Bill Williams, M.A.

THOUSANDS OF HOUR OF PRACTICE ARE NECESSARY BUT NOT SUFFICIENT: WHAT'S MISSING?

The management of attention and energy is a vital key to successful performance.

No matter how much one prepares for an event, once the curtain goes up, the event takes on a life of its own. Live performance in any domain is a balancing act requiring sensitivity, finesse and nerves of steel.

Even the most well-prepared performers can experience sub-par outcomes. The key to successful performance is managing the inevitable reactions to stressful situations.  Attentional control and energy management are two of important skills necessary to perform consistently at an optimal (90%+) level. 

​

​

About 

As a long-time orchestral principal trumpeter, soloist and chamber musician, I know the excitement and the challenge of delivering exceptional performances under the intense spotlight of the concert stage night after night. There is nothing so exhilarating nor as demanding as live performance, regardless of the domain.

During my search to improve my own performance skills, I began the study of expert performance with renowned sport psychologist Don Greene over 15 years ago. Following my own success in leveraging this material in my performing and teaching, I pursued graduate study in psychology at the New School for Social Research.  Since the early 2000's I have consulted to a wide range of elite performers and institutions in music and related fields.  

Consulting/Teaching

Consulting and coaching activities focus on providing elite performers the insight and tools they need to perform consistently well in the most demanding situations. Clients range from seasoned professionals to advanced university students.

Appointments have included visiting faculty and lecturer positions at educational institutions including the Eastman School, the University of Michigan and the Juilliard School.  Seminars and masterclasses have been presented at leading institutions globally. Client institutions include the Music Academy of the West, the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University, the Menuhin Festival Gstaad, the Curtis Institute, the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory in Singapore, the Luzern Musikhochschule and the Shanghai Conservatory.