Michael Williams, Executive Director

Michael Williams is an experienced arts administrator, fundraiser, educator, and flutist. He most recently served as Development Manager for the National Flute Association, directing fundraising operations for a global community of more than 4,000 flutists. Michael has also held development and administrative positions with the San Francisco Symphony, San Francisco Conservatory of Music, Colorado Symphony, and Colorado Ballet, and has served terms as both President and Vice President of the Colorado Flute Association. 

Drawing on his parallel life as a performer, Michael brings an artist’s perspective to his administrative work, grounded in collaboration, creativity, and community. He performs widely across Colorado as Second Flute/Piccolo of the Chamber Orchestra of the Springs and Principal Flute of the Boulder Symphony. He performed as Second Flute with the Colorado Symphony during the 2017–2018 season and continues to appear frequently with the Colorado Symphony, Colorado Springs Philharmonic, Boulder Philharmonic, and the Colorado Music Festival Orchestra. His performance history also includes Colorado Ballet, Wyoming Symphony, Fort Collins Symphony, Lexington Philharmonic, Island City Opera, and Opera Parallèl. He was an orchestral fellow with the National Orchestral Institute and a featured artist for several seasons with the Switchboard New Music Festival in San Francisco. 

An active educator, Michael is co-founder and co-director of the Mile High Flute Benders community flute choir, has a small but mighty private studio, and has served as a Guest Artist at his alma mater, the Denver School of the Arts. Michael holds a Bachelor of Music from the San Francisco Conservatory and a Master of Music from Indiana University.

As a proud alumnus of the Denver Young Artists Orchestra, Michael is honored to step into a leadership position with an organization that played a pivotal role in his development as a young musician. Returning to DYAO in this capacity feels both meaningful and full circle, and he is thrilled to support the next generation of artists who are discovering their own voices just as he once did.