Dr Edwin Hillier

DMus, MA (Cantab), MComp

Composition professor

Described as a ‘masterclass in the exquisite handling of sounds’ (Simon Cummings, 5:4), Edwin Hillier's music is rooted in an exploration of timbre. Developed through a physical and tactile composition process, his output – both acoustic and electronic – typically investigates ‘febrile and protean sonic matter’ (Tom Service, BBC Radio 3). Frequently drawing inspiration from the work and working practices of Alberto Burri, Cy Twombly and Alan Davie – visual artists whose output is often described as eliciting a visceral and charged response in the viewer – Edwin too seeks to conjure something of the intimate and human through his own ruptured designs.

Edwin's work has been presented internationally, including performances at Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival, Royaumont Festival (France), at the Wigmore Hall, Kings Place, Roulette (New York City), Neimenster (Luxembourg), Nonclassical, and by the London Symphony Orchestra, London Sinfonietta, Quatuor Tana, EXAUDI, Explore Ensemble, Red Note Ensemble, Hermes Experiment, and Talea Ensemble. His music has been broadcast several times on BBC Radio 3, live on France Musique, and recorded on the NMC Record Label. He was the recipient of a Scottish Award for New Music in both 2020 (Electroacoustic/Sound Artwork) and 2021 (Dorico Award for Small/Medium Scale Work).

A graduate of the University of Cambridge, Edwin was awarded a scholarship to the Royal College of Music to pursue his postgraduate studies, supported by the RVW Trust and the AHRC. He obtained his doctorate in composition in 2021 under the supervision of Jonathan Cole. During this time, Edwin undertook private study with Rebecca Saunders in Berlin, in addition to receiving tuition from Pierluigi Billone, Raphaël Cendo, and Frédéric Durieux, among others.

Alongside his work as a Composition professor at the RCM, Edwin is module leader for both postgraduate and undergraduate Musical Analysis courses. Concurrently, he works at the University of Nottingham as Teaching Associate in Music Composition.

Faculties / departments: Composition