“Fiesta! Philip Hii” … Celebratory Concert with DMC Wind Ensemble to Feature Retired Faculty Member, Guitarist This Thursday, April 18
Free concert in Richardson Performance Hall highlighting Hii’s signature style during farewell appearance; former DMC educator’s artistic performances and CD releases received international acclaim by critics
Article by Melinda Eddleman
He was born in Sarawak, the largest state in Malaysia, and started playing guitar at age 10. But, after winning a national competition in his home country in 1975, he left for New Zealand to study law.
Chasing a legal career changed direction when he won the New Zealand National Cup with his instrumental talent that earned him an appearance on national television. At that point, retired Del Mar College (DMC) Professor of Music Philip Hii took a pathway toward music and earned a bachelor’s degree from Victoria University of Wellington and then furthered his studies in England and Germany before moving to the United States in 1983.
He then earned a jazz-arranging diploma from Berklee College of Music in Boston before acquiring a Master of Music degree from the renowned program at the University of North Texas prior to joining DMC’s Music faculty in September 1988 to teach future performers and educators. As a recording artist, Hii’s career has included releasing critically-acclaimed Compact Discs (CDs) featuring his transcriptions for guitar of works by classical composers Bach and Chopin as well as his own compositions. And as a performer, Hii has traveled across the United States and around the globe.
Hii retired last July with a 35-yeaar career at the College but will return this Thursday, April 18, to give a farewell performance during “Fiesta! Philip Hii.”
The guitarist, recording artist and former Del Mar educator will join Music Department colleague and conductor Dr. Abel Ramirez and the DMC Wind Ensemble for the celebratory concert featuring Hii collaboratively playing Concerto for Guitar and Band by Juan A. Perez as well as Intermedio from El Baile de Luis Alonso by Geronimo Gimenez. The event will also include special guests in addition to Hii’s performance.
The free concert begins at 7:30 p.m. in Richardson Performance Hall on the Heritage Campus, located at 101 Baldwin Blvd. (78404). Get online directions and campus map. Questions may be directed to the DMC Music Office at 361-698-1214 or music@delmar.edu.
Those honoring Hii also invite individuals to “sign a virtual card” to wish him a “Happy Retirement!”
As a performer, Hii has traveled extensively across the United States, Mexico, Germany and New Zealand.
As a recording artist, he has released three CDs. Those releases include Johann Sebastian Bach: New Transcriptions for Guitar, which received critics’ rave reviews in Germany, England, Japan and the United States; Stream of Consciousness, a compilation of original works arranged for solo guitar and synthesizers; and Fréderíc Chopin: Nocturnes, featuring works by the famous composer that Hii transcribed for guitar himself with nine of the 11 pieces on that CD being world premiere recordings.
When released, Hii’s Bach CD was one of Guitar Player Magazine’s picks of the month, noting “His passionate rubato and penetrating tone contribute to a thrilling performance,” while The Washington Post called the CD “exciting” and “dazzling.” Acoustic Guitar Magazine labeled him “the Heifetz of the classical guitar.”
Additionally, Hii was America Public Media’s featured artist on Performance Today on May 6, 2015, when he played his transcriptions from the Chopin: Nocturnes CD. The performance aired on National Public Radio all over the country, including local KEDT Radio 90.3. As a popular classical music radio program, that year Performance Today was broadcast to nearly 300 public radio stations nationally and reached approximately 1.4 million listeners.
Among Hii’s other credits, he is well-published and has had numerous articles in Soundboard, Guitar International, Gitarre und Laute and American String Teacher for which he is a former AST Guitar Forum Editor. Additionally, six of Hii’s Bach transcriptions have been published by Guitar Solo Publications.
Hii has served as a member of the New York City Classical Guitar Society Artistic Advisory Board, and his most recent project has been a series of books called The Art of Virtuosity.
So, keep your calendar open this Thursday as DMC celebrates retired Professor Hii. It’s not “farewell” but rather “Fiesta! Philip Hii!”
Del Mar College empowers students to achieve their dreams. We offer quality programs, individual attention, outstanding instruction through faculty with real-world experience and affordable costs to credit and noncredit students in Corpus Christi and the South Texas Coastal Bend area. Nationally recognized while locally focused, we’re ranked in the top two percent of community colleges in the country granting associate degrees to Hispanic students (Community College Week). Del Mar College focuses on offering our students programs that match current or emerging career opportunities. Whether students are interested in the fine arts, sciences, business, occupational or technical areas, students get the education they need for the future they want at Del Mar College.