SPOTLIGHT ON... British organist Dr Carol Williams, ‘America’s sweetheart organist’

Although raised in England, you have spent the major part of your career in San Diego, California, from where you established a glittering international career as a concert organist. Tell us about your training and what took you to the USA.

After studying at the Royal Academy of Music in London, then with Daniel Roth in Paris, I gained a full scholarship to help me achieve my dream of studying with Professor Thomas Murray at Yale University. After three intensive years I moved to Manhattan School of Music in NYC to do my Doctorate with McNeil Robinson. Each teacher had his own style. Thomas Murray at Yale would often demonstrate, with phenomenal technique, what he wanted. McNeil Robinson would make me sight-read a fugue while singing in tonic sol-fa, instead of playing, the left hand! I loved his approach, and he was also one of the most amazing improvisers I have ever encountered. While I don’t emulate anyone, I am forever grateful to these two contrasting teachers for shaping my musical prowess.

Did your teachers encourage you to become a performer?

Not at first! In fact, my teachers at the Academy tried to dissuade me from a concert career as it is so precarious, but I have always been single-minded and stubborn (ask my husband!). I did have some church positions in the USA but, as you know, a church position makes different demands to those of a concert career, and I felt that these demands did not play to my strengths. I always felt that performing was my path in life.

Your career has been astonishingly varied, reflecting your extraordinary range of skills: while maintaining a busy concert career, you produced the largest organ festival in North America, you were artistic director of Viscount North America, and you regularly broadcast both on national media and YouTube. How have you managed to excel in so many different roles, and do you think this is now the kind of wide-ranging career that every ambitious young concert organist should consider?

Performing, traveling and promoting the King of Instruments are to me all aspects of the same approach. Whether it's a 5am call for a TV news show, doing my "On The Bench with Dr. Carol" YouTube interviews, hosting our "TourBus" documentaries, or performing a concert, it's just me, Dr. Carol. So, yes, I believe a young artist must be very pliable and absolutely take every opportunity.

COVID was a particular challenge for those depending on live performance for their work; how did you cope?

Today we deal with various social media platforms and these are all avenues for performance opportunities. Opportunities were scarce during the pandemic, but I still performed regularly, posting on FaceBook from home in Virginia on my home Viscount organ. COVID reminded many others with the concert-giving bug to have a backup career, however!

Your programmes are wonderfully diverse, mixing classical light music, and collaborations with jazz, blues, pop and rock bands. Is this diversity important to you?

In one word “YES!”. I am diverse in all aspects of life - I love many different things, from music to horses, cooking to cleaning (well, actually, not cleaning!), world travel adventures to quiet evenings with my husband Kerry watching old British comedy.

I now play pretty much what I like and that is very diverse. Although I have been extensively trained in classical music, I've always compared music to food: I enjoy all sorts of food and I enjoy all sorts of musical tastes: the bubbling rhythms of Bach to the rhythms of Count Basie. Music has no universal boundaries: its properties are cosmic. It just depends on what sort of mood you are in. I start my daily practice on the piano and I cover Beethoven to gorgeous arrangements of gospel hymns. I just follow my heart.

Skimming through your successful career, one might assume that there are no barriers for women organists. But you were the first woman in the US to be appointed Civic Organist, and there is still a huge gender imbalance in the organ world in America - even more so in Britain. Why do you think this is?

Growing up in the UK, my Dad pointed out that, as a girl, I could not sing in a church choir. But, when l look back, that directly helped what I am today. I grew up playing Hammond, theatre organ and of course classical piano and organ.

I do believe that the music world has changed and that there are more opportunities now for females. But, in my mind, you must make the opportunities yourself and create your own path. Speaking for myself, I have not noticed a systemic problem in the organ or music world.

I am heartily glad, but maybe this is because you chose to forge a unique career! Sadly, music industry statistics (see recent reports and SWO’s statistics page) suggest that, for women following a more traditional musical career, the gender imbalance is striking. I’m curious to know how you advise young women considering a musical career.

I say: be confident, not in others, but in yourself. For any gender it is a hard and insecure world in which to establish a career on the organ – the organ may be the King of Instruments, but it is under threat of extinction. Our goal must be to keep this fantastic instrument alive.

For those considering a performing career, get as much experience as you can - travel and savour the organs of Europe. Once you have played Widor in his own church, you will understand so much more about his music. You cannot learn this from a book, a YouTube or even a Hauptwerk simulation: you must go to St. Sulpice or another of the great French organs and play the music there. The action, the acoustics and the whole ambience are vital to sculpt an artist.

My YouTube series “On the Bench with Dr. Carol” always includes the question “What advice do you give a young musician”. The answers have been amazing and one that sticks in my memory is “make time to smell the roses”!

We are delighted that you and your husband have returned to the UK! What are your plans?

To perform, compose and enjoy life. It truly is great to be back - my American husband, Kerry, is adapting slowly to what he calls "a small but unique world"! He is a great chap and really understands music - a retired rock and roll drummer. We have a Viscount Ensign 51 -FV which is an incredible organ. Plus we brought across from the States my Viscount Legend, which is the replica of the Hammond, B3 and his drum kit and we love to let it rip!

You clearly still have a full calendar of concerts, here and overseas, which is available via: https://www.melcot.com/concerts.html

Thank you, Dr Carol. Any final advice to SWO members?

Stay focused on what your musical heart desires!

Walt Disney Concert Hall Organ