The late B. Michael Williams, professor emeritus of music and former percussion director at Winthrop University, was remembered with a memorial concert on April 2. He passed away in September of 2020.
Williams worked at Winthrop for over four decades. Over that time, he impacted many fellow faculty and students, including Doug Presley, professor of music, associate director of bands and percussion area coordinator.
Presley knew of Williams before he even met him when he attended Summerville High School.
“I knew of Dr. Williams from back when I was in high school from 1988-1991. I had heard of Doc’s ensembles and his djembe transcriptions,” Presley said. “Doc was a scholar and master teacher, and he never stopped learning. To see those in action was very impactful when I started working at Winthrop. He was universally loved and respected by students and colleagues. His work with djembe transcriptions, mbira and frame drumming literally put Winthrop on the ‘world map’ of collegiate percussion studies.”
Former student and current faculty member Anne Lewis Turner is the current percussion graduate assistant. Turner also completed her undergraduate degree at Winthrop, where she was taught by Williams.
“I learned from Dr. Williams, all of his knowledge about African drums, and his time that he spent on sabbatical in Africa,” Turner said. “So I can teach that now, which is awesome.”
Turner credits Williams for being a true mentor during her time when she was completing her bachelor’s degree.
“It was a challenging time. For me personally, when I started finishing my undergrad, he was really there just as a huge support,” Turner said. “He was always so kind and always had a gentle heart and an open ear to listen to anything that was going on and help every student in any way that he could.”
Lorrie Crochet, associate dean of the College of Visual and Performing Arts and director of bands, first met Williams when she started working at Winthrop in 2003.
“This was my first job teaching college. So, Dr. Williams was the director of percussion studies. And he was a senior professor. And he was a mentor for me,” Crochet said. “He answered so many questions and gave me encouragement and sound advice every time I went to him, and he would come to the concert. And it’s not required that music faculty go to each other’s performances. But I don’t think he missed any band concerts. I think he came to every band concert and was very involved between his studio and the bands at Winthrop.”
The concert, held in Williams’ memory, included performances from the Winthrop University Wind Symphony, Percussion Ensemble, Alumni African Drum Ensemble, and Alumni Mbira Ensemble, and the premiere performance of a composition by one of Williams’ dearest friends, Jack Stamp.
“Jack Stamp and Dr. Williams were close friends, and they went to school together at some point. And so, when Dr. Williams passed in 2020, Jack Stamp wrote a piece dedicated to him, called ‘Cage Dance,’” Turner said. “The word cage implies John Cage, who is another music composer that Dr. Williams was very passionate about.”
Along with the wind symphony, many former students of Williams performed as well.
“It’s really special. It’s a really good time just to have so many of his students come back together and perform pieces that he actually arranged and transposed,” Turner said.
