Deborah Williamson, DMA

Deborah Williamson, soprano, was named a 2016-2017 Baylor University Outstanding Professor for Teaching and is a tenured Professor of Voice. She has also served on the Voice faculty at The American Institute of Musical Studies in Graz, Austria. Recognized for her research in French Lyric Diction, Dr. Williamson is the author of a French diction textbook and Instructor’s manual, A Course in French Lyric Diction (GIA Publications, Inc.). She holds the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Voice with a related field in Vocal Pedagogy from the University of North Texas; the Artist Diploma in Opera and the Master of Music in Voice from the University of Cincinnati, College/Conservatory of Music; and the Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from Baylor University. Dr. Williamson was the Founder and Coordinator of the Baylor Summer Voice Institute from 2017-2019, and has served as Chair for the National Student Auditions of the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS), and two terms as Governor of the Texoma Region of NATS. She founded the Baylor student organizations Student NATS, and Music and Memory at Baylor University and served as Faculty Advisor to each for several years. She is frequently sought after as an adjudicator and master class clinician at the state and regional levels and has given master classes and presentations at Music in the Marche in Mondavio, Italy; the Ghent Conservatory of Music in Belgium; the Texas Music Teachers Association Convention; and the Texas Choral Directors Association Convention.

Dr. Williamson has performed principal roles with The Little Orchestra Society in New York at Lincoln Center, the New York Center for Contemporary Opera, Des Moines Metro Opera, Central City Opera, Chautauqua Opera, Opera Columbus, Lyric Opera of Waco, Columbus Light Opera, Abilene Opera, The Longview Opera, The Opera Project in Dallas and in performances of the West Virginia Symphony's fully staged production of Die Fledermaus. She has appeared as Christine in the Kopit / Yeston Phantom of the Opera, touring major cities throughout Germany and Switzerland. Her performances of Monica in Menotti's The Medium, as well as the title role in Huston's The Blind Girl, were telecast on Cincinnati PBS-TV.

Dr. Williamson has appeared as a featured soloist with the Brabant Symphony in Belgium and has sung with Erich Kunzel and the Cincinnati "Pops" and toured Europe as soloist with the Cincinnati May Festival Chorus. She has also completed a tour of the southern United States as soloist in the World Premiere performances of James Syler's Storyville. She has performed at the Brevard Music Festival and has appeared as guest soloist with the Garland Symphony, Las Colinas Symphony, Waco Symphony Orchestra, Southeastern Ohio Symphony and the Northeast Texas Symphony, among others.

A sensitive and expressive recitalist, Deborah Williamson is a noted interpreter of the works of French and American composers, in particular, and has recently performed a program of French and American compositions as a part of the Les Arts George V recital series at the American Cathedral in Paris, France. Other recent performances include solo recitals in Mondavio, Italy; California; Indiana; Tennessee; Iowa; Idaho; Michigan; Oklahoma; Nebraska; and her native Texas. She has also appeared in recital at the Texoma Regional National Association of Teachers of Singing conference, the Hawaii International Conference for the Arts and Humanities, and the College Music Society Fiftieth National Conference in Salt Lake City presenting a program featuring the works of women composers.

Dr. Williamson's students are featured in principal roles with the Baylor Opera Theater and as soloists with the Baylor Choirs and Orchestra. They are frequent winners and finalists at regional and national vocal competitions, and are selected by audition for summer training programs in the US and Europe. Many current and former students are enjoying professional careers in regional musical theater, Broadway productions and national tours, regional orchestral concerts, and operatic productions throughout the United States. Additionally, many of her students are making significant contributions to the field as music teachers, church musicians, and teachers of voice at the private and university levels.