ARTISTIC PROFILE

Hailed by Klassik begeistert as a "master of intense sound waves with a pioneering spirit," William Garfield Walker is a trailblazing young American conductor swiftly making his mark on the international stage.

Dubbed a "Modern Day Maestro" by the Northside Sun, Walker is a two time recipient of the prestigious Sir Georg Solti Foundation US Career Assistance Award in 2022 , 2023 and 2024. He currently serves as the Chief Conductor of the innovative Nova Orchester Wien (NOW!). Since 2021 Walker and NOW! have captivated audiences with works by Mahler, Sibelius, Prokofiev, and Shostakovich in performances at the Wiener Musikverein and Konzerthaus. They have also performed a digital concert for the 2020 G20 economic forum and have collaborated with the Austrian Consulate in Milan as well as the US Embassy in Vienna and have performed for dignitaries from many countries. Under Walker's baton, NOW! has introduced Austrian premieres of works by composers such as William Grant Still, Lili Boulanger, Jennifer Higdon, Florence Price and Germaine Tailleferre. In the 2023 Walker joined the Washington National Opera at the Kennedy Center for the Solti Foundation US Elizabeth Buccheri Residency as the Solti Conducting Fellow.

"Walker hits the spot in the Adagio. It must have been this intensity that Sergiu Celibidache once spoke of when he said that music is basically nothing but tension and resolution. That is basically where the secret of the Mahler sound lies.” - Klassik begeistert

His accolades also include the Ansbacher Conducting Fellowship at the Salzburg Festival in 2021, and the First Prize of the 2024 American Prize in Conducting. In March 2020, both the Mississippi House of Representatives and Mississippi Senate jointly presented Walker with a bipartisan Resolution, honoring his musical achievements. Additionally, Walker was awarded the Bruno Walter Memorial Conducting Scholarship in 2017.

“With his performance of the 3rd Symphony (Prokofiev), composed around 1928, William Garfield Walker convinces and proves once again that despite all the obstacles - COVID-19 seems to have struck - he has a strong presence in the romantic repertoire.”-Klassik begeisert

Walker has worked with orchestras in both Europe and the United States including the Berlin Sinfonietta, Bratislava Symphony Orchestra, Bucharest Symphony Orchestra, Cabrillo Festival Orchestra, Janacek Philharmonic Ostrava, Mississippi Symphony Orchestra, Orquesta Reino de Aragon, Sofia Philharmonic, Symphony Orchestra of the Balearic Islands, Symphony of the America’s, and Bacau Philharmonic Orchestra.

“William Garfield Walker brings a wealth of knowledge gleaned from international stages and the very streets of Vienna….” -MSO Tempo

Walker attended masterclasses with Neeme Jarvi, Paavo Jarvi, Michail Jurowski, Cristian Măcelaru, Riccardo Muti, Jorma Panula, Vassily Sinaisky, and Leonard Slatkin. He is a graduate of the Royal College of Music, London where he studied cello with Alexander Boyarsky and conducting with Michael Rosewell, and the Music and Arts University of the City of Vienna where he studied conducting with Andreas Stoehr. During the initial COVID-19 lockdown Walker pursued additional academic studies at Harvard.

“Mahler sounds dignified in his interpretation, Bernstein very dynamic….”- Klassik begeistert

A versatile musician, William Garfield Walker, is also a composer published by Universal Edition, and boasts a diverse range of works that encompass solo instruments, large symphony orchestras, and dance.

Before embarking on his conducting career, Walker was an accomplished cellist who frequently performed as a chamber musician and soloist in recitals and in front of orchestras. He joined the cello section of the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra at the age of 16. He later had the opportunity to perform under renowned conductors such as Riccardo Muti and Vladimir Jurowski. He studied with Richard Hirschl of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and participated in masterclasses with cellists Natalia Gutman and Yo-Yo Ma.

“He leads the orchestra with expressive command…A rousing standing ovation greets the finish....” -Northside Sun

Walker's career has been generously supported by key organizations such as the John N. Palmer Foundation, Talent Unlimited UK, and The National Alliance for Audition Support (NAAS), a collaborative initiative including The Sphinx Organization, the New World Symphony, and the League of American Orchestras.

Updated October 2024