Patrick Williams

Patrick Williams is the associate principal flutist of the Philadelphia Orchestra, a post he has held since 2018. He was previously the principal flutist of the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra and co-principal flutist of the Hyogo Performing Arts Center Orchestra in Nishinomiya,
Japan. Patrick has also performed as guest principal flute in some of America’s top orchestras including the Chicago Symphony, the San Francisco Symphony, the St. Louis Symphony and the Pittsburgh Symphony. He has shared the stage with many of the world’s great maestros such as Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Sir Simon Rattle, Riccardo Muti, Vladimir Jurowski, Fabio Luisi, and Sir Neville Marriner.

Hailed for his artistry in concerto performances with the Curtis Symphony Orchestra, Music at Angel Fire, and the Steamboat Orchestra, Patrick compliments his passion for orchestral performance with concerto, chamber music, and recital performance both in Philadelphia and as a guest artist. Many of his live performances have been recorded and released online via Instant Encore and on WHYY’s television program, “On Stage at Curtis.” You can also hear Patrick in the Philaedelphia Orchestra broadcast weekly on WRTI, on the orchestra’s Digital Stage platform, and on recent recordings including “Secret Love Letters” with Lisa Batiashvili on the Deutsche Gramophone label, and Beethoven’s piano concerti with Haochen Zhang on Bis Records.

Patrick is currently adjunct instructor of flute at Temple University’s Boyer College of Music and Dance, and is on faculty of the Philadelphia International Music Festival. Previously he served as adjunct professor of flute at Xavier University of New Orleans, and has been a clinician at Interlochen Arts Academy, Loyola University of New Orleans, and Louisiana State University.

In addition to teaching, Patrick regularly participates in youth concerts and outreach programs for the Philadelphia Orchestra, and previously for the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, the Hyogo Performing Arts Center, the New York Pops Orchestra, Music at Angel Fire, and Curtis Institute of Music.

A proud Colorado native, Patrick began studying the Suzuki flute method in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. After just 1 year of study, he traveled to Nagano, Japan, to perform with thousands of Suzuki students in a multicultural celebration during the 1998 Olympics. He then attended the Interlochen Arts Academy High School studying with Nancy Stagnitta, and graduated with a distinguished award for excellence in flute performance. At the Oberlin College and Conservatory of Music, he studied with Michel Debost while pursuing a double degree in flute performance and environmental studies. He also studied with Mark Sparks as the flute fellow at Aspen Music Festival. Patrick received his performance degree at the Curtis Institute of Music under the direction of Jeffrey Khaner.