In preparation for Canada's Top Choirs competition, we're taking a moment to introduce you to the esteemed panel of judges. Today's judge spotlight shines a light on the well-renowned Dr. Jamie Hillman.
Dr. Jamie Hillman is a Canadian and American musician, active as a conductor, singer, pianist, music educator, and composer. He holds the endowed Elmer Iseler Chair in Conducting at the University of Toronto, where he is also Director of Choral Studies and an Associate Professor. He conducts the U of T MacMillan Singers and leads the master's and doctoral degree programs in Choral Conducting and the annual summer conducting symposium. Prior to his appointment at UofT, Hillman served on the faculties of Boston University Tanglewood Institute, Gordon College, Kodály Music Institute, and Longy School of Music of Bard College. As a Boston University Prison Arts Scholar and faculty member of BU's Metropolitan College/Prison Education Program, Hillman co-initiated an innovative vocal music program in the Massachusetts prison system.
As a tenor soloist, Hillman has recently performed major choral-orchestral works by Beethoven, R. Nathaniel Dett, Handel, Haydn, Mozart, Ramirez, Saint-Saëns, Schubert, and Schütz with choruses and orchestras in the United States, Canada, and Southeast Asia. As a professional choral singer, he has recorded and toured with Canadian Chamber Choir, Nathaniel Dett Chorale, Toronto Mendelssohn Choir Pro Core, and Vox Futura.
As a pianist, Dr. Hillman has shared the stage with numerous choirs, including Boston Children's Chorus and Rhode Island Children's Chorus, and professional singers, including Desiree Hassler and Kevin McMillan. His choral compositions have been performed in Asia, Europe, and North America by ensembles including Amadeus Choir of Greater Toronto, Boston Children's Chorus, Calgary Girls Choir, Cantabile Choirs of Kingston, Oakville Choir for Children & Youth, Worcester Children's Chorus, and numerous other school, church, and community choirs. His Christmas carol, Who Would Have Thought, is published by Cypress Choral Music.
Dr. Hillman is an examiner for Conservatory Canada and has adjudicated, guest conducted and presented throughout the United States and Canada, France, India, and Indonesia. He has led All-State or honor choirs in Connecticut, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, and Ontario, Canada. He has adjudicated for ACDA Pearl Prize, Allerton Vocal Chamber Festival, Bandung International Choir Competition, Chronos Vocal Ensemble Choral Composition Competition, Carowinds Festival of Music, Fantastic Festivals, Festivals of Music, Great East Festivals, Manitoba ChoralFest, Massachusetts Instrumental, and Choral Conductors Association, Massachusetts Music Educators Association, Music in the Parks, National Endowment for the Arts, New England Music Festival Association, Ontario Arts Council, Ontario Music Festivals Association Provincials, Providence College High School Choral Festival, Rhythms International, Tomohon International Choir Competition, WorldStrides, World Festival & Clinic, Rhode Island ACDA, and Kiwanis Music Festival Windsor-Essex County. Recent conference presentations include Association for Moral Education, College Music Society, New Jersey Music Educators Association, North Carolina Music Educators Association, and Utah Music Educators Association.
Hillman's upcoming engagements include speaking at the World Choral Expo in Lisbon, Portugal; guest conducting the ACSC High School Honor Choir in Taichung, Taiwan, All-State Choirs in New Hampshire and New Jersey, honor choirs in Manitoba, Massachusetts, Nova Scotia, and Vermont, and a Manhattan Concerts Productions Festival Choir at Carnegie Hall; giving conducting masterclasses at Christ's College Taipei, and returning as a member of the jury of the Bali International Choir Festival in Indonesia. He is the curator and editor of The Jamie Hillman Choral Series published by Santa Barbara Music Publishing. His co-editorial work includes numerous editions of Arabic, Asian, Latin American, and Western choral pieces published by Earthsongs and Hinshaw Music. The choral pedagogical curriculum he has co-written with composer Dan Forrest is published for Beckenhorst Press.
Hillman earned an associate diploma from the Royal Conservatory of Music (Toronto) and degrees from Western University (London, Canada), the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and Boston University. Dr. Hillman is the 2012 laureate of the Leslie Bell Prize for Choral Conducting from the Ontario Arts Council.
Hillman sits on the board of directors of Boston's Back Bay Chorale, Four Strings Academy, Canadian Chamber Choir, Massachusetts ACDA (R & R Chair for Music in Worship), The Choral Commons, and the National Collegiate Choral Organization. In February 2020, he was elected to the Greater Boston Choral Consortium board. He is also an ACDA International Activities Mentor.
To find more information about Canada's Top Choirs and how to enter, please visit https://www.feelitlive.com/canadas-top-choirs