Gail Williams graduated from the Ithaca College School of Music in 1973 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music.

Gail studied under and was mentored by John Covert, horn professor at IC. She has become an internationally recognized hornist and brass pedagogue. Gail has presented concerts, master classes, recitals, and lectures throughout North America, as well as in Europe and Asia. Gail has performed with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra as Associate Principal Horn for twenty years, the World Orchestra for Peace as Principal Horn for ten years and is currently Principal Horn of the Grand Teton Music Festival Orchestra. Gail is one of the founding members of Chicago Chamber Musicians as well as the Summit Brass and a member of the National Brass Ensemble.  

In addition to her eight recordings with Summit Brass, Gail can be heard on her seven CDs. She has commissioned many works for horn by composers Dana Wilson, Anthony Plog, Douglas Hill, James Stephenson, and Augusta Reed Thomas.  

Gail is the horn professor at Northwestern University, where she has been on the faculty since 1989. Her awards included Ithaca College's Young Distinguished Alumni Award and an honorary Doctorate of Music, also from Ithaca College. In May of 2005, Ms. Williams was awarded the Charles Deering McCormick Teaching of Excellence Professor from Northwestern University.