Blake Hilley

Double bass/USA

Blake Hilley is an award-winning double bassist who performs both as a classical soloist, an orchestral bassist, and loves to explore the versatility of the bass, bringing the voice of the instrument to the public. Top winner of the Camerata Artists International Competition 2020, Blake is BM graduate with academic honors from Juilliard this year, and is returning for a Master of Music with Tim Cobb, principal bass of the New York Philharmonic. Blake arrives to iPalpiti straight from his tour across Germany with Juilliard415 and Yale Schola Cantorum as the Principal Double Bassist, as well as a featured soloist.  

As a composer, Blake debuted with his original double bass composition “Pride and Steel.” His discography includes his EP of classical impressionistic songs “Selections for Double Bass and Piano,” original rock song “Fairytales,” and a debut Single “Kol Nidrei” which was lauded by Jason Heath from Contrabass Conversations. You can listen Blake’s interview at ContrabassConversations.com podcast discussing his passion for the bass further.

In Juilliard Orchestra Blake performed at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center’s David Geffen Hall and Alice Tully Hall under the batons of Maestro Itzhak Perlman, Maestro John Adams, Maestra Marin Alsop, and Maestro David Robertson; he was a principal bassist of the Juilliard Opera for Mozart’s “Cosi fan Tutte” and the featured bassist with the New Juilliard Ensemble under the baton of Maestro Dr. Joel Sachs.

​Most recently, Blake’s premiered a new work for the solo double bass called “Bass Heart” by Bishu Chattopadhyay; chamber music concerts included Beethoven’s 1st Piano Concerto arranged for String Quintet and Piano and David Anderson’s Seven Double Bass Duets. Artists Blake has played with include the Goat Rodeo Sessions, featuring Edgar Meyer, Chris Thile, and Stuart Duncan. During the pandemic, Blake was honored to be selected to perform with Itzhak Perlman and the Juilliard Orchestra in their virtual performance featured on CBS Sunday Morning. 

As an artist who enjoys connecting with his audience, he has played concerts at libraries and retirement homes in Atlanta with his talented sister, cellist Ilana Hilley. They both enjoy demonstrating the power of music not only in the concert hall, but in the everyday moments that can be made to last through music. Blake has also joined quarantineconcerts.tv as a way to bring music to individuals at home during the pandemic.  www.blakehilleybass.com