, visual arts, music or arts in general.

Williams will enlighten A&T students with knowledge from her international, professional and collaborative experiences. As a veteran educator in the Washington, D.C., Public Schools System and private vocal coach, Williams has received many honors including Outstanding Music Teacher, the 2007 Superintendent’s Arts Teacher of the Year, and the 2010 Vincent E. Reed Teacher of the Year. She was nominated for a 2014 Helen Hayes Award as an Outstanding Lead Actress in a Resident Musical for her role as Ella Fitzgerald. Williams has received letters of recognition for her vocal performances from President Biden, former Speaker of the House John Boehner, and Maryland State Sen. C. Anthony Muse.

A graduate of Hampton University, Williams has toured extensively and performed in venues, including music festivals, across the United States, Europe, Japan and the British Virgin Islands. For more than three decades, Williams has had the honor of working with notable artists as lead, background, studio session and guest vocalist including Oleta Adams, Yolanda Adams, Eric Benet, The Blackbyrds, Peabo Bryson, Stanley Clarke, Savion Glover, Walter Hawkins, Angela Winbush, Kindred the Family Soul and more. Williams has six independent CDs and released a single, “Too Late (It’s My Time),” in June 2022.                                                                                                 

About North Carolina A&T State University’s Artist-in-Residence Program
The aim of North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University’s Artist-in-Residence Program is to provide opportunities for an artist to further explore his or her practice, mentor students, and continue developing his or her artistic talents. Artists are U.S.-based professionals with a proven interest in mentoring the next generation of artists and creating performances in their field of artistry. The Artist in Residence is selected based upon outstanding professional credentials, creative accomplishments, and national recognition in one of the fields of theater, visual arts, music, or arts in general. The Artist in Residence facilitates a learning environment that encourages knowledge of, respect for, and development of skills to engage with those of diverse cultures and backgrounds.