John Higgins
Biography
John Higgins (b. 1948) in an American composer, arranger and editor.
He began in the music field as the student arranger for the University of Michigan Band under Dr. William D. Revelli, and gained invaluable experience as a public school music teacher in suburban Chicago. John served as Illinois president of the American String Teachers Association, and his school concerts featured renowned soloists and conductors such as Skitch Henderson, Charlie Byrd, and Arthur Fiedler of the Boston Pops.
A co-author of the Essential Elements series of methods, John is best known for his many compositions and arrangements for choirs, bands and orchestras. As a composer of children's songs, he has collaborated with notables like John Jacobson, Roger Emerson and Emily Crocker on musicals such as How Does Your Garden Grow? and A Storybook Christmas. John has also arranged and produced a large catalog of children's music, including The Runaway Snowman, Peace Child, and Leslie Bricusse's Scrooge. His recording production for McGraw-Hill's Share The Music textbook series included music from Sesame Street, Disney films and a special project with the late Fred Rogers of Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood.
In two recent series of Broadway shows for young performers, John arranged and produced new versions of Annie, Guys & Dolls, Fiddler on the Roof, The King and I, and The Music Man. His two Grammy award-winning projects include arranging on Sandi Patti's Another Time, Another Place (Best Pop Gospel Album) and co-producing on Rob McConnell's Live in Digital (Best Big Band Jazz Album). He recently orchestrated and conducted the music for the stage premiere of Willy Wonka at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
John served as president of Jenson Publications before it became a part of the Hal Leonard Corporation, where he serves as Managing Producer/Editor. In addition to his writing and producing activities, he maintains a role in music education as a guest conductor, clinician and author.
Works for Winds
- Adventures Down Under
- America ... The Dream Goes On (as arranger, with Lavender) (1982/1985/1989)
- American Spirit March (2000)
- Anything Goes (as arranger)
- Barrier Reef
- The Beatles: Echos of an Era (as arranger) (1982)
- Big Band Signatures (as arranger)
- Big Band Spectacular
- Big Picture (as arranger) (1996)
- Black Wolf Run (1996)
- Bright Lights on Broadway
- Broadway in the 90's
- Broadway Spectacular (as arranger) (1977)
- Celtic Ritual (1997)
- Christmas on Broadway (as arranger) (2006)
- The Christmas Song (as arranger) (1946/1996)
- Classic Rock 'n' Roll (as arranger) (1986)
- Cole's Song
- Colors of the Wind
- Disney at the Movies (as arranger) (1996)
- Disney Blockbusters (as arranger) (1994)
- The Eighties (as arranger)
- Forrest Gump - Main Title (as arranger) (1994/1995)
- Georgia on My Mind (as arranger) (1930/1989)
- A Gershwin Portrait! (as arranger) (1985)
- God Bless America
- God Help the Outcasts
- Habitat (1993)
- Highlights from "Gypsy" (as arranger) (1959/1990)
- Hollywood Milestones (as arranger)
- Home for Christmas
- If I Never Knew You
- Irving Berlin Showstoppers (as arranger)
- John Williams: Evening at Pops (as arranger) (1987)
- John Williams: The Symphonic Marches ( as arranger; orch. Lavender) (1984)
- King of Pride Rock (as arranger)
- Latin Fire (2000)
- Latin Magic
- Lights! Camera! Action! (1987)
- The Lion King (as arranger)
- Living La Vida Loca (as arranger)
- Millenium: A Reflection (1998)
- Night on Bald Mountain (as arranger)
- One Moment in Time (as arranger) (1987/1988)
- Our America (as arranger) (2005)
- Overture Español
- Overture on a Shaker Tune (1986)
- Pueblo (1991)
- Regenesis (1990)
- Seasons of Love (as arranger)
- Serengeti (1989)
- Simple Gifts (as arranger)
- South African Suite (1998)
- The Star-Spangled Banner (as arranger)
- Stratford March
- Suite Française (as arranger) (1945/)
- Summon the Heroes (as arranger)
- Suo Gan (as arranger)
- That's Entertainment (as arranger)
- Theme from Jurassic Park (as arranger) (1993)
- Theme from The Lost World (1997)
- Tiger Rag (as arranger)
- The Trombone Rag (1985)
- Until Justice Rolls Down Like Water
- We Are the World (as arranger) (2010)
- When the Saints Go Marchin' In (as arranger)
- White Christmas (as arranger)
- White River Canyon (1989)
- You've Got a Friend in Me (as arranger)
Resources
- John Higgins, Hal Leonard
- Miles, Richard B. 2000. Teaching Music Through Performance in Band. Volume 3. Chicago: GIA Publications. pp. 182.