Craig S. Williams is the West Point Organist and Choirmaster
Before the recital, join us for a historical presentation of the Auditorium at 3pm.
About Craig Williams
Craig S. Williams is Organist and Choirmaster of the Cadet Chapel, United States Military Academy West Point, where he plays the world’s largest church all-pipe organ and directs the Cadet Chapel Choir. He is only the fourth organist to hold that position since the present Cadet Chapel building was erected in 1910.
At West Point, Mr. Williams oversees the music programs of five chapels, in which are given well over 400 services, concerts and various other functions annually. Personally, Mr. Williams performs at approximately 200 of these chapel functions, including worship services, weddings, funerals, class reunion memorial services, recitals, choir concerts and VIP organ demonstrations performing for royalty, cabinet members, generals, members of Congress and many other international government and military figures. He has been featured on television numerous times including his recent appearance on Fox News’ West Point Holiday Special which received over 2,000,000 views, and he also appears as organist on the West Point Glee Club’s DVD Stand Ye Steady.
Mr. Williams has performed on both organ and piano for over 40 years and continues to perform nationwide. His organ credits include performances at Carnegie Hall with the Orchestra of St. Luke’s, several appearances at Avery Fisher Hall in Lincoln Center, and at Segerstrom Hall in Orange County, CA with the Pacific Chorale. His most recent appearance at Segerstrom Hall was in a concert, Superstar Organ Virtuosos, where he shared the stage with Paul Jacobs, Frederick Swann, Christoph Bull and members of the Pacific Symphony. Mr. Williams has also played on the summer series at the Riverside Church in New York, the Crystal Cathedral, and Ocean Grove Auditorium; and he continues to give numerous recitals and workshops for prominent cathedrals and churches on both coasts. In 2021, he played a recital in Usurbil, Spain, as guest artist in the Quincena Musical de San Sebastián and will be playing recitals in Italy during the fall of 2023.
Mr. Williams is an Associate of the American Guild of Organists and served as dean of the Central Hudson Valley chapter from 2012 to 2016. In the early 90’s, he served as dean of the Brooklyn Chapter. Also, he has been a featured performer for conventions held by the AGO and the American Institute of Organbuilders.
Mr. Williams received the masters in organ performance from Westminster Choir College where he was one of three of the first Currin Scholars, a full graduate level scholarship, studying with Eugene Roan. His piano performance degrees include the masters from the Juilliard School, studying with Martin Canin, where he performed with the Juilliard Symphony at Lincoln Center; and the bachelors from the University of Southern California, studying with Daniel Pollack.
In addition to his duties at West Point, he served as adjunct professor of organ at Nyack College (Nyack, NY) and conservatory faculty at Westminster Choir College (Princeton, NJ) for 19 years. He is devoted to his wife, Lee, and the proud father of Abigail and Stewart.
Watch
Craig Williams at the Round Lake Auditorium in 2018