Music Director & Conductor

Claire Fox Hillard was appointed Music Director and Conductor of the Albany Symphony Orchestra in 1988. He is an Associate Professor at Albany State University and additionally serves as conductor for the Gulf Coast Steinway Society Concerto Competition. Hillard previously served as Music Director of the St. Joseph Symphony (MO), the Missouri Western Philharmonia, and the Meridian Symphony Orchestras (MS), and as Music Advisor to the Cobb Symphony Orchestra. He previously also served on the faculty at Indiana State University and Missouri Western State University.

A native of Grand Rapids, Michigan, Hillard began piano and violin studies at an early age and made his conducting debut at the age of 18. At age 25, after earning his masters and doctoral degrees from The University of Iowa, he became one of the youngest conductors to be appointed the Music Director of a professional orchestra. He received training from several notable conductors of our time including James Dixon, Leonard Slatkin, Pierre Boulez, Maurice Abravanel, Jorge Mester, and John Barnett. Maestro Hillard is the recipient of the League of American Orchestra’s distinguished Helen M. Thompson Award. Georgia Trend Magazine has honored him as one of the “outstanding leaders in Georgia.” The Meridian Council for the Arts honored Hillard with its Artist’s Achievement Award and he has been awarded a Dream Award from Albany’s annual King Celebration. Hillard currently serves as Vice-President and Treasurer of the International Conductors Guild; he is a member of the Georgia Music Hall of Fame Authority; and has served as a music panelist for the Georgia Council for the Arts.

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