Interview with Dr. Blair Williams, Texas Tech University

Dr. Blair Williams (PhD, The Ohio State University, MM, Kansas
State University, BME, Baylor University) is an Assistant
Professor of String Music Education in the School of Music at
Texas Tech University. Her duties at Texas Tech include
supervising string student teachers, teaching courses in string
music education, instruction in instrumental/orchestral
conducting, and directing the Texas Tech University String
Project.

During the summers, Dr. Williams is active with the TTU Summer
Master of Music Education program, the TTU Band and Orchestra
Camp Academy for beginning students, and the TTU Band and
Orchestra Camp. 

Additionally, she serves on the editorial board for American
String Teacher, on the National String Project Consortium
Board, on the ASTA Collegiate Committee, as a Member-at-Large for
NAfME-Texas, as the TMEA Region 16 College Chair, and as an
advisor to the Epsilon Pi chapter of Mu Phi Epsilon and the TTU
Student Chapter of the American String Teachers Association.
 

Dr. Williams has presented clinics regionally and nationally
including invited sessions at the National Association for Music
Education National In-Service Conference, the annual American
String Teachers Association conference, the Ohio State String
Teacher Workshop, Texas Music Educators Association, and Colorado
Music Educators Association. Her research interests include:
rural string music education, music teacher education, secondary
music teaching, and viola. She has been published in The
American String Teacher and SmartMusic.

Additional conducting engagements have included: youth, regional,
and all-city ensembles in Kansas, Texas, Ohio, and Oregon;
Graduate Conductor/Section Coach-Columbus Symphony Youth
Orchestras, Chamber Strings; Graduate Conductor-Kansas State
Orchestra; Assistant Director/Administrator of the Gold
Orchestra (Manhattan, KS) including an invited performance at The
Midwest Clinic in 2010; and Associate Director/String Coordinator
of the Waco Symphony Youth Orchestra. 

After earning her Bachelor of Music Education degree from Baylor,
Dr. Williams served as Director of Orchestras and the Associate
Director of Orchestras in Midway ISD, Waco, TX teaching grades
5-12. While teaching in Texas, Dr. Williams' ensembles (string
and full) consistently received superior ratings and sweepstakes
awards at UIL Solo and Ensemble, UIL Large Group Contest, and
other festivals. In 2009, she founded the Midway High School
chapter of Texas Future Music Educators with 20 students. Dr.
Williams also continues to enjoy working with public school
students as a guest adjudicator, clinician, and
conductor. 

She is a member of ASTA, NAfME, TMEA, Pi Kappa Lambda, CMS, and
Mu Phi Epsilon.