Biography

Sam Williams is Assistant Professor of Saxophone at Metropolitan State University of Denver, where he teaches classical and jazz saxophone, chamber music, and woodwind techniques. His performance career includes appearances with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra, Dallas Symphony, and Philadelphia Orchestra, and he is a regular guest artist-faculty member at the Aspen Music Festival and School, where he was previously awarded the Saxophone Fellowship. The baritone saxophonist of the Hemispheres Saxophone Quartet, Sam performed and taught throughout China as a U.S. State Department Cultural Ambassador in 2015 and 2017. Sam is a member of The Democracy, a Denver-based composer collective jazz quintet with two albums to its name. His solo projects include Turn the Moon (2017) and Portals (2023), a duo album with pianist Art Lande. Sam is the baritone saxophonist in the Ben Markley Big Band, which has released several albums including projects with trumpeter Terell Stafford and drummer Ari Hoenig. Sam has previously served on the faculties of the University of Northern Colorado and the University of Denver’s Lamont School of Music. He holds M.M. degrees in Saxophone Performance and Jazz Studies from the University of Northern Colorado. Sam is a D’Addario Woodwinds endorsing artist.