M. Denise Williams

Denise Williams is a passionate advocate for the performing arts, leveraging her extensive professional experience and educational background to promote artistic expression and education. With a belief in the transformative power of music and the arts to bridge societal divides, Denise has dedicated her career to nurturing talent, fostering inclusivity, and promoting cultural understanding.

Denise’s thirty-plus-years international career has put her at home on the concert, opera, and theatre stages. Highlights of her performance career include the Nathaniel Dett Chorale (Founding Member), Mirvish Productions (North American premiere of The Sound of Music), Canadian debuts of the title role of Portia White First You Dream. Her most well-loved self-produced music project is her cross-cultural, Walk Together Children concert program, presenting African, Jewish, and Muslim diasporic cultures through music. This project became the basis of her Masters capstone and was awarded an OAC music performance grant.

In addition to her achievements as a performer, Denise is also dedicated to arts education and community engagement including directing, workshops, classes, and international community music symposia.

Denise is Founding Artistic Director and Producer of No Strings Theatre (NST) which supports the next generation of artists and encourages the development of new Canadian theatrical works. She is currently on the music theatre voice faculty of Sheridan College, operates her Voices of Colour Music (VCM) music studio, is a certified advanced voice teacher affiliate and examiner for the Royal Conservatory of Music, and a national vocal adjudicator.

Denise has launched scholarships for Black students and artists. She continues to advocate for cross-cultural sharing of music traditions, equity, diversity and inclusion on performance stages.

Memberships
Vice President, NATS-Ontario; Board of Directors, Elora Festival and Elora Singers; Past President, ORMTA Central Toronto Branch; ACTRA, CAEA

Education
Master of Arts, Community Music, Wilfrid Laurier University; Arts and Entertainment Administration, TMU; ARCT Singing Diploma, Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM)

Awards
ORMTA Contribution to Teaching, 2024; 100 Accomplished Black Canadian Women 2024