August 16, 2024
Professor Emeritus Martha Hilley recently appeared on the Butler School of Music Podcast, sharing her journey from a small Texas town to becoming a pioneering figure in group piano pedagogy. The episode delves into Hilley’s significant role in the development of group piano teaching and her contributions to prominent organizations such as the National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy (NCKP) and the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA).
Hilley joined The University of Texas School of Music in 1982 as the coordinator of group piano. Her career at the university saw her rise to head of the keyboard division in 1986, a role she held until 1989. She later served as Associate Director of the School of Music, Director of Undergraduate Studies, and Chair of the UT Faculty Council from 1999 to 2000.
An esteemed educator, Hilley has been active in various workshops, conferences, and seminars globally, including in Italy, Belgium, Norway, Australia, and Hawaii. She has also contributed to the Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival in Alaska and Tunghai University’s Summer Keyboard Institute in Taiwan. Her teaching excellence was recognized early in her career with the Texas Excellence Teaching Award in 1983 and the Dad's Association Centennial Fellowship in 1988.
In addition to these honors, Hilley received the Orpheus Award from Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia in 1992, the Outstanding Collegiate Teacher Award from the Texas Music Teachers Association in 1997, and the William David Blunk Professorship in 1998. Her leadership roles included membership in Leadership Texas and the Leadership Texas Alumni Board of Directors. She was inducted into the Academy of Distinguished Teachers at UT Austin in 2005 and received the Distinguished Service Award from the MTNA in 2008.
Hilley, who retired from the university in 2019, has also made significant contributions through her writings, including articles in Clavier, Piano Quarterly, and Keyboard Companion. She co-authored two influential college piano texts: Piano for the Developing Musician and Piano for Pleasure, which were among the first to integrate digital technology and online resources.