Based in Melbourne, Australia Shawn Williams is a trumpeter, educator, and musical director whose work spans performance, education, and community-driven music leadership.
Shawn Williams is a trumpeter, composer, arranger, and educator whose career bridges the United States and Australia. After establishing himself as a respected performer, scholar, and teacher in the U.S., he is now based in Melbourne, where he continues to perform, teach, and collaborate across diverse musical and educational communities. His work is rooted in jazz but shaped by a broad commitment to artistry, inclusion, and mentorship across all levels of music-making.
Shawn is a former Assistant Professor of Music at the University of Northern Colorado, where he led the undergraduate and graduate jazz trumpet studio, taught jazz history and standard repertoire courses, directed ensembles, and designed curriculum aligned with both academic and professional performance pathways. During his tenure, he mentored dozens of emerging musicians who have gone on to perform and teach professionally throughout the United States. He was deeply involved in recruitment and international outreach, representing the university through guest teaching and recruitment initiatives in China, Colombia, and the Dominican Republic, as well as coordinating international ensemble tours and cross-cultural performance projects.
In parallel with his academic career, Shawn served as Associate Artistic Director of the Mile High Freedom Bands in Denver, one of the largest LGBTQIA+ community music organizations in the United States. In this role, he championed inclusive programming, innovative repertoire, and technology-forward performance models, while helping lead large-scale initiatives such as the 2023 Rocky Mountain Dreams National Conference, which welcomed thousands of musicians and attendees from across North America. Building on this work, Shawn will serve as Musical Director of the Melbourne Rainbow Band beginning in January 2026, where he looks forward to leading the ensemble’s artistic vision, fostering inclusive excellence, and deepening community engagement through music.
Prior to his time in Colorado, Shawn started his wide-ranging career in the San Francisco Bay Area as both an educator and performer. He has appeared at major festivals including the San Jose, Stanford, and Monterey Jazz Festivals, and has been on faculty at the Stanford Jazz Workshop since 2018, where he teaches jazz performance, trumpet, improvisation, and ensemble studies while mentoring young musicians from around the world. His performance credits include the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, the Colorado Jazz Repertory Orchestra, the Colorado Jazz Orchestra, and numerous professional big bands and ensembles. He has also toured internationally with the Glenn Miller Orchestra, performing throughout North America, Europe, and Asia, and was invited to serve as a manning assistant with the United States Air Force Academy Band, performing with both the Concert Band and Falconaires Jazz Ensemble on multiple national tours.
As a soloist, bandleader, and collaborator, Shawn maintains an active performance career spanning jazz, commercial music, and contemporary ensemble work. He has led his own ensembles in California and Colorado and has performed in a wide range of professional contexts, from concert halls and jazz festivals to educational and community-focused performances.
Shawn is a three-time National Trumpet Competition finalist and prize winner, and a recipient of multiple DownBeat Student Music Awards recognizing excellence in jazz performance and ensemble leadership. He is frequently invited as a guest artist, clinician, and adjudicator for organizations including the International Trumpet Guild, Colorado Music Educators Association, and numerous regional and national jazz festivals. His scholarly work includes the doctoral dissertation Three in One: The Style, Structure, and Sound of Thad Jones as a Jazz Trumpeter, reflecting his ongoing engagement with jazz history, analysis, and performance practice.
Shawn holds a Doctor of Arts in Music (Jazz Trumpet with a secondary emphasis in composition) from the University of Northern Colorado, a Master of Music from the Eastman School of Music, a Master of Arts in Teaching from Santa Clara University, and a Bachelor of Music from California State University, Northridge. Across all facets of his career, he is committed to fostering inclusive, supportive learning environments that inspire creativity, confidence, and a lifelong connection to music.