Neil Quillen
- Composer
- Music Department
Neil Quillen is a young composer of both concert works and works for
media. He recently graduated from Luther College in Decorah, IA with
his bachelor's degree, and is pursuing a master's degree in film
composition at New York University Steinhardt. Growing up in Stillman
Valley, a rural suburb or Rockford, IL, Neil first discovered music
composition through the guitar as he wrote songs for the various rock
bands he played in. His interests quickly shifted to the iconic film
scores he heard as a child, and writing music became his central career
goal. Neil has had the privilege of working with composers such as
Brooke Joyce, Stephen Paulus, Lawrence Dillon, Larry Alan Smith, and
Robert Pound. He has written for and conducted the Luther Philharmonia
three times, and worked with performers such as Franko Bozac, Anne
Lanzilotti, and the Brentano String Quartet. Neil has written numerous
works for a variety of mediums, including a piece for the Luther
College Trumpet Choir, a piece for the student-lead Luther choir
Jubilus, and a growing number of short film scores. These include "The
Cake", directed and co-written by Nick Czurylo, which premiered at the
OTW Film Fest 2011 and was an official selection at the Interrobang
Film Festival in 2012. "I Know What I Saw", written and directed by
Michael Crowe, won third place at the Oneota Film Festival. Neil was
also the recipient of a Luther College Student/Faculty Collaborative
Research Grant for the summer of 2012, with which he studied film
music.