Amy Tate Williams PROFESSIONAL Amy Tate Williams is a native of Bowling Green, Kentucky, the youngest child of Boyce and Amelia Tate. She holds a Bachelor's of Music Degree in Piano Performance from Western Kentucky University (1985) a Master's Degree in Piano Performance (1987) from Florida State University and another Master’s Degree in Piano Accompanying (1988). Her primary instructors were Ms. Sylvia Kersenbaum, Dr. Marilyn Neeley and Dr. Carolyn Bridger, all of whom were international solo and collaborative pianists. After school, Amy began to freelance as a Coach Accompanist in regional opera companies including Des Moines Metro Opera, Glimmerglass Opera, Nevada Opera and Augusta Opera. She served as Music Director/Tour Manager of OPERAIowa for two seasons, the educational arm of Des Moines Metro Opera (1989-90). She completed two years in the Houston Opera Studio as Apprentice Coach Accompanist for Houston Grand Opera productions, taking post-graduate coursework at the University of Houston and studying privately with Carlisle Floyd (1990-92). Amy spent the next six years teaching music in the private school; two years at Bellaire Christian Academy in Houston (1992-94) and four years at Des Moines Christian School (1994-98). As a music educator, Amy built a choral music department, taught drama and directed theatrical productions, offered private lessons in voice and piano and created a small a cappella ensemble, Victory, that participated in an International Youth Music Festival, performing concerts in Bavaria, Germany and Prague, Czech Republic (1998). Beginning in the 1998-99 season, Amy has served as Chorus Master and Accompanist of Nashville Opera. Since 2003, she has held the post of Opera Director for Tennessee's Governor's School for the Arts. In addition to these positions, Amy freelances as a Vocal Coach and Accompanist and makes regular concert appearances. She has led Master Classes at Florida State University, Belmont University, Western Kentucky University and Middle Tennessee State University. In 2015 she acted as both Stage Director and Conductor for a full production of Lehar’s The Merry Widow for Middle Tennessee State University. In 2017 she served a 3-week stint as Guest Musical Coach at University of Memphis. From November 2017 through December 2018 Amy served as Interim Minister of Music at Crievewood Baptist Church in Nashville, TN. COMPOSITIONAL Amy Tate Williams was first published by Broadman Press in 1986. Her anthem," Only Jesus," appeared in the periodical Gospel Choir. Starting in 1992, Beckenhorst Press re-released "Only Jesus" and also published several choral anthems as well as two vocal collections, Songs of the Savior, Vol. I and II. In 1998, Abingdon Press published her anthem, "Bitter Cry." Her first children's opera, Rumpelstiltskin, was produced for two touring seasons by Des Moines Metro Opera (1996-97) and by Nashville Opera's touring OPERANet (2000). Her second children's opera, The Looking Glass, was produced as fulfillment of a doctoral thesis at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln in 2005. PERSONAL Amy has maintained a personal ministry of music since her teen years, composing, arranging and performing songs from her own faith experience. She is a student of scripture and desires to lead others into meaningful worship of God through her music. She believes He has gifted and trained her for this specific purpose.