Editing John Williams (guitarist) (section)

== Early life ==
John Williams is an only child who was born on 24 April 1941 in [[Melbourne]] to an English father, Len Williams, who bought John, at age four, his first guitar with a modified neck.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-04-27 |title=John Williams at 80 |url=https://www.abc.net.au/classic/programs/legends/legends-john-williams-at-80/13302750 |access-date=2022-08-10 |website=ABC Classic |language=en-AU}}</ref> Len would later found the Spanish Guitar Centre in [[London]], England. John's mother Melaan (''née'' Ah Ket) was the daughter of [[William Ah Ket]], the first Australian barrister of Chinese heritage. In 1952, the family moved to England, where John attended [[Friern Barnet Grammar School]], London.<ref>''The International Who's Who: 1984/85'', 2004.</ref> 

Williams was initially taught guitar by his father, who was a musically disciplined and accomplished classical guitarist.<ref>Paul Vernon Chester, Manouche Maestro: [http://www.paulvernonchester.com/LenWiilliams.htm "Leonard Williams Guitarist – Journalist – Zoo Keeper and father of John Williams"] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20131101195004/http://www.paulvernonchester.com/LenWiilliams.htm |date=1 November 2013 }}. Retrieved 1 November 2013.</ref> From the age of 11, Williams attended summer courses with [[Andrés Segovia]] at the [[Accademia Musicale Chigiana]] in [[Siena]], Italy. He attended the [[Royal College of Music]] in London, from 1956 to 1959, studying piano because the college did not have a guitar section. In 1958, when he was 17 years old, he made his musical debut performing publicly at London's [[Wigmore Hall]]. Upon graduating from his college, he was invited to create and then to run their guitar department for its first two years of life. Williams maintains links with the college (and also with the [[Royal Northern College of Music]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://plum.cream.org/williams/biography.htm|title=John Williams, Guitar: Biography 1940s, 1950s, 1960s|work=cream.org|access-date=10 November 2015}}</ref> in [[Manchester]]).