Orchestra and Chorus Music Staff
DOMINIQUE RØYEM, Music Director/Conductor
The Houston Chronicle has said that Dominique Royem “conducts with style and feeling” and that “her energy and passion are boundless.” She has been the Music Director of the Fort Bend Symphony Orchestra since 2014. During her tenure, she has radically diversified the organization's programming, increased the organization's reach by starting a chorus, instituted family and children’s programming, and commissioned new works for the ensemble. In 2015, the Fort Bend Symphony Orchestra was recognized as a Finalist in the American Prize based in New York City. Through the programming done for FBSO, Dominique was a Semifinalist for The American Prize—Vytautas Marijosius Memorial Award in Orchestral Programming in the 2017-2018 season.
She has worked with ensembles such as the Ukrainian State Orchestra, Plevin Philharmonic, Galveston Symphony, Moores Opera Center, Sugarland Opera, HBU Opera Theatre, HITS, and the Houston Civic Orchestra. She was the Resident Conductor for Bayou City Concert Musicals, Music Director for Houston Grand Opera’s Opera to Go! during the 12-13 and 13-14 seasons, and the Conducting Fellow for the Allentown Symphony Orchestra’s 2012-2013 season.
She has a Doctorate in Orchestral Conducting from the University of Houston Moores School of Music. Her dissertation, entitled “Generic Integration and Its Expressive Potential in the Music of Kurt Weill and Richard Rodgers,” uses semiotic and genre theory to illuminate the similarities between opera and musical theatre in the 1940s and 1950s. Dominique currently lectures at the Women’s Institute of Houston.
Dominique is the lead artist facilitator for Artist INC, Houston, where she helps to train artists in entrepreneurial skills such as web design, social media, grant writing, and strategic planning. Dominique’s YouTube channel focuses on sharing her passion for classical music with listeners everywhere. Check out her videos about Music History, Music Theory, and Pop Music.
Her upcoming engagements can be found on www.dominiqueroyem.com, or on Bluesky, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube @dominiqueroyem.
JULIE SORENSEN, Principal Conductor - Orchestra
Dr. Julie Sorensen is a conductor as well as an orchestra and chamber musician. Julie served as the assistant conductor for the Lubbock Symphony Orchestra in Lubbock, Texas, before taking the position of Artistic Director and Conductor of the Idaho State- Civic Symphony. Julie also served as the Artistic Director and Conductor for the Idaho State – Civic Symphony Youth Orchestra and was the conductor and organizer of the East Idaho Honors Orchestra. In 2020, Julie was awarded the Southeast Idaho Woman of the Year award for her outstanding service to the arts. Her appearance with the Fort Bend Symphony Orchestra is her professional debut in the Houston area. Other recent engagements include guest conducting for both the Cheyenne Symphony Orchestra and the Cache Valley Symphony. In January 2025, Dr. Sorensen served as the conductor and clinician for the 2025 Wyoming All–State orchestra. An avid educator, Dr. Sorensen served as the flute professor at Idaho State University and was a member of the City Creek Wind Quintet. Julie is an active clinician for flute, orchestra, and band in and around Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, and Texas. As a professional flutist, she currently plays flute/piccolo for the American Festival Chorus and Orchestra, under the direction of world-renowned choral conductor Craig Jessop. She has performed with traveling production orchestras for Cirque De la Symphony and Andrea Bocelli. She is a member of the International Conductors Guild, where she serves as the board secretary. Julie received her PhD in Fine Arts with an emphasis in orchestral conducting from Texas Tech University, her M.M. in orchestral conducting from the University of Nebraska Lincoln, and her B.A. in Music and flute performance from the University of Wyoming.
ORLANDO WILLIAMS, Chorus Director
Orlando A. Williams is a conductor, educator, pianist, and artist-scholar whose work explores the intersection of choral artistry, music education, and community engagement. Recognized for his commitment to artistic excellence and transformative music-making, Williams has established a distinguished career spanning higher education, public school music, and sacred music ministries. His work is rooted in the belief that choral music serves as a powerful vehicle for musical achievement, cultural understanding, and human Connection.
Williams serves as Director of Choral Activities and Lecturer in Music at the University of Houston-Downtown, where he founded the inaugural Concert Chorale and teaches courses in choral conducting, music theory, class voice, class piano, and jazz history. As an educator, he is committed to developing technically proficient, intellectually curious, and artistically expressive musicians through performance-centered instruction that integrates historical understanding, vocal pedagogy, and collaborative musicianship.
Throughout his career, Williams has demonstrated exceptional success in building and transforming choral programs across collegiate and K–12 settings. His ensembles have consistently earned superior ratings at state performance assessments and have been recognized through regional honor ensembles, invitational festivals, and community collaborations. His leadership is characterized by a student-centered philosophy that combines artistic rigor with mentorship, fostering musical excellence while cultivating confidence, discipline, and lifelong engagement with the choral arts.
An active conductor and clinician, Williams has appeared as a guest conductor, lecturer, adjudicator, vocal coach, and collaborative pianist throughout the United States. He has presented clinics and masterclasses for universities, public schools, and professional organizations. His conducting experience encompasses traditional choral literature, gospel music, musical theatre, opera, and interdisciplinary performance, reflecting a broad artistic vision that embraces diverse musical traditions while maintaining the highest standards of ensemble artistry.
Equally committed to sacred music, Williams has devoted more than two decades to church music leadership, serving congregations throughout Alabama, Indiana, and Texas as director of music, conductor, pianist, and organist. His ministry emphasized the thoughtful integration of historic liturgical traditions with contemporary worship practices, affirming music's capacity to inspire faith, foster community, and enrich spiritual life. Williams is currently pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts in Choral Conducting at Texas Tech University, where he serves as an Associate Conductor, Opera Chorus Master, and Chorus Master for major university productions. His scholarly interests include choral conducting pedagogy, music teacher preparation, African American choral traditions, inclusive music education, and the role of choral singing in building culturally responsive and transformative learning communities. He holds a Master of Music Education degree from Florida State University and a Bachelor of Music in Music Education degree from the University of Montevallo.
A dedicated advocate for artistic innovation and educational access, Williams continues to advance the choral profession through teaching, conducting, scholarship, and service. His work reflects a commitment to cultivating ensembles that not only perform with musical excellence but also inspire meaningful dialogue, celebrate diverse musical traditions, and strengthen the communities they serve.