Music Prof Brings Passion to Stage, Classroom
Alan Williams plays guitar alongside his wife, Darleen Wilson, while John-Morgan Bush conducts the university鈥檚 String Ensemble during the Birdsong at Morning performance in Durgin Hall.
11/30/2015
By David Perry
The toes tap softly on the carpet. Some are swathed in boots, some in sneakers and one set in moccasins.聽
The bouncy folk-pop song, 鈥淣ot for Sale,鈥� hijacks the rhythm of the room. The dozen or so students cradling stringed instruments join Alan Williams鈥� voice and guitar.
Williams鈥� gorgeous voice swells. For a moment, in Durgin Hall, everything is aligned.聽
鈥淣ote to self,鈥� Williams mumbles a bit later. 鈥淲rite more songs in G.鈥�
Williams, an associate professor of music, is preparing for a fall concert in Durgin Hall. There鈥檚 but one more rehearsal before Williams, his band, the university鈥檚 String Project and student singing group Vocality take the stage.
Williams teaches music business, but he lives it, too. He is a veteran singer-songwriter with the folk-pop group Birdsong at Morning. Birdsong includes his wife, producer/guitarist Darleen Wilson, bassist Greg Porter and a cast of supporting players. The concert showcases Birdsong鈥檚 new album, 鈥淎 Slight Departure.鈥澛�
One configuration or another of Birdsong can be found every Wednesday evening at Coffee & Cotton in Mill No. 5 on Jackson Street in Lowell. Performances are free.
Williams is one of the growing number of faculty and staff deeply invested in the Mill City.聽
Williams and Wilson live downtown, and 鈥渉e has embraced the city,鈥� says Paul Marion, the university鈥檚 executive director of Community relations. Williams has 鈥渋ntegrated engagement activities into his teaching, scholarship and practice.鈥� Faculty like Williams, adds Marion, exemplify why the university earns accolades from the Carnegie Foundation and The White House Higher Education Honor Roll for Community Service as a 鈥渃ommunity-engaged campus.鈥�
Williams, 52, grew up in Asheville, N.C., and began piano lessons after seeing 鈥淭he Sound of Music鈥� at 3. His passion eventually took him through lessons and bands and to the summer program for high-schoolers at Berklee. He spent his college years at New England Conservatory of Music, and later earned a master鈥檚 in ethnomusicology from Brown.
Williams鈥� Durgin Hall office is lined with LPs and CDs. A giant cutout of Justin Bieber stands like a brooding sentry near his desk.
Williams led the Brit-folk influenced Knot & Crosses with Carol Noonan, also sharpening his skills as an engineer and record producer, working with 聽the likes of The Story, Jennifer Kimball, Patty Larkin and Dar Williams, as well as Williams鈥� folk super group, Cry Cry Cry. Eventually, Birdsong formed.
In 1995, Wilson received a call from Will Moylan from the University of Lowell鈥檚 music department. The teacher who was supposed to lead a class never showed up for it. 聽A mutual friend of Moylan鈥檚 had recommended Darleen Wilson for the job, but she was too busy with production work. She suggested her beau, Williams. Working from a one-page outline, he began to teach.
鈥淎nd by the third week, it was so clear that I had finally found what I was supposed to be doing,鈥� he says. 鈥淭he classroom is second nature to me.鈥�
As is the community.
Not only does Williams sit on the board of the Cultural Organization of Lowell, but he is among faculty who have helped organize cultural festivals with performance, panels and readings in partnership with Angkor Dance Troupe, Flying Orb Studio and other organizations.
John-Morgan Bush, who has revived the long-dormant UMass Lowell New England String Project, says he 鈥渏umped at the chance鈥� when Williams asked him to help with the Birdsong performance.
Williams, he says, 鈥渃hampioned the idea of the string ensemble鈥檚 rebirth and this album played a large role in engaging the students and defining their professionalism from the first day of the semester.鈥�
Back in the rehearsal hall this fall, Bush tells the students 鈥渢he pizzicato stuff has to be 鈥� Right. On. The. Beat.鈥�
Williams strums into another song while the violins pluck an anxious rhythm.
鈥淵ou know,鈥� Williams says later, 鈥渨hen it sounds good, it sounds really good.鈥�
In the end, he will personally pay over $2,000 for the Durgin Hall performance. He brings in the Birdsong band and pros who helped make the record.聽
鈥淧artly to help shore it up live,鈥� he says. 鈥淎nd in case I forget an intro or something, they will help. And it鈥檚 also nice to have them sit in with students. Students get a chance to talk to some seasoned players.
鈥淚t鈥檚 worth every penny.鈥�