Photo by Taylor Vang.
Gaw Vang Williams is a jazz-pop vocalist and educator native to Sacramento, California. She became the director of vocal jazz program at Sacramento State in 2014, where she earned her Bachelor of Music in jazz studies and Master of Music in voice performance. Williams studied vocal jazz performance, voice pedagogy and arranging. She began teaching in 2004, serving as a music instructor at various high schools and music organizations. Williams was a member of the 2007 world champion Blue Devils Drum and Bugle Corps. She also directs the Christian Brothers High School vocal jazz ensemble and previously directed the Sierra College vocal jazz ensemble. Williams is an active private music instructor. She has been working for several years as a vocal clinician, working with middle schools, high schools and collegiate ensembles and served as an adjudicator for many music festivals.
Williams performs at numerous venues throughout Northern California. Professional appearances as an assisting artist include live performances with Nancy King, New York Voices, Ben Folds and the San Francisco Symphony.
Under Williams’ direction, the Sac State Vocal Jazz program has won 7 Downbeat Magazine Student awards. In addition, the Sac State vocal jazz ensembles took first in 2016 and 2017 at the Next Generation Monterey Jazz Festival in the collegiate vocal jazz ensemble category and was invited to perform at the world renowned Monterey Jazz Festival in September 2017.