Brockport Symphony Orchestra®
 

 WESTERN NEW YORK'S MOST EXCITING COMMUNITY ORCHESTRA 
SINCE 2010

In loving memory of Dr. Bill Hullfish


We are very sad to announce the passing of our dear friend and Brockport Symphony Orchestra's Director Emeritus and Co-Founder, Dr. Bill Hullfish. Bill was such a gem in our musical family and our community. We performed so many wonderful concerts together, and we will be forever grateful for everything that he contributed to our orchestra. We will miss him so very much, and we send our deepest condolences to Bill's family. Please click here to view the video of Bill's Memorial Celebration.



Dr. William Hullfish, professor emeritus of music at The College at Brockport, was an accomplished musician and educator. He had an extensive performing career beginning with six years with The United States Air Force Band and Singing Sergeants. Dr. Hullfish participated in two State Department tours, one to South and Central America and the other to the Far East and Southeast Asia. He also toured professionally with various music groups in every state in the United States, except Alaska, playing at the White House, the Kennedy Center, Constitution Hall, The Mormon Tabernacle, in Salt Lake City, and Carnegie Hall. Dr. Hullfish has toured Europe, playing concerts in Germany and Austria, including a concert of the music of Richard Wagner at Neuschwanstein Castle. In addition, he played summers in every Canadian Exhibition from the Pacific Northwest Exhibition in Vancouver, British Columbia to the Calgary Stampede, Red River Exhibition, Toronto and Ottawa Exhibitions and the Montreal Music Festival. 


The founder and director of the nationally-recognized Golden Eagle String Band, Dr. Hullfish was an expert in American music, particularly Erie Canal songs. He was awarded a Gold Medal by the Smithsonian Institute as a Smithsonian/Folkways recording artist for his cultural contributions. He also had multiple publications and recordings, including "Horse-Ocean Sailor" and "Ireland's Grand Canal", both published by the American Canal Society. His recent books published by Arcadia Publishing and The History Press are available for purchase at the Lift Bridge Book Shop and online at Barnes & Noble and Amazon. In addition to performing in the Brockport Symphony Orchestra, Dr. Hullfish performed in the Gateswingers Big Band, Temple Beth El Orchestra, Greece Community Orchestra, and the Greece Summer Symphony, among other ensembles. He served as a clinician and collaborative artist, with recent multimedia presentations and lectures at New York University, Middle Tennessee State University, University of Colorado Denver, and the Berklee College of Music, as well as a special concert appearance with the Albany Symphony, where he was a named a "national treasure" by music director David Alan Miller. Invited to Penn State for the third year as a featured artist-in-residence, he continued to perform, conduct, compose, and share his wealth of knowledge and experience with appreciative audiences across the country in his retirement.