CLASSICS BIOGRAPHIES

WILLIAM HILL, composer

William Hill has been acclaimed internationally as a composer, soloist, artist, and conductor. Currently he is in his 43rd year as Principal Timpanist and Composer with the Colorado Symphony. He also holds the position of Music Director with the Evergreen Chamber Orchestra. Hill retired in June 2020 after a distinguished career teaching composition at The University of Denver. He has served as a composer with the National Music Festival, Moravian Philharmonic, Colorado Symphony, Grand Rapids Symphony, Grand Teton Music Festival, and Evergreen Chamber Orchestra. He has performed as Principal Timpanist with the Honolulu, Omaha, and Colorado Symphonies, the Colorado and Grand Teton Music Festivals, and the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra.

Mr. Hill has performed across the US and in numerous European countries and China. His compositions are performed and recorded by orchestras, chamber, and jazz groups nationally and internationally. Hill’s works range from symphonies, to experimental and improvisational pieces, to works combining acoustic instruments with synthesizers and other electronics.

Hill’s Three Wings for Orchestra with Soprano (featuring Nadya Hill) opened the 2018 Colorado Symphony Season. The Raven for orchestra, chorus and electronic chorus was premiered by the Colorado Symphony in 2015 and was nominated for the Pulitzer and Grawemeyer Awards. Hill’s Symphony #3, was also nominated for the Pulitzer. Passages for Orchestra, Electronics and Soprano, with electronics by Colin Hill was recorded with Hill conducting the Colorado Symphony, and Nadya Hill soprano, in 2022, and will become a video for display at Denver International Airport. Three Tangos and From Silence and Isolation were premiered by the Evergreen Chamber Orchestra in 2021 and 2022.

The Grand Rapids Symphony opened its 2010 Season with Hill’s Aurora Borealis and the first concert of their MusicNow Series featured his Ancient Rituals, The Journey of Ra and Full Moon at Giza with Nadya Hill soprano and violin. Hill’s Percussion Concerto was premiered by the Colorado Symphony Orchestra in 2006 with the composer as soloist. The Moravian Philharmonic of the Czech Republic recorded four of his compositions in 2006. Hill’s Jazz/Latin/Fusion and World Music groups have released numerous CDs and DVDs.

Hill won the Percussive Arts Society International Composition Contest, and numerous other prizes. He has been a soloist with many orchestras and his first CD Rhythms of Innocence featured him on over 75 percussion instruments, recorders, wood flutes, didjeridoo, and piano. William Hill holds the Bachelor of Music with High Distinction (1977) and Performer’s Certificate from Indiana University, and the Master of Music (4.0 GPA 1980) from the Cleveland Institute of Music.

William Hill is married to violinist Natalie Schmitz Hill and their two children, Nadya, and Colin are both excellent professional musicians. Nadya’s husband Michael Hoffman is also a well known tenor and teacher. The Hill’s love to enjoy Colorado’s wonderful outdoors hiking, skiing and kayaking. An avid mountaineer, Hill has climbed and skied from the summit of more than 60 of Colorado’s highest peaks.