Jan-Åke Hillerud

Swedish composer, pianist, conductor and music educator, born November 8, 1938. He is educated at the Royal Academy of Music in Stockholm. Between the years 1964 and 1985 he was a music teacher in Adolf Fredrik's Music Classes, for which he created a large number of compositions and choral arrangements. Among other things, Hillerud composed two all-night operas, which included the whole school, with soloists, choirs and orchestra: the bandit Murieta's Bravader and Death (1974) and Lycko-Per's Journey (1980). In January 1965, he formed the Music Class Boys' Choir (later Adolf Fredrik's Boys' Choir) (AFG), which he led until 1998. The boys' choir was under the direction of Hillerud connected to the Opera, and appeared regularly there in various productions. Hillerud's teaching led to a number of people becoming professional opera singers and musicians. One of the first members of AFG, Bo Aurehl, became a choir conductor and educator. The boys' choir's pianist John Erik Eleby also later became an opera singer. Eleby led several different choirs. Both Aurehl and Eleby worked in the same spirit as Hillerud, and thus led generations of choir singers. During the 1960s, Hillerud was also active as a concert pianist and as an accompanist to singers at concerts and recordings. In 1968–1976, he was the leader of Uppsala Cathedral's Boys' Choir, with which he toured throughout Sweden, and also undertook a number of trips abroad. From 1976 to 1991, he was choirmaster at the Royal Opera. Under his direction, the opera choir underwent an exceptional development. Since 1991, Hillerud has been a freelance conductor, composer and arranger. He is frequently hired by the country's symphony orchestras, mainly for programs where he himself is the host and entertainer. Through a number of family and children's concerts, he has continued the pedagogical work he began in 1964. Jan Åke Hillerud's specialty is the combination of high-driven quality requirements and easy audience contact. The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, where Jan Åke Hillerud has conducted several hundred concerts, has appointed him honorary philharmonic. Among other orchestras where Jan Åke Hillerud has been a frequent guest are Helsingborg, Gävle, Västerås and Dalasinfoniettan. Hillerud has also conducted a number of concerts at Dalhalla.