Musical Director – Shawn Williams
Shawn Williams joined the band as Musical Director in early 2026.
Shawn is a trumpeter, composer, arranger, and educator whose career bridges the United States and Australia. After establishing himself as a respected performer and educator in the U.S., he is now based in Melbourne, where he continues to perform, teach, and collaborate across diverse musical communities.
He is a former Professor of Music at the University of Northern Colorado, where he led the jazz trumpet studio, directed ensembles, and designed curriculum for undergraduate and graduate students. During his tenure, Shawn mentored dozens of emerging musicians who have gone on to perform and teach professionally across the country. He also represented the university internationally, teaching and recruiting in China, Colombia, and the Dominican Republic. In addition to his academic work, Shawn served as Associate Artistic Director of the Mile High Freedom Bands – Denver’s LGBTQIA+ music organization – where he championed inclusive programming, artistic innovation, and large-scale community events such as the 2023 Rocky Mountain Dreams National Conference, which welcomed thousands of participants from across North America.
Prior to relocating to Colorado, Shawn built a distinguished career in the San Francisco Bay Area as both an educator and performer. He has appeared at the San Jose, Stanford, and Monterey Jazz Festivals, and has been on faculty at the Stanford Jazz Workshop since 2018, mentoring emerging musicians from around the world. His performance credits include the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, the Colorado Jazz Repertory Orchestra, the Colorado Jazz Orchestra, and international tours with the Glenn Miller Orchestra. In 2019, he was invited to join the United States Air Force Academy Band as a manning assistant, performing with the Academy Band and Falconaires Jazz Ensemble on multiple national tours across Colorado, Alabama, and Georgia.
A three-time National Trumpet Competition finalist and recipient of multiple DownBeat Awards recognizing excellence in jazz performance and ensemble leadership, Shawn has also been featured as a guest artist and adjudicator for organizations including the International Trumpet Guild, Colorado Music Educators Association, and numerous jazz festivals throughout the United States. His research, including the dissertation Three in One: The Style, Structure, and Sound of Thad Jones as a Jazz Trumpeter, reflects his ongoing commitment to both the history and evolution of jazz. Shawn holds a Doctor of Arts in Music from the University of Northern Colorado, a Master of Music from the Eastman School of Music, a Master of Arts in Teaching from Santa Clara University, and a Bachelor of Music from California State University, Northridge.
Associate Musical Director – Elliott Westbury
Originally trained as a jazz clarinetist at WAAPA, Elliott is an emerging conductor who has discovered a love of conducting while completing his Master of Teaching (Secondary) degree (Melbourne Graduate School of Education). He has subsequently completed a GradDip (Music) at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music, focusing on conducting and arranging, and since 2021 has been the Musical Director of the renowned Westgate Concert Band.
He has a lifelong involvement in community music, growing up playing in Geelong Concert Band, and enjoying being being a part of ensembles including Grainger Wind Symphony, Essendon Symphony Orchestra, Boroondara Symphonic Band. Recently he has also explored the choral world, singing with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra Chorus, and accompanying the RMIT Occasional Choral Society. His first original composition won the ‘Choristers choice’ award at the 2025 RMIT Occasional Choral Composition Competition.
Elliott recognises the importance of community music and is incredibly excited to lend his talents to fostering this within the LGBTIQA+ community.
Past Musical Directors
The Melbourne Rainbow Band has been fortunate to work with a number of highly talented and inspirational Musical Directors. These individuals have all given of themselves so that rainbow community music can flourish.
Our past Musical Directors:
- 2024 – 2025 Brian KM
- 2016 – 2024 Tracy Videon
- 2013 – 2015 Gregory Peterson
- 2011 – 2013 David Clausen-Wisken
- 2008 – 2010 Mark Lyall
- 2003 -2008 Erich Fackert
- 1995 – 2003 Richard O’Toole (founding Musical Director)