On the Beat: Director of Bands Nicholas Enrico Williams

Photo by Andrew Davis Tucker

Reflecting on his fourth year as a professor and director of bands for the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences Hugh Hodgson School of Music, Nicholas Enrico Williams realized that one of his dreams has been fulfilled.  “I remember the first time I heard a recording of the UGA Wind Symphony in 1997,” he said. “It was at that time when I thought to myself ‘I want to be a faculty member at a school that has such high, and also creative, musical standards.’”  

Williams earned his Bachelor of Music in music education, Master of Music in performance-conducting, and Doctor of Musical Arts in conducting from the University of North Texas. He spent 16 years there as assistant director of wind studies, conducting the Wind Ensemble, Brass Band, Concert Band and serving as director of athletic bands. Later, he held the position of director of wind bands at the University of Melbourne Conservatorium of Music in Australia prior to joining UGA in October 2022. 

This year, he received the National Band Association Citation of Excellence, honoring concert band directors whose ensembles excel or who significantly advance the field of band music.  

At UGA, Williams oversees five curricular ensembles that perform throughout the academic season, including the University of Georgia Wind Ensemble, which he also conducts. In addition, he serves as a key instructor for graduate students specializing in wind band conducting and collaborates with the director of athletic bands, who leads the renowned Redcoat Marching Band.  

“Musical performance is one of the most constant applications of experiential learning,” Williams said. “What the students do in real time — through collaboration, hands-on musical activities — creates an extemporaneous opportunity to create something new or to re-create something that has been conceptualized, all while presenting that moment to each other and to the audience.” 

Developing these opportunities is one of the key components of Williams’ research.  

“I’m often commissioning new works,” he said, “especially those that showcase the talents of emerging composers from around the world.”  

This focus on contemporary music is one of the elements that distinguish the Wind Ensemble and other academic bands from more traditional ensembles. 

“The modern wind band has an inherent American background,” Williams said. “We try to promote American music and American composers intentionally to a high degree while, of course, reaching beyond to the music makers around the world. After my time in Melbourne, I have added a secondary research area that includes the music of living Australian composers.” 

While the academic ensembles explore new works, Williams also honors the legacy of the Redcoat Marching Band, celebrating its 120th anniversary this year.  

“The Redcoats are among the oldest university marching bands in the world,” he said. “They’ve played a key role in countless iconic moments in both football and marching band history.” 

Williams is proud that the UGA band department is “the most visible musical entity in the Hugh Hodgson School of Music, particularly the marching band, which performs for nearly a million people live in stadiums each year, in addition to the millions who see and hear them on television. 

“I love the opportunity to direct a band program that includes the Redcoats and their more than century-old tradition, impact and influence on our community, alongside five concert ensembles and chamber music groups,” Williams said.  

Over 500 students study, rehearse and perform with the UGA bands each year. Music majors, minors and non-majors are welcome in all academic ensembles, and the Redcoats feature students from degrees and disciplines across UGA’s campus.  

“I’m grateful to engage with and teach a wide range of students,” Williams said, “from first-semester freshmen to graduating doctoral candidates who will soon become professors themselves.”