Roderick Williams facts for kids

Roderick Williams (born in 1965) is a famous British singer and composer. He is known for his deep singing voice, called a baritone. He has also received the special title of OBE for his amazing work in music.

Early Life and Education

Roderick Williams was born in North London. His father was from Wales and his mother was from Jamaica. From a young age, he was very involved in music. He went to top schools like Christ Church Cathedral School in Oxford and Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School.

At Magdalen College, Oxford, he was a choral scholar, which meant he received a scholarship for his singing talent. After college, he became a music teacher and directed the Tiffin Boys Choir. However, his passion for performing was strong. At age 28, he decided to go back to school at the Guildhall School of Music in London to focus on his singing career.

A Career in Music

Singing at The Proms

Williams made his first appearance at The Proms, a famous series of summer concerts in London, in 1996. He sang the part of the Royal Herald in the opera Don Carlos.

He returned to The Proms many times. In 2013, he was a main singer in a big performance of ‘A Sea Symphony’. In 2014, he sang at the famous Last Night of the Proms, where he even performed his own arrangements of two songs.

Becoming a Composer

Besides being a talented singer, Williams is also a composer, which means he writes his own music. In 2014, the Financial Times newspaper asked him to write a Christmas carol. He created a piece called 'Christmas Bells', using a poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

In 2023, he was chosen as one of the composers to write new music for the Coronation of Charles III and Camilla. This was a huge honor and showed how respected he is in the world of music.

Famous Opera Roles

An opera is like a play where the actors sing all their lines. As a baritone, Williams has a voice that is perfect for many powerful and interesting characters. He has performed in operas all over the world.

Here are some of the famous roles he has played:

• Papageno in The Magic Flute by Mozart
• The Count in The Marriage of Figaro by Mozart
• Don Giovanni in Don Giovanni by Mozart
• Billy Budd in Billy Budd by Britten
• Marcello in La bohème by Puccini
• Figaro in The Barber of Seville by Rossini
• Onegin in Eugene Onegin by Tchaikovsky

Honors and Leadership

Roderick Williams is highly respected for his contributions to music. In 2017, he was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his services to music.

He also helps lead many music groups to support other musicians. He is the president of several organizations, including the Three Choirs Festival Society and Thames Concerts. He is also a patron of the Birmingham Bach Choir and Opera Brava, a company that performs opera outdoors.

Personal Life

Roderick Williams is married to his wife, Miranda. Together, they have three children: two daughters and a son.