Hilary Brooks

Hilary is an award-winning MD, Composer & Arranger, based in Glasgow.

list of works
hilarybrooksmusic
PianoPianoUK
listen
website

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.

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