Menokin Descendant Collective Spotlight - Veronica Williams
"THE MENOKIN DESCENDANT COLLECTIVE SPOTLIGHT SERIES" SHOWCASES STORIES ABOUT MODERN-DAY DESCENDANTS OF THOSE PERSONS ENSLAVED AT MENOKIN, BLACK-OWNED BUSINESSES, COMMUNITY LEADERS AND EVENTS, AND OTHER NOTABLE HIGHLIGHTS.
Our second Menokin Descendant Collective Spotlight is Veronica Williams, a descendant of Amanda Beverly and Stafford Gordon and a third great-granddaughter of Sedwick Gordon.
Veronica is an up-and-coming mezzo-soprano known for her "thrilling instrument" and "overwhelming authority" on stage. Most recently, Ms. Williams has sung recitals for the Shivers Fund in Colorado Springs, and Castle Of Our Skins in Boston. She sang on Michael Bublé's Higher tour, and performed the role of The Witch in Chicago Summer Opera's production of Humperdinck's "Hansel und Gretel." Last February, Ms. Williams made her concert debut with Fort Worth Opera as a soloist in their prestigious "Night of Black Excellence" series. Previously, she was a guest artist at the American Choral Directors' Association Conference singing the contralto solo in William Grant Still's "...And They Lynched Him On A Tree." In December of 2019 she made her debut with the Austin Symphony Orchestra as the alto soloist in G.F. Handel's Messiah.
Ms. Williams received her Master of Music Degree from Boston's New England Conservatory of Music, and her Bachelor of Music Degree from the University of Texas at Austin. Previous roles include Cornelia in Handel's "Giulio Cesare," the Mother in Menotti's "Amahl and the Night Visitors," Baba Yaga in Jason Tremblay's "Gretel! The Musical," the titular role in Handel's "Rinaldo," Concepción in Ravel's "L'heure Espagnole," the Old Prioress in Poulenc's "Dialogues of the Carmelites," Hansel in Humperdinck's "Hansel and Gretel, and the title roles of Cesti's "Orontea and Eisler's Die Mutter."
Currently based in Austin, Texas, Ms. Williams is an active board member of Local Opera Local Artists (LOLA), a member of the New England Conservatory of Music's Progressive Alumni Coalition, and a piano and voice instructor who enjoys teaching and guiding talent in her growing and diverse voice studio.
You can follow her journey towards international operatic success on Instagram at @kollektivkarma. Kollektiv Karma can also be found on all streaming platforms!
Veronica Williams at First Menokin Descendants’ Day 2022