Getting to Know You: Adam Tilford
LIHSA is thrilled to officially welcome Adam Tilford to our faculty this year as an Accompanist and Musical Director, but he’s no stranger to LIHSA. Adam taught in our Summer Arts Academy for the last three summers and served as an artist-in-residence during our 2024-25 school year (including serving as the musical director of LIHSA’s original production of Big Shot). Here’s some more about him.
Adam grew up in Elkhart, Indiana, about 10 minutes from Notre Dame and about an hour east from Chicago. Elkhart is known as the “Band Instrument Capital of the World” and that designation made for a very rich musical education experience. Adam was a drum major and a saxophone player in high school and pursued a college degree in Musical Theater.
At 22, Adam moved to New York City to follow his dreams. As an actor, he landed roles, but as a pianist, he got especially noticed. He started serving as musical director for shows and really loved that role and composing music. He also started coaching vocals for friends and flourished as a vocal coach as well.
In addition to working at LIHSA, Adam teaches at the American Musical Dramatic Academy (AMDA), writes, coaches, and continues to perform at the famed West Village piano bar Marie’s Crisis. You can see his piano chops showcased on a couple of episodes of TV’s Younger with Sutton Foster, Hillary Duff, and Miriam Shor.
It’s important to Adam to stay working as a professional to bring this perspective to LIHSA students. In fact, the professional environment at the school is one of the things that impresses Adam the most. He appreciates that the students are honing their craft amidst teachable moments.
When Adam isn’t immersed in the performing arts, he is passionate about cooking. He especially loves to create flavorful sauces. Bolognese, salsas, sauces with peppercorns are among his favorites to make. Adam’s social media feed is filled with influencer cooks who inspire new recipes.
Adam notes that something that makes LIHSA special is that everyone wants to be here. For this year, his goal is to make sure his students learn something from him that they hadn’t learned before. Our students are so lucky to learn from Adam!
Click here to read an earlier blog about Adam.
