Hilary Brooks
Hilary is an award-winning MD, Composer & Arranger, based in Glasgow.
Hilary is the founder of Scottish Women Inventing Music (SWIM), a charity advocating for gender equality in the music industry.
Part of the song-writing team with lyricist and book-writer Clive King, they have been commissioned to write many musicals, most recently Melania, a satirical show set in the East Wing of the White House. The pair were also commissioned by the Citizens Theatre and the Ambassadors Theatre Group, to pen a musical theatre version of the classic film A Matter of Life and Death. Represented by Micheline Steinberg Associates.
Hilary is co-founder of PianoPiano with Karen MacIver. Their debut album ‘dedicated…’ features nine original tracks performed and composed for two grand pianos, each track dedicated to iconic women who have changed the course of history, including the Hollywood legend Katharine Hepburn, the ground breaking Amelia Earhart and Nobel prize winner Marie Curie.
‘A unique and landmark live recording of depth and imagination’- The Musician Magazine.
PianoPiano is the recipient of a Made in Scotland award and was nominated for a Royal Philharmonic Society Award.
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MD/ARRANGER
Credits include: John Byrne’s Underwood Lane Tron Theatre, Glasgow
Doris And Dolly & The Dressing Room Divas. Written & directed by Morag Fullarton, Oran Mor, Glasgow and Edinburgh Fringe.
Irving Berlin’s ‘White Christmas’ (2013 & 2015) Pitlochry Festival Theatre - Critics Award for Best Music & Sound 2013 (CATS) Nominated for Best Musical Production
Sondheim’s ‘Sweeney Todd’ (2011) Dundee Rep Theatre - Critics Award for Best Music & Sound (CATS) & Best Musical Production, TMA UK Theatre Awards.
Glasgow Girls, a musical (2012-14) NTS/Citizens/Theatre Royal, Stratford East. Hilary created the original musical score. Nominated for Best Musical Production, UK Theatre Awards.
Sunshine on Leith the musical (2008-2011) Won best Musical Production Award, TMA UK Theatre Awards and nominated for Critics Award for Best Music & Sound (CATS) Hilary created the original musical score, and was the cast album co-producer with Nigel Clark.
Pasty Cline & A Bottle of Wine, by Morag Fullarton, Oran Mor, & Fringe
Propaganda Swing a musical play by Peter Arnott. Belgrade, Coventry
The Rink musical by Kander & Ebb. Belgrade, Coventry
Gypsy musical by Stein, Sondheim & Laurents, Dundee Rep
Nightflights musical by Evaristi & Brooks, Dundee Rep
Cabaret musical by Kander & Ebb, Dundee Rep
Whisky Kisses musical Royal Conservatoire Scotland
Spitfire Grill musical Royal Conservatoire Scotland
Whisky Galore musical, Edinburgh fringe
A Day in Hollywood/A Night in The Ukraine musical, Edinburgh fringe & tour
Glasvegas musical by Morag Fullarton & Patrick Doyle, Edinburgh fringe & tour
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, play, Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh
Charie’s Aunt.play, Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh
Alice Christmas show, Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh
Eight To the Bar musical Wildcat Theatre
Cleaning Up musical Wildcat Theatre
Reek Roon the Campfire musical development. Music & book Paul Scott Goodman
Without A Trace musical play, Sounds of Progress, Tron Theatre Glasgow
Divided City, Citizens Theatre in Education
Composer Credits
Hilary has been commissioned to write soundtracks for plays, musical theatre productions, TV series and film, from solo piano works to full orchestral film scores.
KIKI, commissioned by A Play, A Pie and A Pint, Oran Mor with book & lyrics Clive King. A story of artistic jealousy between artist and model Kiki de Montparnasse and the photographer Man Ray set in 1920’s Paris. Also played Edinburgh Fringe in 2023.
'Brooks and King’s 60 minute play benefits from a magnificent central performance from singer Christine Bovill, whose astonishing voice – both creamy and sinister, in this context – wraps perfectly around the wonderful Brecht-Weill-style cabaret songs they have written for the piece; hard-edged, political, melancholy and sometimes beautiful, they deserve to become classics in their own right.' Joyce McMillan, The Scotsman
TALLY'S BLOOD by Anne Marie di Mambro
MELANIA, satirical musical, Book & Lyrics Clive King, Oran Mor, Glasgow
WEE FREE! the musical, Book & Lyrics Clive King, Oran Mor, Glasgow - currently in development as a full- length show, THAT SUNDAY FEELING, for touring next year.
MEETING MATTHEW musical, Book & Lyrics Clive King Oran Mor, Glasgow
A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH, the musical. Book & Lyrics by Clive King. Currently in development.
The Libertine, Citizens Theatre
The Last Picture Show by Morag Fullarton
Dare To Care play by Christine Lindsey, Stellar Quines
Memory Of Water play by Shelagh Stephenson, Stellar Quines
James & The Giant Peach, a musical, Citizens Theatre. Lyrics Roald Dahl
Nightflights musical fantasy, Book & lyrics Marcella Everisti Dundee Rep.
Beauty & The Beast. The Byre, St Andrews.
The Broonie musical, Italia Conti Stage School. Book & Lyrics by Dougie Squires
Der Golem 1920 silent horror film, improvised score for solo piano, Glasgow Film Theatre.
Film + Tv Credits
The Eastern Bride, film score. Composer and orchestrator. Score recorded by the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra.
Stripes Of The Zebra film score
Scotland 2014/2015/2016 current affairs theme, BBC Scotland Mr. Wymi, BBC children’s drama, two series F.O.T. BBC children’s entertainment, four series Salut Serge (AKA French Is Fun with Serge) French edutainment series BBC Worldwide.
DOCUMENTARY
Dorothy Paul Theme for BBC Hogmanay specials.
‘A unique and landmark live recording of depth and imagination…two great women blending their virtuosity with tales of nine iconic women’
PIANOPIANO Tour & CD ‘Dedicated’
‘Musical director and Arranger Hilary Brooks draws a brilliant sound from cast and band alike.’
Glasgow Girls