John Higgins

Arranger, Composer, and Producer. Also credited as photographer Higgins is best known for his many compositions and arrangements for choirs, bands and orchestras. He is currently the Managing Producer/Editor for Hal Leonard Publishing Corporation. He served as president of Jenson Publications Inc. before it became a part of the Hal Leonard Corporation He began in the music field as the student arranger for the University of Michigan Band under Dr. William D. Revelli. He served as Illinois president of the American String Teachers Association, and as a public school teacher, his school concerts featured renowned soloists and conductors such as Skitch Henderson, Charlie Byrd, and Arthur Fiedler. As a composer of children's songs, he has collaborated with notables like John Jacobson, Roger Emerson and Emily Crocker on musicals such as How Does Your Garden Grow? and A Storybook Christmas. He has also arranged and produced a large catalog of children's music, including The Runaway Snowman, Peace Child, and Leslie Bricusse's Scrooge. His recording production for McGraw-Hill's Share The Music textbook series included music from Sesame Street, Disney films and a special project with the late Fred Rogers. In two series of Broadway shows for young performers, Higgins arranged and produced new versions of Annie, Guys & Dolls, Fiddler on the Roof, The King and I, and The Music Man. He has two Grammy award-winning projects: arranging on Sandi Patty's Another Time, Another Place and co-producing on Rob McConnell's Live in Digital. In addition to his writing and producing activities, he maintains a role in music education as a guest conductor, clinician and author.