
Born and raised in Melbourne, Australia, Prof. Rob McWilliams holds a Ph. D. in Music from the University of Minnesota, a Master's degree in Instrumental Conducting from Florida State University, and a Bachelor's degree in Music Education from the University of Melbourne. A United States resident from 1991 to 2014, Dr. McWilliams served as Professor of Conducting and Director of Bands and Instrumental Music Education at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh (USA) from 1996 where he conducted symphonic and jazz ensembles, and taught courses in conducting, music education, and jazz. From 2011 he also served as Head of the Music Department.
Prof. McWilliams has traveled extensively as a guest conductor and clinician, conducting and presenting at major music conferences in all states of Australia, many states of the USA, as well as Japan, Hong Kong, the UK, Singapore, Europe, and China, including conferences of the World Association of Symphonic Bands & Ensembles and the Tutti International Youth Music Festival. In addition to ensemble direction, he has extensive professional performing experience on trumpet and keyboard with a number of symphonic, brass, and jazz ensembles.
Prof. McWilliams has been published in peer-reviewed professional publications including Teaching Music Through Performance and is a published composer/arranger with Alfred's Music. In early 2015 he relocated to Brisbane, Australia where he is currently Yamaha Music Australia’s Education Outreach Clinician working to improve the quality of ensemble direction and conducting throughout Australia and New Zealand. He also serves as a guest conductor/clinician for community outreach events with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra and is a conductor with the Queensland Youth Orchestra organisation in addition to teaching sessionally at the University of Queensland and the Jazz Music Institute and freelancing as a musician, educator, conductor, composer/arranger, and adjudicator.