Alumna, Julie Hill (2004)
Biography
Julie Hill, Assistant Professor of Percussion at the University of Tennessee at Martin, is highly regarded as a performer and pedagogue specializing in contemporary and world percussion. She has presented clinics and concerts for universities and state Day of Percussion festivals in Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama, Arizona, Iowa, Louisiana, Indiana, and many others. As a member of the acclaimed Caixa Percussion Trio, Julie has performed at international festivals in Paris, France, Puerto Rico, South Korea, and the Percussive Arts Society International Conventions (PASIC) in 2003 and 2004. In addition to her membership with the Caixa Trio, Julie actively presents workshops on all styles of Brazilian percussion and culture. One of her compositions, Sonhando em Salvador, received its world premiere as the closing work for the University of Kentucky’s Showcase Concert at PASIC 2004. It received rave reviews from a “standing room only” audience and was offered immediate publication. Julie is the founder of Steel de Boro, a Murfreesboro City Schools steel band and world percussion ensemble dedicated to teaching music to at-risk students of all socio-economic backgrounds. The ensemble performed at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention in 2001 and at the Tennessee Music Educators Convention in 2003. Steel de Boro has also been featured on the National Public Radio Program Live in Studio C. Hill received her Bachelor of Music Education degree from the University of Tennessee at Martin, and holds a Master of Music degree in Percussion Performance from Arizona State University. Julie is currently completing her dissertation for a Doctorate of Musical Arts degree from the University of Kentucky. Most recently, Julie studied Brazilian percussion abroad in Salvador, Rio de Janeiro, and São Paulo. Her teachers include James Campbell, J.B. Smith, Nancy Mathesen, Leigh Stevens, and Neguinho do Samba. Hill serves on the international advisory board for Escola Dida, a project in Salvador da Bahia, Brazil dedicated to social reform for women and at-risk children through music. June 2004 Percussive Notes journal featured a cover story written by Hill on the Brazilian based project. She also serves on the Percussive Arts Society College Pedagogy committee. Julie is an endorser of Pearl / Adams Corporation, Innovative Percussion, Evans Drum Heads, Grover Pro Percussion, and Audix Microphones.