By Coral Gables Gazette staff

The University of Miami’s Gusman Concert Hall will host an evening of musical elegance, history, and emotional resonance on Friday, Jan. 30, when GRAMMY Award–winning vocalist Patti Austin joins the Henry Mancini Institute Orchestra and Big Band for a tribute to the late composer and arranger Patrick Williams.

Led by conductor Steve Guerra, the program—titled A Night of Legacy, Voice, and Vision—celebrates Williams’ expansive body of work across film, jazz, orchestral, and big band traditions. The concert pairs lush symphonic compositions with swinging big band arrangements, all anchored by Austin’s celebrated voice and long-standing personal connection to Williams’ music.

A composer who bridged genres and eras

Williams, who received 16 GRAMMY nominations and a Pulitzer Prize nomination for An American Concerto, built a career defined by stylistic range and emotional depth. His music reached across genres, finding expression in concert halls, Hollywood scores, and recordings by some of the most influential artists of the twentieth century, including Frank Sinatra, Eddie Daniels, Tom Scott, and Austin herself.

Arthur Hamilton once described Williams’ music as muscular, sensuous, powerful, and captivatingly rhythmical—a characterization that has endured as a shorthand for his bold orchestrations and distinctive voice as a composer.

A personal musical partnership

Few artists are more closely associated with Williams’ later career than Patti Austin. A revered vocalist whose work spans jazz, R&B, pop, and the Great American Songbook, Austin collaborated extensively with Williams, recording several of his compositions and arrangements.

Among the highlights of their partnership was the GRAMMY-nominated album 52nd and Broadway, as well as selections from Williams’ Home Suite Home and Sinatraland projects. Their collaborations blended orchestral sophistication with emotional immediacy, creating recordings that remain touchstones for fans of contemporary jazz and vocal performance.

Austin’s role in Friday’s concert brings both musical authority and personal insight. Her performances will reflect not only technical mastery, but the artistic dialogue that shaped much of Williams’ later output.

From orchestral power to Big Band Swing

The evening will feature a two-set format. The first half will spotlight Williams’ orchestral works, performed by the Henry Mancini Institute Orchestra, highlighting the cinematic sweep and compositional ambition that defined his career.

The second half will shift into a big band setting, with the Henry Mancini Institute Big Band joined by Austin for dynamic vocal performances drawn from Williams’ arrangements and Austin’s celebrated repertoire.

Central to the program will be selections from Austin’s acclaimed For Ella album, which pays tribute to Ella Fitzgerald through sophisticated big band interpretations of classic American standards. Williams’ arrangements for that project stand among his most admired, blending reverence for tradition with modern orchestral textures.

Training the next generation of musical leaders

The Henry Mancini Institute, based at the University of Miami’s Frost School of Music, is recognized internationally for training elite musicians in contemporary performance, studio recording, film scoring, and orchestral production.

Under Steve Guerra’s direction, the Institute’s orchestra and big band have become known for technically polished performances and ambitious programming. The tribute to Williams aligns closely with the Institute’s mission—honoring composers who expanded musical boundaries while preparing the next generation of performers to carry that tradition forward.

A cultural setting on campus

Gusman Concert Hall on the university’s Coral Gables campus, provides an acoustically rich setting for large-scale orchestral and big band performances.

The venue has long served as a cultural anchor for South Florida’s music community, hosting classical concerts, jazz performances, and major guest artists throughout the year.

A celebration of musical storytelling

Beyond its technical brilliance, the evening promises to explore the emotional storytelling at the heart of Williams’ work. His compositions often fused cinematic drama with jazz rhythms, creating music that felt both grand and intimate.

For audiences, the concert offers a rare opportunity to experience Williams’ orchestral pieces alongside the big band arrangements that helped define his career, all interpreted by musicians deeply connected to his legacy.

Austin’s presence adds a layer of narrative continuity, bridging Williams’ past collaborations with the present moment. Her interpretations are expected to bring warmth, nuance, and personal reflection to the program.

Event details

Patti Austin Pays Tribute to Patrick Williams
Friday, Jan. 30 | 7:30 p.m.
UM Gusman Concert Hall

Tickets:
$50 general admission
$45 seniors
$15 students

Tickets are available through the University of Miami’s concert box office.