FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 3, 2017, 12:00 p.m., CDT
Contact Jason Hogue, Peru State College, Marketing and Communications, 402-872-2429
Memphis, Tennessee- Matt Hill, assistant professor of music and the director of choral activities at
Peru State College, was honored as a guest judge at Memphis Fest in April. Memphis
Fest is a band, choral, and orchestral competition held at Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee.
Ensembles who participated at Memphis Fest performed at the new “Guest House at Graceland”
Theater, while a panel of adjudicators critiqued the ensembles. Hill was honored as
the ‘center table’ judge, which provided him the unique opportunity to lead 30-minute
on-stage clinics with each choir. A dinner banquet and awards ceremony was held at
the Graceland Car Museum after the competition each weekend.
Matt Hill
Hill has already been invited to return for the 2018 festivals, to be held in early
and late April.
Hill said of the festivals, “It was an honor to serve with esteemed colleagues from
around the nation, and a true joy to see and hear passionate high school musicians
sharing their love of music with us. I can’t wait for next year’s festivals!”
In addition to his work at Peru State, Hill founded “Sing Omaha Inc.” in January,
2007. This 501c3 non-profit organization serves as Nebraska’s Premier K-12/adult choral
arts organization, and is comprised of nine choirs, which serve more than 400 singers
in Douglas and Sarpy County each year. In September 2015, Hill opened Sing Omaha Studios,
two public-facing locations for private voice and piano lessons, and other related
camps and workshops.
Hill is an inaugural member of the Oklahoma State University Music Education Hall
of Fame and was honored as the “Young Choral Director of the Year” by the Nebraska
Choral Directors Association in 2015.
Hill regularly serves as a guest clinician for district festivals and honor choirs,
and is called upon to adjudicate show choir and classical solo/ensemble competitions
around the country each season. In addition to his work as a conductor, Hill has served
in music ministry steadily since 2003 as pianist/worship leader, and has performed
as a chorister and featured soloist with numerous local and regional ensembles.
For more information on Memphis Fest, visit www.memphisfest.org.
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Ashley Peiman contributed to this release.