Kyle Red Hilton

USA

Author

About

Kyle “Red” Hilton is an automotive mechanic based in South Carolina, USA. Before pursuing his current career, he studied music performance as a trumpet major at Benedict College in Columbia, SC. Music that conveys raw human emotion has always captivated him, and that passion is reflected in his compositional work. The piece presented here, “Remembrance – For Solo Piano”, is an exploration of grief in its many forms. Written with an interplay of bright major harmonies against the somber atmosphere of a minor key, the work portrays the complex emotional journey experienced by many in times of loss. The bridge introduces heightened tension, leading into the climactic peak of the piece. From there, the music shifts in key and offers a rare Major 2nd chord—serving as a musical symbol of hope and the promise of healing. The closing measures resolve with an ambient, spacious character, allowing the piano’s natural timbre to linger in the air—an invitation for each listener to find their own reflection within the music.

Sheets

Interview

What does music mean to you personally?

Music provides myself, personally, a way to express my inner emotions without outright explaining them or showing them. As a Man in American Society, I am expected to not show or tell what I’m feeling or dealing with in my life. This provides an outlet for me to express those inner struggles that I cannot otherwise speak about through the artistic avenue of instrumental sound.

Do you agree that music is all about fantasy?

No, not at all. Music can be about fantasy, however, it can also be utilized to tell a story, with or without words.

If you were not a professional musician, what would you have been?

I am not a professional musician. Though, I was on the path to become one at one time.

The classical music audience is getting old, are you worried about the future?

Yes, I am unfortunately concerned about the future of classical music, as it pertains to it’s public prominence in culture, universally. It’s an extremely beautiful art form that I feel is wildly under-represented and under-appreciated.

What do you envision the role of music to be in the 21st century? Do you see that there is a transformation of this role?

I am unsure, to tell the truth. I feel that it will continue to hold the majority of it’s prominence within visual and digital media such as Movies and Video Games, as it currently does.

Do you think that the musician today needs to be more creative? What is the role of creativity in the musical process for you?

The musicians today will need to be as creative as they’ve always been required to be, in regards to the requirements of creativity needed to stand out among the rest. The role of creativity for me in the musical process is to try creating sounds that elicit emotional responses in a way that enables people to clearly interpret what’s being “said” without any words being needed.

Do you think we as musicians can do something to attract the younger generation to music concerts? How would you do this?

I’m unsure. I believe that having engaging and interactive sessions that show and tell the more interesting ways in which we musicians are able to create the music that we publish can be of a great help. Hands-on explanations tend to be more engaging to younger audiences, making them feel like they are apart of the process.

Tell us about your creative process. What is your favorite piece (written by you) and how did you start working on it?

My creative process begins with choosing what emotion(s) I would like to express, or, what sort of story I’d like to tell. From there, I will first come up with a motif, or, recurring statement for the music to return to (sort of like a chorus in pop music). From there, the rest kind of just flows naturally, and I’m unsure of how to explain it with any understandable detail. My favorite piece that I’ve written, to date would likely turn out to be “The Long Arctic Midnight – Suite for Symphony Orchestra”. I began working on that piece after I came across a song in the Math Rock genre that utilized the time signature 11/8 which I thought was very interesting. It began as an experiment but quickly turned into something great.

Can you give some advice for young people who want to discover classical music for themselves?

The best advice I can give is to simply listen to what you enjoy hearing. However, you will find that there are many amazing works of art that never see the light of day, written by unknown musicians. The media will always push the most popular music, without regarding any notable qualities within the music itself. Some of the best musicians will never be heard by the masses, and that’s a sad but true reality. Look in places that others wouldn’t think to look. Anywhere other than public Radio, and music streaming services, who will always push the top charted music in order to keep a consistent audience number.

Do you think about the audience when composing?

Of course!!! It’s an important part of writing music. The audience is who will make or break the success of a piece at the end of the day.

What projects are coming up? Do you experiment in your projects?

I currently do not have any pending projects at this time. And I always experiment with different sounds, chord progressions, chord inversions/types, and modulations. It’s how we as musicians are able to continue growing in our craft.

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