Anne Martindale Williams has enjoyed a successful career as Principal Cellist of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra since 1979. Throughout her tenure with the Orchestra, she has often been featured as soloist both in Pittsburgh and on tour in New York at Carnegie Hall and Avery Fisher Hall. She has also collaborated with guest artists such as Yehudi Menuhin, André Previn, Lynn Harrell and Pinchas Zukerman in numerous chamber music performances. Her solo in The Swan on the Pittsburgh Symphony’s recording of Carnival of the Animals by Saint-Saëns was described by Grammophon critic Edward Greenfield as “…the most memorable performance of all.”
Mrs. Williams divides her time between the orchestra, teaching at Carnegie Mellon and Duquesne universities, and solo and chamber music performances in America, Europe and the Far East. Mrs. Williams has appeared in several nationally televised productions including “Concertos,” produced by the BBC and “Previn and the Pittsburgh,” produced by WQED. She also is a member of the Carnegie-Mellon Trio, which performs throughout the United States.
Anne Martindale Williams has given master classes at many universities and festivals throughout the country, including SUNY at Stony Brook, Manhattan School of Music, the National Orchestral Institute, Aspen and the Masterworks festivals. She also enjoys performing at many of America’s prestigious summer music festivals including Aspen, Caramoor, Skaneateles, Maui, Rockport, Grand Teton, Strings in the Mountains, and Mainly Mozart in San Diego.
Anne Martindale Williams has performed as soloist with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra in Schumann’s Concerto in A minor, Tippett’s Triple Concerto, Previn’s Reflections, Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos Nos. 3 and 6, Strauss’s Don Quixote, Bloch’s Schelomo, Dvorák’s Cello Concerto, Dutilleux’s Tout un monde lointain, Saint-Saëns’ Concerto No. 1 and Brahms’ Double Concerto, as well as Elgar’s Introduction and Allegro for String Quartet. In recent seasons she was featured in Elgar’s Cello Concerto, Haydn’s Sinfonia Concertante for Violin, Cello, Oboe, Bassoon and Orchestra, and Walton’s Cello Concert.
Mrs. Williams is a graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music where she studied with Orlando Cole. Her Tecchler cello was made in Rome in 1701. Her husband, Joe, is the Director of Student Ministries at Beverly Heights United Presbyterian Church. They reside in Pittsburgh with their daughter, Claire.
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When the precocious ten-year-old ended his first full-length recital in Dallas, many in the audience predicted for Stephen Nielson a stellar career. And since that event, Mr. Nielson has dazzled audiences with an artistry that has been lauded all over the world. From his orchestral debut at the age of 11, to his success at the Queen Elizabeth Competition in Brussels, to his earning the Distinguished Performer and Phi Beta Kappa honors at the famed Indiana University School of Music, he has consistently justified that early enthusiastic response and prediction.
His extensive concertizing has taken him to stages in such cities as Hong Kong, Bogota, Caracas, Freiburg, Copenhagen, Berlin, London, Vienna, Brussels, Tokyo, Dresden, Prague, Salzburg, Coventry and Madras. Recent seasons have featured Mr. Nielson in recital performances in such diverse American locales as Los Angeles, Kansas City, Boston, Charlotte, Naples, Houston, Chicago, Miami, Detroit, Denver, Seattle and Dallas' magnificent new Meyerson Symphony Center. Further highlighting his worldwide performance itinerary have been recital tours of Switzerland.
In the past few years, Stephen Nielson has expanded his roster of noteworthy concertizing by undertaking solo recital tours of Russia and the Baltic capitals. These recitals, in Moscow, Riga, Tallinn and other cities, were not only a triumphant introduction of this American artist to these music-loving audiences, but also the impetus for reengagements to other venues such as Kiev, Ukraine. Enthusiastic audiences have hailed Mr. Nielson's solo recitals and master classes in Japan as well. Because of his extensive international concertizing, Mr. Nielson has been chosen an official Ambassador of Culture by the World Cultural Alliance.
Acclaiming the playing of Stephen Nielson in Germany, the Berlin Morgenpost said, "Highly sensitive . . . articulate artistry." And in response to a performance in Belgium, the Brussels Le Soir wrote that his was "exciting and masterful playing."
Stephen Nielson's discography includes recordings of the classical solo repertoire, music for piano and cello in collaboration with the celebrated American cellist, Anne Martindale Williams, and recordings of hymn tunes in the classical style. His writing achievements, in addition, are listed in the catalogues of several American publishers. Teaching remains an enthusiastic pursuit for Stephen Nielson, and he maintains a limited schedule for working with gifted young people and adults in the North Texas area. He also accepts a few invitations annually to conduct master classes in performance, practicing and repertoire.
Stephen Nielson and his wife, Carolyne, reside in Dallas and are the proud parents of two young daughters, Christiana and Caroline. By far their father's youngest students, the girls no doubt comprehend the meaning of their dad's favorite expression, "It's never too early!"
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