About
Hilli’s recent violin concerto, 1977 – a Violin Concerto, written for Pekka Kuusisto and premiered by Kuusisto, the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra and Nicholas Collon, commissioned by Yle, BBC Radio 3 and National Arts Centre Canada, was hailed as “an event well beyond the ordinary” and “nothing less than a milestone in the history of the Finnish violin concerto” (HBL).
Hilli holds a Master’s degree in Composition from Sibelius Academy and a Master’s degree in Orchestral Conducting from the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre. Hilli is a recipient of a working grant from the Svenska Kulturfonden.
Hilli’s music is exclusively published by Schott Music.
Sebastian Hilli (b. 1990) is a Finnish composer and conductor.
The winner of the Teosto Prize (2019), Gaudeamus Award (2018), the ‘Composers under 30’ category at the 64th International Rostrum of Composers (2017), the Toru Takemitsu Composition Award (2015) and most recently the SACEM Award for Original Soundtrack in a Short Film at Annecy Festival 2025, Hilli has quickly established himself as one of the most distinctive and original voices of his generation.
In recent years, Hilli’s works have resonated with audiences through a musical language that is both ”personal and heart-rending” (Rondo), ”rooted in tonality yet never banal” (HBL) and ”keenly aware of tradition while reshaping it into something genuinely fresh and profoundly fascinating” (AIM).
Hilli has ”found his own voice as a fuser of various style influences” (Rondo), and he’s works challenge the long-held notion of contemporary classical music as something remote or inaccessible as he effortlessly crosses genre boundaries.
“The Hillian expression feels completely original, meaningful, fresh and, not least, thoroughly honest."
– HBL
Performers
Orchestras & ensembles
Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra (JP), BBC National Orchestra of Wales (UK) , Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra (SE), Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra (FI), Helsinki Philharmonic (FI), Finnish National Opera and Ballet (FI), Lapland Chamber Orchestra (FI), Tapiola Sinfonietta (FI), Finnish Chamber Orchestra (FI), Ostrobothnian Chamber Orchestra (FI), Vaasa City Orchestra (FI), Secession Orchestra (FR), Asko|Schönberg (NL), Ensemble Recherche (DE), Quatuor Bozzini (CA), Slagwerk den Haag (NL), Insomnio Ensemble (NL), New European Ensemble (NL), Avanti! (FI), Uusinta ensemble (FI), International ensemble modern academy (DE), Arktinen Hysteria (FI), Zagros Ensemble (FI), Curious Chamber Players (SE), Ensemble Mise-en (US), Ensemble Reconsil (AUT), Esbjerg Ensemble (DK), Cikada Ensemble (NO), Kamus Quartet (FI), Sed Contra ensemble (UA), Nyky ensemble (FI), UNM Orchestra (DK), Siggi string quartet (IS), Akademiska Damkören Lyran (FI)
Soloists & conductors
Pekka Kuusisto (FI), Anu Komsi (FI), Lauri Sallinen (FI), Petri Kumela (FI), Janne Valkeajoki (FI), Nicolas Hodges (UK), John Storgårds (FI), Ryan Bancroft (US), Hannu Lintu (FI), Jukka-Pekka Saraste (FI), Anna-Maria Helsing (FI), Nicholas Collon (UK), Bas Wiegers (NL), Olari Elts (EST), André de Ridder (DE), Leif Segerstam (FI), Clément Mao-Takacs (FR), Janne Nisonen (FI), József Hárs (FI/HU)
Photos © Sara Kokko
Education
2021 - 2023
Master’s degree in Orchestral Conducting
Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre
Tallinn, Estonia
2014 - 2016
Master’s degree in Composition
University of Arts, Sibelius-Academy
Helsinki, Finland
2013 - 2014
Composition Studies
Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst
Wien, Austria
with prof. Michael Jarrell
2010 - 2013
Bachelor’s degree in composition
University of Arts, Sibelius-Academy
Helsinki, Finland
Awards
2025
Winner of the SACEM Award for Original Soundtrack in a Short Film at Annecy Festival 2025
2019
Winner of the Teosto Prize
2018
Winner of the Gaudeamus Award
2017
Winner of the ’Composers under 30’ category at the 64th International Rostrum of Composers
2015
Winner of the Toru Takemitsu Composition Award
Publisher
Schott Music
Hilli signed an exclusive publishing contract with the prestigious German publishing house Schott Music in 2021, becoming the youngest composer in Schott Music’s catalogue at the time.
Composer manager
Yvonne Stern-Campo
Concert Opera Media Division
Schott Music GmbH & Co. KG
Weihergarten 5
55116 Mainz
+49 (0)6131 246 884
