Don Hill
Brass Arranger

Don has had a long and varied career in drum and bugle corps. He began by marching with the Des Plaines Vanguard, and finished his marching experience with the La Crosse Blue Stars in 1975. Don then taught the Blue Stars hornline for six years, eventually assuming arranging duties as well. Soon afterward, Don began his judging career, a career that included the honor of judging finals three times, and culminated in being named Brass and Music General Effect Caption Head for DCI, a position he held for seven years. Don then returned to drum corps as part of the Cadets design team, serving as the brass arranger for their 2002 and 2003 seasons. In 2005, he served as a consultant to the Bluecoats. Most recently, Don served as the brass arranger for the Glassmen, writing for them from 2008 to 2011.

Don has been very active in the band field as well. He has held the position of Director of Bands at Plantation High School, Plantation, Florida; as well as being an Associate Director at Spanish River High School in Boca Raton, Florida. Don has had marching band arrangements published by Hal Leonard, Inc., and has arranged for many top level high school competitive marching bands; including Plymouth – Canton Educational Park, from 1994 to 2005. He presently arranges for The Woodlands, and L. D. Bell high school bands among many others, and this past year added the position of arranger for the Broken Arrow High School band. He has also judged extensively in the United States and Japan.

Donald has been a member of The American Society of Composers and Publishers (ASCAP) since 1994, and six times has received recognition from the ASCAP Special Awards Panel for his original works. His concert band pieces have been performed throughout the United States as well as in Japan and Australia, and he was recently honored as a featured composer at the University of South Florida. He is published by Great Works, Inc. and Ludwig Music Publishing Company.

Don and his wife Dianne currently live in Los Angeles, where he is pursuing a career in composing music for visual media, and is part owner of Patio 7 Productions.