BIOGRAPHY
Mr. Lazell Williams currently serves as the Director of Bands and Orchestras at Ruskin High School. He has been a freelance instructor for over 25 years and a full-time music director for 15 years, proudly serving students on both sides of the state in the Kansas City metropolitan area. From teaching students in elementary school to college, Mr. Williams has reached thousands through classroom instruction, band camps, clinics, master classes, keynote presentations, and private studio sessions across the country. He’s proud of the students he mentors and teaches; they are routinely awarded scholarships and are selected for honor groups, district and state bands, and serve as student leaders in the top college music programs nationwide.
As a servant leader to his community, Mr. Williams has been recognized by Missouri Western State University, the Greater Kansas City Black Chamber of Commerce, and the Urban League of Greater Kansas City. His passion for students and desire to improve school systems resulted in his appointment as an administrative intern in Kansas City Public Schools, PLC Leader, and Department Chair in the Hickman Mills School District. He is known for developing a family-like culture and building active parent organizations to support activities. He received the 2020 Russell Berlin Award for Excellence in Teaching from the Youth Symphony of Kansas City. Mr. Williams holds a Bachelor’s degree from Missouri Western State University, and graduate degrees from Webster University and the University of Missouri Kansas City.