Jessica Hilo

Jessica Hilo is a freelance arts reporter in Los Angeles. Her work has been featured in the Santa Barbara Independent and Canadian webzine Uncharted Sounds. She served as a social media commentator for the National Summit for Arts Journalism in 2009. Her short documentary on film music composers, "Composing the Score," debuted in Los Angeles December 2009.

Articles by this Author

Making a Joyful Noise With the Berkeley Symphony - Article
May 2, 2011

The Berkeley Symphony has never trotted out a garden-variety music education program. Even so, the orchestra’s current education director, Ming Luke, has thrashed forward in a bullish pursuit of innovation. Working with schools, from within the classroom through to the upper echelons of district administration, Luke has forged a curriculum whose ironclad efficiency makes the most of every classroom minute.

Quinteto Latino Explores New Riches - Preview
April 25, 2011

“I had a brief stint of gigs in Latin America,” said Armando Castellano, founder of the woodwind quintet Quinteto Latino, “and what I found there was indeed a long history.”

The Sound of Silence - Preview
February 8, 2011

Nestled in a dusty corner of the music industry sits film music — the neglected stepchild of pop culture and symphonic performance. Caught between two worlds, and often crucified for it, music for film goes to great lengths to gain acceptance.

Día de la Musica - Preview
October 20, 2010

Three years ago, the San Francisco Symphony programmed a family concert to meet the artistic needs of the city’s Latino community. Although the organization had dabbled in Latino programming before, with single-ticket events celebrating holidays like Cinco de Mayo, this concert was of an entirely different breed.

“The symphony started this concert with a little bit of reservation,” explained Martha Rodriguez-Salazar, curator of the Symphony’s “Dia de los Muertos” family concert. “They didn’t know what to expect.”

Open Season at Open Opera - Preview
August 6, 2010

“Oh, Porta-Potties! I had forgotten about that,” reflected Elizabeth Baker with a booming laugh, as her cofounder, Ellen St. Thomas, retold horror stories from Open Opera’s first season of live operatic production. “We were totally unprepared.”

San Francisco Opera Takes to the Silver Screen - Article
July 12, 2010

Smith Rafael Theater MarqueeA heavy air of reverence fills the theater space as audience members quietly take their seats — the viewing ritual of a centuries-old art form.