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Frank R. Zilinyi, Artistic Director
Frank R. Zilinyi joined the staff of The Music Series at South Church as its 3rd Artistic Director at the beginning of its 2021-22 season. Mr. Zilinyi also serves as Director of Music at South Congregational-First Baptist Church in New Britain, Connecticut. In 2019, he became the 6th Artistic Director of the Mystic River Choral, where he leads an intergenerational choir in pieces ranging from miniatures to masterworks, spanning repertoire from the middle-ages to today. He is also Director of The University of Bridgeport’s University Singers.
In addition to his directorial roles, Mr. Zilinyi is an active organ recitalist, having presented concerts in many of the major organ venues in the northeast. He has received numerous awards and recognitions for his playing, including the 1st prize in the Agnes Fowler Organ Competition and the Strader Organ Scholarship at the University of Cincinnati. Mr. Zilinyi also serves as Co-dean of the Greater Bridgeport Chapter of the American Guild of Organists.
A New York City Native, Mr. Zilinyi has performed with the Choir of The First Presbyterian Church in the City of New York, The Oberlin College Choir, The Oberlin Musical Union, The Oberlin Baroque Orchestra, The Kronos Quartet, Malcolm Dalglish, The Connecticut Chamber Choir, The Meetinghouse Chorale, The CCM Philharmonia and Concert Orchestra, and the Farmington Valley Chorale.
Mr. Zilinyi completed his musical studies in Organ, Conducting, and Keyboard Pedagogy at the Oberlin Conservatory (B.Mus.) and the College Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati (M.M.). He has studied organ William F. Entriken, Roberta Gary, Marie-Louise Langlais, Andrew Reisinger, and James David Christie. His conducting teachers include Hugh Floyd and L. Brett Scott.
Hannah Hickman, Managing Director
Hannah Hickman, DMA, is a saxophonist, educator, and arts administrator based in Farmington, Connecticut. She joined The Music Series as Managing Director at the start of the 2026-2027 season.
Her performance experience includes appearances as a Fromm Player at the Tanglewood Music Center and performances with the Hartford Symphony Orchestra, Albany Symphony Orchestra, and New World Symphony. She has appeared at the Mostly Modern Festival, Caroga Lake Music Festival, and Avaloch Farm Music Institute, and was named a Yamaha Young Performing Artist in 2017. Hannah maintains an active performance career as a soloist and soprano saxophonist with the Hierax Quartet. She is featured on the forthcoming album Without Omission, created in collaboration with composer J. Taylor Arnold (cmntx records).
Hannah serves on the faculty of Connecticut State Community College–Gateway, where she teaches applied saxophone, classical chamber music, and world music, and on the adjunct faculty of The Hartt School at the University of Hartford. She also maintains a private studio serving students at all stages of life. Her doctoral research explored approaches to teaching saxophone to older adult beginners, drawing on adult learning principles and research on the cognitive, physical, and psychological dimensions of aging. Her research was supported by a P.E.O. Scholar Award and a North American Saxophone Alliance seed grant.
Hannah earned a Doctor of Musical Arts in Saxophone from The Hartt School in 2026, following previous degrees from the University of Michigan, the University of Missouri–Kansas City Conservatory, and the University of Minnesota.