Multi-percussionist, composer, and improviser Cory Hills thrives on breaking down musical barriers through creative, interdisciplinary projects. He has received degrees from Northwestern University, Queensland Conservatorium, and the University of Kansas, and was awarded a research fellowship to Institute Fabrica. Currently, Hills is an active performer, composer, and recording artist in Los Angeles, as well as a member of the Grammy-nominated Los Angeles Percussion Quartet.
An advocate of new music, Hills has individually commissioned and premiered over 85 new works for percussion. He has given solo and chamber recitals across Europe, Australia, The United States, Mexico, and China. These include a featured performance for the International Society of Improvised Music; the Days of New Music Festival in Chisinau, Moldova; the Queensland Music Festival in Queensland, Australia; the Ravello Concert Festival in Ravello, Italy; the Venice Art Biennale in Venice, Italy; four PASIC conventions; the Morelia Percussion Festival in Morelia, Mexico; and Festival Mozaic in San Luis Obispo, California. An advocate for percussion as an artistic discipline, Hills has been the artist-in-residence at Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado; Conservatorio de Las Rosas in Morelia, Mexico; and a fellow at the OMI international artist's colony in Ghent, New York.
Percussive Storytelling, a program that brings classical music and storytelling to kids in fun and accessible ways, was launched by Hills while a fellow at Institute Fabrica in Treviso, Italy. The program recently marked its 400th performance, and has reached more than 50,000 children in eight countries. For this work, Hills has been the recipient of numerous arts grants, and was named the 2009 Emerging Artist through the Kansas Arts Commission. The Lost Bicycle, Hills' debut solo CD of percussive stories, has received four national parenting and creative arts awards (NAPPA Parent's Awards Gold, Parent's Choice Award Silver, World Storytelling Honors Award, and a Creative Child preferred choice). In June 2015, The Lost Bicycle was released as a fully illustrated children's book published by AcutebyDesign. On February 26, 2016, Hills released his second album of percussive stories called Drum Factory, on Sono Luminus Records.
