Quincy Hilliard
Biography
Quincy C. Hilliard (b. 22 September 1954, Starkville, Miss.) is an American composer, author and educator.
Dr. Hilliard’s early music experience was as a trumpet player in the public elementary and high school of his native Starkville, Mississippi. Dr. Hilliard holds a Ph.D. in music theory and composition from the University of Florida where, in 1999, he was recognized as the outstanding alumnus of the School of Music. He holds the Masters of Music Education from Arkansas State University and the Bachelor of Science in Music Education from Mississippi State University where he was designated College of Education 1998 Alumnus of the Year.
Quincy C. Hilliard’s compositions for wind band are published by a variety of well-known publishers. In 2014, Hilliard received the prestigious Mississippi Institute of Arts and Letters Award in the Classical Music Division. He was also recognized with a Global Music Award for his work as a composer. In 2012, one of his pieces, Coty (for clarinet and piano) was recorded on a CD that was nominated for a Grammy Award. In 2008, he was commissioned by the Library of Congress to compose a work in celebration of the bicentennial of the birth of Abraham Lincoln. He is frequently commissioned to compose works, including one for the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta and a score for a documentary film, The Texas Rangers. For many years, the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) has recognized him with annual awards for the unusually frequent performance of his compositions. Hilliard is regularly invited to conduct, demonstrate effective techniques, and adjudicate festivals throughout the world.
Because Hilliard is also a scholar of Aaron Copland’s music and life, Copland estate administrators authorized Hilliard to publish the educational performance edition Copland for Solo Instruments (Boosey and Hawkes, 1999). To train school band students, he wrote Superior Bands in Sixteen Weeks (FJH Music Company, 2003), Chorales and Rhythmic Etudes for Superior Bands (FJH Music Company, 2004), Scales and Tuning Exercises for Superior Bands (FJH Music Company, 2009), Theory Concepts, Books One and Two and is the co-author of the Skill Builders, Books One and Two (Sounds Spectacular Series, Carl Fischer, 1996). He is also the co-author of Percussion Time (C.L. Barnhouse Company), which is a collection of music written specifically for the beginning percussion ensemble. He has presented scholarly papers on music theory and analysis at meetings of the College Music Society and the Central Gulf Society of Music Theory (of which he is past president). He has published articles in Opera Journal, The Instrumentalist, School Musician, Bandworld, American Music Teacher, Florida Music Director, and Tennessee Musician.
Currently [2022], Hilliard holds the position of Composer in Residence and is the Heymann Endowed Professor of Music at the University of Louisiana, Lafayette. Previous teaching positions were at Nicholls State University, Florida International University, North Marion High School (Sparr, Florida) and White Station Junior and Senior High School (Memphis, Tennessee). Dr. Hilliard was also president of Hilliard Music Enterprises, Inc. a personal consulting firm, which has a corporate board of distinguished music educators.
Works for Winds
- Adagio for Winds
- African Festival (1999)
- Africata (2002)
- American Saga
- Angels Will Come (2020)
- Anthem for Victory (1996)
- Arabic Dance (2014)
- As the World Watched (2019)
- Australian Festival (2000)
- Blessing of the Fleet (2014)
- Blue Bus Workshop (2016)
- Bridgeway March (2001)
- British Eighth March (as arranger) (2000)
- Calico
- Canal Street Festival (2006)
- Center Stage (2015)
- Chant Ceremonium (2010)
- Children of the Sun (2011)
- Communio (2010)
- Concerto for Young Artist(s) and Band (2000)
- Dance! (2015)
- Dance of Fire
- Dark Crystal (2008)
- Day of the Dragon (1996)
- The Day the Clowns Cried (2008)
- Driven (2011)
- Echo Canyon Poem
- Echoes from Within (2020)
- El Alacran (2017)
- El Tigre
- Energico
- Espressionista (2016)
- Fanfare for Freedom (2008)
- The Forbidden Caverns (2001)
- Four of a Kind (2002)
- Fuego de la Pasion (2017)
- Fuoco (2019)
- Gathering of the Knights (2004)
- Ghost Dance
- Give Me Tomorrow (2019/2022)
- Glass Reflections (2004)
- A Grundman Tribute
- Habanera (2016)
- Hoe Down from "Rodeo" (as arranger) (1946/1997)
- Holiday Canon (2014)
- Holiday Festival
- In Praise of Autumn (1986)
- Irish Festival (2004)
- Japanese Festival (1997)
- King Commander March (2016)
- Kingsridge (1992)
- Joyous Holiday (2006)
- Kyoto (2007)
- Lakeside Overture (2014)
- The Last Rose of Summer (as arranger) (2005)
- Lights of the Unknown (2016)
- The Little Carousel
- Little Champ (as arranger) (1941/2001)
- Los Banditos (2002)
- Low Brass Rock
- Lyrico for Winds
- Majestic Dance (2016)
- March of the Silver Brigade
- March of the Third Battalion (2010)
- Octane (2015)
- On Golden Spirits
- On the Dawn of a New Horizon
- Organizer March
- Out of Darkness (2004)
- Ovation
- Pinecrest (2012)
- The Place Where the Reeds Were Destroyed (1998)
- Prelude and Dance
- Pride of the Bells (2011)
- Primo (2015)
- Ravenwood
- Rejoice, Dolce, and Dance (2021)
- Requiem (1991)
- Riverstone Ridge (1998)
- Road to Freedom (2012)
- Sakura (2007)
- Salute to Courage
- Samurai (2002)
- Scenes from "Billy the Kid" (as arranger) (1941/2000)
- Sea Storm (2008)
- Sesenta (2019)
- Shadows in Time (2003)
- Sing! (2019)
- Spirit of Survival (2011)
- Spiritual Christmas (2007)
- Symbol of Honor (as arranger) (1939/2002)
- Telstar
- Thundercrest (2002)
- Tribute to Excellence
- Universal Covenant (2000)
- The Unknown Soldier (as arranger) (2011)
- Valley Junction Portrait (2017)
- Viva la Mexicana (2012)
- Voices of Thunder (2009)
- Variations on an African Hymnsong (1994)
- Warriors of Prey (1999)
- Winds of Anger
Resources
- Camphouse, Mark, editor. (2007). Composers on Composing for Band. Volume 3. Chicago: GIA Publications. pp. 95–114.
- The Horizon Leans Forward…, compiled and edited by Erik Kar Jun Leung, GIA Publications, 2021, p. 355.
- "Quincy Hilliard." Mississippi Writers and Musicians. Web. Accessed 13 June 2020
- "Quincy Hilliard." University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Web. Accessed 13 June 2020