Having studied classical piano from the age of six, Simon R. Tiffin has long considered music a second language. He earned his Bachelor of Music from the University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign, where he was the winner of the Clara Rolland Piano Competition (2016).
At Illinois, Tiffin studied voice with Dr. Barrington Coleman and Dr. Tim Bostwick, and currently studies with Professor Ricardo Herrera. His piano studies are under the guidance of Dr. Christos Tsitsaros. He has worked extensively with esteemed conductors Dr. Andrew Megill and Dr. Andrea Solya, with whom he is presently pursuing a Master of Music in Choral Conducting.
Tiffin is an active conductor, pianist, and vocalist whose career spans both classical and contemporary genres. He currently serves as Artistic Director of The Chorale of Champaign–Urbana, Conductor of the Central Illinois Youth Chorus Chamber Choir, Conductor of the University Treble Chorus at the University of Illinois, and Director of Music at Faith United Methodist Church in Champaign. He also serves as Music Director for the Saturday Vigil Mass and Organist for the Sunday 9 PM Mass at the St. John Catholic Newman Center on the University of Illinois campus.
As a collaborative artist, Tiffin has toured nationally with composer, producer, and conductor Steve Hackman, performing in productions such as The Beatles Reimagined, Taylor Swift: The Symphony Era, Bob Dylan Reimagined, and The Brink, in which he was featured as a soloist for the world premiere in Santa Monica, California. In addition to his performance work, Tiffin serves as a vocal coach and production collaborator for Hackman’s projects, contributing to the musical preparation for productions including Drake v. Tchaikovsky, Brahms v. Radiohead, and Beethoven v. Coldplay. He has also sung with Music of the Baroque under Dame Jane Glover and was a finalist for Cantus in their 2022 auditions.
Recent music direction credits include Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (Vocal Director, Champaign–Urbana Theatre Company at the Virginia Theatre), The Sound of Music (Vocal Director, CUTC), and [title of show] (Music Director, The Station Theatre).
Tiffin believes deeply in the communicative power of ensemble music-making, viewing it as a vehicle for truth, empathy, and shared humanity.