FEATURED SINFONIA MUSICIAN: Getting to Know the Sinfonia Family
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Hugh Williamson, Principal TrumpetAs a kid, Hugh Williamson remembers waking up on Sunday mornings to find a hand-scribbled trumpet part by his bedside.
It was a less than subtle cue from his dad, a church musician and professor of religion and music at Albright College, that sleeping in on that particular Sunday was not an option and that he and his trumpet were needed that morning to accompany the church choir. “My dad noticed my interest in music from an early age. I was particularly drawn to brass instruments, especially the red and white mutes used by trumpet and trombone players,” Williamson says. “Dad thought trumpet would suit me well, given its versatility. He was always willing to grab a pile of music and walk over to the college to read through new trumpet repertoire.” Over the years, the younger Williamson gained valuable experience playing as a soloist at church and college concerts and says, “Playing music with my dad has been a treasured experience from childhood through my career as a performer and teacher.” |
A frequent substitute and extra trumpet for the PSO, Williamson formally joined the orchestra for the 1999-2000 season as its second trumpet.
“My first performance with the PSO was playing fourth trumpet on a concert of opera highlights while I was still a college student,” he recalls. “I remember having to count hundreds of rests before playing a few well-timed low notes for dramatic effect.”
His most memorable PSO concert was playing “The Trumpet Shall Sound” as part of a complete performance of Handel’s “Messiah” with the PSO and Camerata Singers.
“This was the first time I performed Handel’s 'Messiah' in a professional performance with an orchestra,” Williamson says. “I was very familiar with ‘Messiah,’ both as a trumpet player and singer, and because of my dad’s own study of the work when preparing to perform it with his own choirs.”
Performing with the PSO, Williamson appreciates the Sinfonia’s deeps roots within the Lehigh Valley music scene.
“Many members perform and teach in various ensembles and settings in the region. Although we only play together a handful of times each year as the PSO, many members collaborate together in other chamber groups and orchestras,” he says, noting how these shared musical friendships add depth to performances.
“Additionally, both our director emeritus, Allan Birney, and our new music director, Paul Chou, have built rich and longstanding relationships in the region’s musical community,” Williamson adds. “It’s a thrill to make music with people who share a commitment to enriching the greater Lehigh Valley with music.”
Besides the PSO, he has performed with orchestras and brass ensembles throughout the Northeast, including the Mainstreet Brass; Pennsylvania Chamber Brass; Philadelphia Brass; Bach Choir of Bethlehem Festival Orchestra; Capital Philharmonic of New Jersey; Riverside Symphonia; and the Allentown, Catskill, Pottstown, and Utica symphonies.
He started his college career as history major but, having been bitten by the music bug, began to realize that he wanted to pursue music as a career.
“My college musical experiences, including trumpet lessons and brass quintet coaching with Lawrence Wright, led to new playing opportunities, including a European tour with the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra and later as a soloist with the Allentown Symphony as a winner of the Voorhees Concerto Competition,” Williamson says. “Those successes confirmed that I was on the right path, and I decided to commit to pursuing a career in music.”
In addition to studies with Wright, he studied trumpet and chamber music with notable teachers including Walter Gier and Benjamin Aldridge and completed additional work with master artists Ed Cord, John Rommel, Vincent Penzarella, and Per Brevig.
After earning bachelor of arts and bachelor of music degrees in history and music education from Moravian College, he completed a master of music degree in instrumental conducting and trumpet performance at the State University of New York at Binghamton, where he served as a graduate conducting assistant and brass quintet coach. Williamson went on to teach high school band for a number of years in New York and Pennsylvania before returning to school to complete a Ph.D. in music education from Temple University. At various points along the way, he completed additional studies at the Indiana University School of Music, Ithaca College, and the Pierre Monteux Festival for Orchestral Musicians.
Currently, Williamson serves as an instrumental music specialist with the School District of Philadelphia. Prior to coming to Philadelphia, he directed high school instrumental music programs in Pennsylvania and New York. At the collegiate level, he has taught at the State University of New York at Binghamton, Elizabethtown College, and Temple University.
When not teaching, playing the trumpet, or conducting, Williamson enjoys singing, reading history, watching baseball, and spending time with his wife, two daughters, and the family’s new kitten.
“My first performance with the PSO was playing fourth trumpet on a concert of opera highlights while I was still a college student,” he recalls. “I remember having to count hundreds of rests before playing a few well-timed low notes for dramatic effect.”
His most memorable PSO concert was playing “The Trumpet Shall Sound” as part of a complete performance of Handel’s “Messiah” with the PSO and Camerata Singers.
“This was the first time I performed Handel’s 'Messiah' in a professional performance with an orchestra,” Williamson says. “I was very familiar with ‘Messiah,’ both as a trumpet player and singer, and because of my dad’s own study of the work when preparing to perform it with his own choirs.”
Performing with the PSO, Williamson appreciates the Sinfonia’s deeps roots within the Lehigh Valley music scene.
“Many members perform and teach in various ensembles and settings in the region. Although we only play together a handful of times each year as the PSO, many members collaborate together in other chamber groups and orchestras,” he says, noting how these shared musical friendships add depth to performances.
“Additionally, both our director emeritus, Allan Birney, and our new music director, Paul Chou, have built rich and longstanding relationships in the region’s musical community,” Williamson adds. “It’s a thrill to make music with people who share a commitment to enriching the greater Lehigh Valley with music.”
Besides the PSO, he has performed with orchestras and brass ensembles throughout the Northeast, including the Mainstreet Brass; Pennsylvania Chamber Brass; Philadelphia Brass; Bach Choir of Bethlehem Festival Orchestra; Capital Philharmonic of New Jersey; Riverside Symphonia; and the Allentown, Catskill, Pottstown, and Utica symphonies.
He started his college career as history major but, having been bitten by the music bug, began to realize that he wanted to pursue music as a career.
“My college musical experiences, including trumpet lessons and brass quintet coaching with Lawrence Wright, led to new playing opportunities, including a European tour with the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra and later as a soloist with the Allentown Symphony as a winner of the Voorhees Concerto Competition,” Williamson says. “Those successes confirmed that I was on the right path, and I decided to commit to pursuing a career in music.”
In addition to studies with Wright, he studied trumpet and chamber music with notable teachers including Walter Gier and Benjamin Aldridge and completed additional work with master artists Ed Cord, John Rommel, Vincent Penzarella, and Per Brevig.
After earning bachelor of arts and bachelor of music degrees in history and music education from Moravian College, he completed a master of music degree in instrumental conducting and trumpet performance at the State University of New York at Binghamton, where he served as a graduate conducting assistant and brass quintet coach. Williamson went on to teach high school band for a number of years in New York and Pennsylvania before returning to school to complete a Ph.D. in music education from Temple University. At various points along the way, he completed additional studies at the Indiana University School of Music, Ithaca College, and the Pierre Monteux Festival for Orchestral Musicians.
Currently, Williamson serves as an instrumental music specialist with the School District of Philadelphia. Prior to coming to Philadelphia, he directed high school instrumental music programs in Pennsylvania and New York. At the collegiate level, he has taught at the State University of New York at Binghamton, Elizabethtown College, and Temple University.
When not teaching, playing the trumpet, or conducting, Williamson enjoys singing, reading history, watching baseball, and spending time with his wife, two daughters, and the family’s new kitten.
