Music

All We Need: Meditations on Queer Being

SATB, SSAT Soli, a cappella

Last Year, In New England

3333/4331/4/Timpani/Harp/Strings

Commonwealth Sonata

Solo Piano

Hope Slips In

SSAATTBB a cappella

Clarion

String Orchestra

Te Deum

SATB, SATB Soli, Organ

ABOUT

Cory Hibbs is an American composer performer, artist, and writer. Of his piece, All We Need: Meditations on Queer Being, Music Journalist, Ken Herman writes, “Hibbs has taken his listeners on a profound spiritual journey.” Award-winning composer Tom Benjamin says, “He writes with great freshness and expressive power, as well as lyricism. He shows how sensitive to text he is, and to dramatic shaping.”  Composer Samuel Hedrick describes Dr. Hibbs’ compositions as, “…a unique, highly personal body of work that will be of the greatest value and importance.” 

He has received numerous accolades including awards from ASCAP and the American Composer's Orchestra and served as composer-in-residence for the San Diego Opera. He is a frequent collaborator with the choral ensemble SACRA/PROFANA. In 2024, the ensemble premiered three of his works, including the evening-length choral song cycle All We Need: Meditations on Queer Being. Commissioned with support from the California Arts Council, the project also featured a large-scale art installation by the composer, integrated into the performance space.

In 2014, Hibbs co-founded CITY Opera, a new opera company in San Diego, dedicated to cutting-edge productions. The San Diego Union-Tribune calls CITY Opera “an inspiration”, “visceral”, and “evocative”. Their inaugural season was a critical success. 

About CITY Opera's production of "Queen of Carthage", Jim Chute of the San Diego Union-Tribune writes, “Their 45-minute reduction of Purcell’s “Dido and Aeneas,” renamed “Queen of Carthage” with a new libretto by Hibbs, was an inspiration… Hibbs kept things moving and the pacing was just about ideal."

"Hibbs and his cast find new colors, energy and subtleties in the songs", Pam Kragen says in her review of CITY Opera's production of "The Andrée Expedition".

An active actor and performer, Dr. Hibbs has appeared in numerous feature films and stage productions in New York City including such classic works as “Henry V”, “Antigone” (Anouilh), “The Heiress”, and “Saint Joan”, as well as a slew of new theatre and film pieces by emerging artists.  As a singer, conductor, and pianist he has performed both classical and modern works through the United States, including New York, Boston, Baltimore, Washington D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Diego.

Dr. Hibbs earned his BMus from San Diego State University in Music Composition and Vocal Performance. After graduating from SDSU he attended the British American Drama Academy studying acting with actors Ben Kingsley and Alan Rickman, and director Deborah Warner. He earned a Master of Music degree in Composition from Boston University, and from the Peabody Conservatory, a second MMus in Music Theory Pedagogy, and a Doctorate of Musical Arts in Composition.  He has studied with composers Christopher Theofanidis, Lukas Foss, David Ward-Steinman, and Samuel Headrick.  

Cory is also a writer, frequently writing the poetry to his vocal works.

Committed to the education of the next generation of artists, Dr. Hibbs has taught San Diego State University, The Peabody Conservatory, Boston University, and Southwestern College. Hibbs currently resides in San Diego.

Performances and Premieres

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