Sunday, October 11, at 4:00 pm, St. John’s Lutheran Church, 355 St. John’s Circle, Phoenixville, is honored to present internationally acclaimed concert organist, composer, educator Dr. Carol Williams in performance. Dr. Carol combines virtuoso artistry with an engaging stage presence and a subtle, straight-laced British wit that has delighted audiences around the world.
Born into a musical Welsh family, Carol Williams could read music before she could read English. She began performing public organ recitals at the age of eight and went on to study at the Royal Academy of Music in London, where she won every major organ performance prize. She later studied with Daniel Roth in Paris, earned an Artist Diploma from Yale University under Thomas Murray, and completed her Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the Manhattan School of Music. In recognition of her international career, she was elected an Associate of the Royal Academy of Music (ARAM).
In 2001, Dr. Williams was appointed San Diego Civic Organist, becoming the first woman to hold the position, while also serving as Artistic Director of the Spreckels International Organ Concert Series, North America’s largest organ concert series. She now holds the title of San Diego Civic Organist Emerita.
In 2026 she was appointed Hull City Hall Organist, succeeding John Scott Whiteley. Based in the United Kingdom, she leads and expands Hull City Hall’s celebrated Organ Concert Series while continuing an active international concert career with regular performances throughout the United States and around the world.
Dr. Williams has performed in more than eighteen countries and has appeared with orchestras including the BBC Concert Orchestra, the San Diego Symphony, and the Beijing Symphony Orchestra. Career highlights include performances for Diana, Princess of Wales, the Virgil Fox Memorial Concert, and the tenth anniversary celebration of the Walt Disney Concert Hall Organ.
Carol lives in East Yorkshire, England, with her husband, Kerry Bell, a film producer, editor, writer, and U.S. Navy veteran. Together they create educational and inspirational music projects that celebrate the organ while supporting charitable causes.
Let Dr. Carol sweep you into a world of soaring melodies, vibrant organ colors, and performances that uplift, inspire, and leave a lasting glow.
The concert is part of the 2026-2027 concert series at St. John’s and is offered as musical outreach to the community. Previous organ performers have included Gail Archer, Felix Hell, Peter Richard Conte, Gordon Turk, and Charles Callahan. No tickets are required but a free-will offering, with a suggested $10 donation, will be received.