Oboist Sarah Williams experienced love at first sight at the age of four when her parents introduced a piano into their home. Displaying a natural artistic intuition and an emotional investment in the study of music, weekly piano lessons quickly grew into a hunger for a comprehensive dive into the art of interpretation. 

An active performer, Sarah has appeared with numerous ensembles, including the Richmond Symphony, the Chelsea Symphony, the Jackson Heights Orchestra, the Hunter Symphony Orchestra, and at Lincoln Center for the New York premiere of John Luther Adams’ Crossing Open Ground. As a devoted teacher, she maintains a private oboe studio, makes and sells oboe reeds, and is on the faculty at West Amadeus Music Studio and the Lucy Moses School at Kaufman Music Center.

Sarah received her bachelor’s degree from The Juilliard School as a student of Elaine Douvas, receiving additional instruction from Nathan Hughes, Linda Strommen, Scott Hostetler, Julia DeRosa, and Melissa Hooper. She regularly performed with the Juilliard Orchestra and was a Teaching Assistant for the Oboe Class. She had the pleasure of serving as Principal Oboist of the New York Youth Symphony for their 2019-20 season and was featured on CNN’s “The Fourth in America” with Billy Ray Cyrus.

A native of Atlanta, Georgia, Sarah was privileged with an immersive arts scene that continuously taught her the importance of collaboration, outreach, and education, with a lasting impact from the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. Under the tutelage of Barbara Cook, she developed an appreciation for thinking outside the box and cultivating an all-encompassing understanding of the oboe. In her commitment to giving back to communities that fostered her growth, Sarah served as an administrator at the Boston University Tanglewood Institute for the 2022 and 2023 summer seasons. Through interacting with the students and faculty and frequently watching performances, she found herself in an artistic environment that ignited her passion for a musical journey that extends beyond performing; her love of music theory, history, and literature is an integral component of her duty as a musician.