Biography
Nigel Williams is a New Zealand composer of choral and organ music. His commissions include music for choirs in Tauranga, Hamilton, Galway (Ireland) and Providence (Rhode Island, USA).
Over the last few years Nigel has composed a number of organ works ranging in difficulty from shorter pieces (currently being published by Wayne Leupold in The Organist's Companion) to larger works such as his set of variations on 'Slane', published in Volume 7 of the Marilyn Mason Music Library. He also has multiple listings of his organ and choral works on Sheet Music Plus.
Nigel has considerable experience as a singer, conductor and composer of choral music and takes great pleasure in accepting commissions. He is delighted that Selwyn College (Cambridge UK) included his SATB introit Unto thee O Lord in their Lent term music list 2014. Choirs and organists in the UK, America, Australia and New Zealand have performed his music with much success.
While Director of Music at New Zealand's St Peter's Cathedral in Hamilton he composed A Hymn to St Peter (for choir and congregation) for their patronal festival. In 1998 he composed a cantata on How firm a foundation for 1st Baptist Church in Kalamazoo, USA to celebrate their new 54 stop Letourneau organ. In 1993 he was commissioned to compose a secular piece for Newcastle University in Australia, for which he wrote a large piece for children's choir, youth choir and senior choir using New Zealander Allen Curnow's poem Jack in the Boat as text. Set for three choirs, piano, flute and snare drum, this work has been performed in Australia and New Zealand by university and school groups to critical acclaim. Nigel was also commissioned to compose a festive hymn to mark the 375th anniversary of the First Baptist Church in America, Providence, Rhode Island.