Jean E. Williams
English-born Canadian composer
About Jean E. Williams
Lived 1876 – 1965 (aged 88–89).
Jean Elizabeth Williams (20 January 1876 – July 1965) was a composer. She was born in Wednesbury, England, then moved to Toronto, Canada. After graduating from the Royal Conservatory of Music of the University of Toronto, she returned to England and studied to be a concert pianist.
Williams changed her career plans from performance to teaching after breaking her wrist. She returned to the University of Toronto to teach voice and piano. She later taught in Cleveland, Ohio, and St. Louis, Missouri, before moving to Portland, Oregon, in 1932.
Williams served as president of the National Music Teachers Association and as president of Mu Phi Epsilon, a professional music fraternity. She collaborated on two music education books with Nellie Tholen, who later donated Williams' papers to the University of Oregon, where they are archived.
Williams' compositions include:
Chamber
Gavotte (violin and piano) Valse (violin and piano)
Orchestra
Concertina for Piano and String Orchestra Junior Piano Concerto No. 6 Piano Concerto in a minor Piano Concerto in C Piano Concerto in F Major (Second) Piano Concerto in C
Piano
Bolero (for two pianos) Dresden China Figures (Minuet V) Fairy Piper Gavotte in G Major Partita Polka Prelude Funebre Red Bird Singing Scherzo in a minor Sicilienne Sonatina in G Tango in c minor Toccata Valse Chanson Valse in d minor Zwei Canzonen aus dem Fiori Musicale
Piano or vocal (unspecified)
Adeste Fideles (transcription) Allegro a la Tarantella Aria Baby Moon Bells Boys Are Marching Cherry Ripe Christmas Music for Treble Voices Crossing the Bar Dance Johnny! Dance of the Puppets Dance with Me Danza Espagnola Do You Sleep? Doll's Wedding Fife and Drum Fireside Memories Flying Leaf Four Christmas Songs Four O' Clock in the Morning Fun in China Grandfather Clock Happy Dreams Heritage Hermit Thrush In Far Places In Old Algiers Indian Lullaby Indian Tales Little Irish Donkey Lord Christ the Carpenter Lord, Thou Hast Been Our Dwelling Place Lovely Senorita Low Tide Musical Snuff Box Negro Lullaby Noel Old Spinet Painted Fan Paisley Shawl Pastourelle Pensif Patriot's Song Rain! Rain! Resurrection Ring, Ring Ye Bells (for women's chorus and piano; first verse by Jean Williams, second verse by Alfred Lord Tennyson) Ring Out Wild Bells The Roaming Bumble Bee Scout March Simple Simon Sleep Holy Child Slumber Little One Slumber Song Snow by Night Soldiers down the Street Star of My Heart Strange Port Street Parade These Are They This is Oregon To a Winter Robin Toby Jug Train Vin et les Cloches Wind and the Waves Wind Chimes and Lanterns Wind in the Night Winter Sleep
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Important facts
People in Jean E. Williams's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Jean E. Williams's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Jean E. Williams?
English-born Canadian composer (1876-1965)
When was Jean E. Williams born?
Jean E. Williams was born on 20 January 1876.
When did Jean E. Williams die?
Jean E. Williams died in 1965.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Jean E. Williams. https://biography.guide/jean-e-williams/
MLA: "Jean E. Williams." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/jean-e-williams/.
Chicago: "Jean E. Williams." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/jean-e-williams/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-22 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
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