BIO
Sterling D. Tilley, III, a native of Springfield, Virginia, began his musical journey as a preschooler, quickly playing tunes by ear. At seven years old, he began formally studying the piano and later, the pipe organ in middle school. Within the initial few weeks of taking piano lessons, he composed his first piece and from that moment on, Sterling knew that he wanted to be a composer. Sterling is an accomplished pianist and organist who has performed in numerous competitions, theater productions, and religious services since 2013. One of his most recognized compositions, "The Rise of Black Diamond," was featured during the awards ceremony for the 2020 National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) national Afro-Academic, Cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympics (ACT-SO) Competition. Sterling's "Afterdark" won a competition sponsored by the Watson Brass, which premiered the piece in April 2022. And, in 2024, his piece “Lost” won the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) Sherwood Shaffer Prize, which placed this original score in their Music Library. Additionally, Sterling has scored to picture for many scenes, short films, and two popular feature-length films since 2020- namely, ‘Spider-Man: Hunted’ (fan film) and ‘Spider-Man: Hunted – Ultimatum' (fan film).
ORIGINAL WORKS
Original Works Premiered
2023 Awakening
Premiered at UNCSA’s Photona 2023
2023 Here We Go!
Premiered at the UNCSA Symphony Orchestra: Orchestral Premieres
2022 Afterdark
Premiered at the UNCSA Watson Brass Faculty Recital
2022 Occultation Directed by Aly Castillo
Original Film Score for UNCSA, Department of Film, student
2022 Midnight Directed by Grant Kaufman
Original Film Score for UNCSA, Department of Film, student
2022 Spider-Man: Hunted Directed by Declan Duggan
Original Film Score for a Spider-Man Fan Film
2021 Silver Apples of the Moon Directed by Clara Hirata
Original Film Score for UNCSA, Department of Film, student
2021 A Letter to You Directed by Jillian Dengate
Original Film Score for UNCSA, Department of Film, student
2021 A Fleeting Moment Directed by Alejandro Lucas
Original Film Score for UNCSA, Department of Film, student
2021 Vine Street
Premiered at a UNCSA Performance Hour
2021 The Enchanted Traveler poem by Bliss Carman
Premiered at the UNCSA Composers Born in the 2000s Song Recital
2021 Cirque de Trahison
Premiered at a UNCSA Performance Hour
2020 A Hero’s Mind
Premiered at 2020 senior piano recital
2020 The Rise of Black Diamond
Premiered at the 2020 NAACP ACT-SO Competition Awards Ceremony
2019 For You
Premiered at the 2019 UNCSA Summer Composition and Music Technology Intensive
2026 Evermind Directed by Saint-Juniper Bailey
Original Film Score for UNCSA, Department of Film, animation student.
2025 Fable of Fey Directed by Jack Zatkowsky
Original Film Score for UNCSA, Department of Film, student
2025 Cherry Red Directed by Abby Perkins
Original Film Score for UNCSA, Department of Film, student
2024 Spider-Man: Hunted - Ultimatum Directed by Declan Duggan
Original Film Score for a Spider-Man Feature Fan Film
2024 Halloween Hysteria Directed by Simon Smith (New Version)
Original Film Score for a Halloween film inspired by Michael Jackson’s Thriller
2024 Lost
Performed at my UNCSA Senior Recital and previously recorded in 2023. It was also admitted into the UNCSA Music Library by virtue of the UNCSA Sherwood Shaffer Prize
2024 Adventure
Performed at my UNCSA Senior Recital and previously recorded in 2022
2024 Waves
Premiered at a UNCSA Graduate Student Recital
2024 Eye of the Storm
Performed in collaboration with the UNCSA School of Dance class of 2024
2023 Hive Directed by Vianelli C. DeLeon
Original Film Score for UNCSA, Department of Film, animation student. Admitted into
Raleigh Film and Art Festival and Real to Reel Film Festival.
2023 Halloween Hysteria Directed by Simon Smith
Original Film Score for a Halloween film inspired by Michael Jackson’s Thriller
2023 Bargain Mart Directed by Jamie Marano
Original Film Score for UNCSA, Department of Film, animation student
2023 Next Stop Directed by Caleb M. Jordan
Original Film Score for UNCSA, Department of Film, student
2023 Legend of Midnight Directed by William “Bill” Parham
Original Film Score for UNCSA, Department of Film, animation student
EXPERIENCE
"Such beautiful music, masterful technique and true artistry!"
Sterling Tilley is a passionate and creative composer with a desire to specialize in film composition, song writing, arranging, orchestration, and production. Offers nine years of experience as a choral and orchestral accompanist with thirteen years of classical piano training and seven years of pipe organ training in both classical and sacred repertoire.
NEWS & EVENTS
♪ Stay tuned for future events
Afterdark (2022) performed by the Watson Brass
