One of the most highly sought after conductors of the Pacific Northwest, Dr. Edward Higgins has spent his musical career imparting the joys of music as a performer, educator, and conductor.
Dr. Higgins began his versatile performance career with the Spoleto Festival Orchestra in Spoleto, Italy, where he served as Principal Trumpet on such works as the Grammy-winning recording of Samuel Barber’s Antony and Cleopatra. After two seasons Dr. Higgins went on to hold the Principal Trumpet position of the Sacramento Symphony. He achieved comparable accolades in the Midwest as a professional tubist, holding principal positions in the La Crosse Symphony and St. Joseph Symphony Orchestras.
As an active conductor, Dr. Higgins spent 15 years as Director of Bands at Portland State University and a decade serving as Artistic Director and Conductor of the Portland Wind Symphony, founded the Oregon Conductor’s Symposium and has conducted State and Province wide high school honor ensembles throughout the US and Canada. He has also been a featured guest with the Portland Festival Orchestra. Most recently, Dr. Higgins has become the Orchestra Director of the Portland Choir and Orchestra and has taken his baton worldwide -- appearing in such diverse locales as New York’s La Guardia School of Music and Art (featured in the 1980 motion picture titled “Fame”), and Seattle’s Rainier Symphony Orchestra and the Conservatory of Music in Guangzhou, China.
Higgins has collaborated on the concert stage with notable artists such as, Glenn Dicterow (Concertmaster, New York Philharmonic), Charles Schlueter (Principal Trumpet Emeritus, Boston Symphony), Ronald Baron (Principal Trombone Emeritus, Boston Symphony), Fred Korman (Principal Oboe, Emeritus, Oregon Symphony) and world-renowned trumpet soloist Carl “Doc” Severinsen.
A published author, his critical edition of Robert Russell Bennett’s Suite of Old American Dances is published by Hal Leonard Publishing Company and serves as the model for the company’s master-works series. Higgins is also the author of, Intonation from Both Sides of the Bell, published by Art of Sound Music Publications, Robert Russell Bennett’s Suite of Old American Dances, A Study Guide published by Hoyt Editions and Detroit and Motown, The Rise and Fall of Two Giants published by Alias Music Publications.
Dr. Higgins holds a Doctorate in Conducting from the University of Missouri-Kansas City and Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in trumpet performance from the Juilliard School. He currently serves as a Professor of Music at Portland State University in Portland, Oregon and Orchestra Conductor of the Portland Choir and Orchestra.