Frances Williams (2)

Welsh-born American choir conductor and composer of sacred and secular choral works (born June 4, 1904 in Waunfawr, Caernarvonshire, Wales - died March 1, 1978 in New York, New York, USA) In August 1912, at age 8, Williams emigrated with her family to the United States and settled in Seattle, WA. She studied piano and composition first at the Cornish School of Music in Seattle, then at Juilliard Graduate School in New York City, where she held fellowships in composition with Rubin Goldmark and in piano with James Friskin. Williams is best known for writing the choir music to a poem by Marjorie Elliott, "Let There Be Music." Other works include "To The Dawn" for festival chorus with orchestra, "Night" for women's voices, "Holy Lord Of All" (Welsh Chorale), "Step Lightly O'er The Hallows" (for men and women's voices),"Be Thou Exalted O God' (Psalms 57, 11, 66, 4, 8, 9) (1950), "The Day Thou Gavest" (1951), and "Praise The Lord, Ye Heavens Adore Him" (1956).