Chrystal E. Williams Mezzo soprano New England Second Place Winner, 2009	Audio of 2009 Concert Audition Audio of 2010 Concert Audition

Chrystal E. Williams earned her bachelor's degree in voice performance from Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, May 2008, where she studied voice with Susanne Marsee. She is currently pursuing a master's degree at Yale University School of Music, New Haven, CT, where she studies voice with Doris Yarick-Cross.

Chrystal was a 2002-2004 STAR participant with the Virginia Opera House where she sang in the chorus and covered the role of Bersi in Andrea Chenier. She has covered the role of Hansel in Hansel and Gretel, and performed such roles as Cherubino in Le Nozze di Figaro (scenes), Anita in Massenet's La Navarraise, Third Lady in The Magic Flute, Charlotte in Werther (scenes), the Secretary in The Consul, Bradamante in Alcina, the Second Lady in The Magic Flute, Gertrude in Hansel and Gretel, and the mother in Amahl and the Night Visitors. Upcoming performances include Cherubino in Le Nozze di Figaro February 2010 and Death in Stravinsky's Le Rossignol with Yale Opera.

Chrystal has been featured as a soloist recently in Catfish Row (Selections from Porgy and Bess) and in Jack Stamps Four Maryland Songs, both with the Yale University Concert Band, and was featured in the New Music New Haven Concert in October of 2009. She has also been featured in performances of Händel's Messiah, the Christmas Oratorio of Camille Saint-Saëns, Pergolesi's Magnificat, Scarlatti's St. Secilia's Mass, Mozart's Coronation Mass, Christian Kriegeskotte's Krljavestica (Premier 2008), as well as Simon Fink's In Dreams (Premier 2008).

Chrystal has received numerous awards including 2nd place in the New England Region District Finals of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions 2009, 1st place in the VA/NC Chapter of the National Society of Arts and Letters Career Award in Voice competition 2008, and the Sylvie Derdeyne Award in Voice 2007.

In 2004 Chrystal founded the Chrystal E. Williams Scholarship to help students wishing to pursue a career in the performing arts. This scholarship is funded in part by her annual concert, An Evening with Chrystal E.

Chrystal E. Williams has participated in such festivals as the Opera Theatre and Music Festival of Lucca, Lucca, Italy, the University of Miami Frost School of Music at Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria, as well as the Aspen Music Festival and School, Aspen, Colorado.

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