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Lejaren A. Hiller: Computer Music Pioneer

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Lejaren A. Hiller: Computer Music Pioneer Lejaren A. Hiller: Computer Music Pioneer Music Library Exhibit: May 24-Sept. 7, 2004 Curated by John Bewley Case 1 - Lejaren Arthur Hiller, Jr. led a remarkable life. His learning encompassed the fields of chemistry, computers, electronics, acoustics, information theory, linguistics, and music. Acknowledged as being the composer of the first significant computer music, he spent much of his musical career fighting the musical establishment’s perception of him as an amateur musician who was only capable of writing computer-assisted, mechanized music. His music remains largely unstudied even today, ten years after his death in 1994. Hiller was born in New York City in 1924. His father was a noted illustrator and photographer. Hiller received musical training during his teenage years, including piano studies, saxophone, oboe, and clarinet lessons, harmony, and composition. He was admitted to Princeton University in 1941. He completed his studies in chemistry with the completion of his Ph.D. in 1947 at the age of 23. Hiller also continued his musical training while at Princeton. He studied counterpoint, ear training, and composition with Milton Babbitt 1941-42 and composition, analysis, and fugue with Roger Sessions until Sessions left Princeton for Berkeley in 1945. Following his 1947 graduation Hiller went to work as a chemist for DuPont in Waynesboro, Virginia until 1952. During that period Hiller successfully created a process for dyeing acrylic fibers. Although Hiller decided to leave DuPont to return to an academic position at the University of Illinois, DuPont demonstrated their appreciation for Hiller’s work on acrylics by writing him a bonus check for $12,000, a considerable sum of money in 1952. Hiller started his new position at Illinois in November 1952 after spending several months touring Europe with his wife, Elizabeth. He worked as a research associate on a government-supported project on synthetic rubber research. Frederick Wall, who had hired Hiller, requested that Hiller perform analyses on the newly available Illiac computer. This work was the catalyst for Hiller’s application of his knowledge of computing to music beginning with the composition of the Illiac Suite with Leonard Isaacson in 1955-57. After his work on the Illiac Suite, Hiller was no longer satisfied with teaching in the Chemistry Department. Frederick Wall offered him the opportunity to transfer to the Music Department in 1958 (Hiller had earned his Master’s degree in music at the University of Illinois by then) and to establish the Experimental Music Studio, only the second center for electronic music in the United States. He continued to teach in the music department at the University until 1968. 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