Music has been Hilary’s main activity since 1990 which started with a journey to the Sahara Desert, accompanied by a trombone. This journey and the sense of silent-space experienced there has been a continuous influence on his work ever since.
Various trombones have travelled alongside him to more inspiring places since, including Dartington Hall (early ’90s), underground raves in the UK (early ’90s and ’00s), the Anthroposophic “Goetheanum” (1994), Abney Park Cemetery in London (1996), many venues in Bratislava (1996 – 2009), Vienna Volksoper (2000), Tokyo New National Theatre (2000/2002), Stubnitz Boat (2001), burlesque cabarets in NYC (2001), Alicante Casino (2002), Overtoom 301 – Amsterdam (2002 – 2009), Potsdam Fabrik (2004), Genk Mine – Belgium (2005), Kaza – India (2009), Wigry Monastery – Poland (2010), Casino Baumgarten – Vienna (2010), Berghain – Berlin (2010-12), Nordmarkskapellet – Oslo (2011), Recollets Convent – Paris (2012)
Hilary’s work in music has included recording and playing live with many musicians and groups including (in roughly reverse chronological order): Zeitkratzer, Catherine Christer Hennix, Franz Hautzinger’s Third Eye, Splitter Orchester, Lysn, Jimi Tenor, High Birds, Kreepa, Black Galaxy, The Mount Fuji Doomjazz Corporation, Paul Dunmall Quartet and Octet, Moksha Big Band, The Barton Workshop, Apa Ini, Keith Tippett’s Tapestry, Band of Holy Joy, Sand, Earthling, Hugh Davies and Germ. Hilary has performed at many international festivals including Club Transmediale, Sonic Acts, Kontraste Festival, Wien Modern, Berlin Jazz Festival, Ultima Oslo, Saalfelden Jazz Festival, Brno International Music Festival, Wels Music Unlimited, Montreux Jazz Festival, North Sea Jazz and Victoriaville.
In addition to regular international concerts and tours, current activities include:
composition of a new four part suite for the David Kweksilber Big Band (Amsterdam) commissioned by David Kweksilber and the Performing Arts Fund, Netherlands (2011 – 2012)
a new method book for trombone entitled: “Trombone Playing – From Zero to Infinity”
a cross-city dialogue between musicians from Berlin and Paris
mixing and editing many recordings of the psychedelic drone group Lysn for future releases
research into new compositional forms conceived as maps which combine notations, texts and images
ongoing and new work in the fields of dance, theater and performance
a composition commission for Slagwerk Den Haag
inspired by voodoo drumming, Islamic geometry and techno sound sytems