European travel, cats and Broadway musicals is how I would sum up my life.

My journey post LHS is probably quite different than most everyone else’s.

I went to The University of Delaware where I continued on my path with marching band that I started at LHS. As a matter of fact, I chose Delaware for their marching band even though I was a voice major.

I received a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance and one in Music Education. Upon graduation I received the UD Outstanding Student Teacher Award which led me to my first teaching job in Basking Ridge.

I taught middle school for a couple of years and then decided to move to NYC to pursue my Masters Degree in Opera from the Manhattan School of Music.

After Grad school I lived in the city for a few more years working as a certified mixologist (bartender) and auditioning for opera companies. I then moved to Germany to tour with an opera company for a year. I came back to New Jersey to earn some money before moving back to Europe. That was 36 years ago. I guess life had other plans for me.

In 2006 I had the honor of being the cover picture and story of Choral Director Magazine.

Two years ago, after 35 years of teaching, I retired from Hunterdon Central Regional High School. in Flemington. 165 former students came to sing in and pay tribute to my legacy in a Farewell Retirement Concert. What a beautiful tribute! 

During my career I had the extreme honor of conducting the New Jersey All State Women’s Choir at NJPAC and my select Honors Chorale at Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center. 

Some other career highlights included receiving the Governor’s Award for Arts Education and the Master Music Teacher Award from the New Jersey Music Educators Association. I also served as the President of the Central Jersey Music Educators Association and am still serving on the NJMEA Choral Procedures Committee.

During my tenure at Hunterdon Central High School, I saw my program quickly grow from 30 singers to 350 with hundreds of them selected for Regional, State and National Honors.

Most of my closest friends I met through my choral conducting and musical directing careers.  As a matter of fact, I can’t think of a friend I have in my life who I didn’t meet through music.

One of the joys of my career was leading concert tours of Europe every summer with talented High School students for 22 years. We performed concerts in many different countries over the years including Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, France, Austria, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Hungary, England, Scotland, and Wales. What an amazing experience it was showing the world to incredible, gifted High School music students. 

As successful as my career was my marriage was on the opposite end of the spectrum. I had an awful marriage to a sociopath. I now call myself happily divorced.

I am blessed to still have my 90-year-old mom in my life and not living too far away along with my brother in the same town.

My time now is filled with Broadway musicals (265 so far) family, great friends, mah johnng, reading, cats and travel. Some might call me a Europe addict. I’ve been to 35 countries, 35 states and 4 continents so far.

In 2010 a choral colleague and I created NJWOMENSONG a women’s community choir based in Flemington.  We are always accepting new members if any of you would like to join us. We perform beautiful, challenging, empowering music. Our themes have included Female Empowerment, Music of Female Composers, Broadway Musicals, One Voice, One World, Movie Themes, Music Around the World, Light in the Darkness, and Songs of Inspiration. We also sing at an annual Holocaust Remembrance Service and at other community activities. Many of the members of the choir are former students. It is marvelous and heartwarming to work with former students again as adults. We even have some mother daughter teams as well as mothers of former students. NJWOMENSONG is a great highlight in my life.

My musical journey started when I was the “A” in an America song in First grade.  I knew then that I wanted my life to be dedicated to music. How blessed I am that I have gotten to live out my dream even into retirement.

I have wonderful friends, a great family, my incredible women’s choir, and my fabulous felines. I am truly blessed. 

If you’d like to catch up, please reach out to me at hillarycolton4@gmail.com.