How Many Hats Does the Average Person in the Entertainment Industry Wear? Houston Dunleavy Wears Eight

Meet Houston Dunleavy – Composer. Conductor. Actor. Singer. Comedian. Writer. Academic. And Santa Claus.

Like most creative people, Houston Dunleavy doesn’t stick to one lane. He has written over 100 classical music compositions which have been performed on every continent except Antarctica. He’s worked both on and offstage in over 50 theatre productions. His music is featured on 20 albums. He’s earned a Latin Grammy nomination. He’s taught at universities across two continents. He does stand-up comedy. And every December since 1987, he delights kids as a piano-playing Santa Claus in shopping centres.

But with eight careers, how do you even let people know what you can do?

So Houston put it all in one place – on Milestones Page. And now with one link, you can see everything he’s ever done.

👉Check out Houston’s full Milestones Page here.

How does someone end up doing so many different things? In Houston’s case, it started with an accident that almost ended his music career.

The Accident That Changed Everything

Houston was born in Ballymena, Northern Ireland, within sight of Slemish mountain, one of the places where St. Patrick supposedly lived. His family was musical on both sides. Piano and singing came naturally.

But the Northern Ireland Troubles of the late ’60s and early ’70s forced his parents to make an extraordinary decision: move to Australia. Give their kids a chance to grow up safely.

In Australia, Houston expanded his training. Clarinet. Theory. Voice. He graduated from The University of Melbourne with degrees in history and composition, then launched his professional career as a clarinettist and conductor.

Then came the freak accident.

It was a one in a million chance.

In July 1987, he was walking under a light, when suddenly the light fitting came loose and fell. And landed directly on his head.

Instinctively, he threw his hands up to protect himself.

The glass sliced his left thumb, almost completely severing the tendon. The cut was so deep that it severed the nerves all the way up his hand and wrist.

Over two months, all the nerves died.

Houston couldn’t bend his thumb anymore. And you need that thumb to operate the key at the back of a clarinet or saxophone.

His career as a clarinettist was over.

So he became a composer instead.

From Tragedy to Latin Grammy Nomination

That falling light didn’t end Houston’s music career. It redirected it.

He travelled to the USA and earned Master’s degrees in composition and choral conducting at The Cleveland Institute of Music, studying with Donald Erb and Gilbert Brooks. Then he completed a Ph.D. in music composition from The State University of New York at Buffalo, working with David Felder and Charles Wuorinen.

Glass light falls. Clarinet career ends. PhD begins. Latin Grammy nomination follows.

In 2019, Brett Deubner received a Latin Grammy nomination for “Best Classical CD Recording” for his performance of Houston’s composition “A Kiss Before the World’s End” with the Orquesta de Heredia of Costa Rica.

The album Solosh, which earned Houston his Latin Grammy nomination:

Houston’s work has been performed in Melbourne, Sydney, London, Dublin, New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Madrid, Paris, Cape Town, Taipei, Fukushima, Quebec, Bangkok, and Buenos Aires.

Venues include Melbourne Town Hall, Sydney Town Hall, Saint Peter’s Church in Manhattan, and concert halls across three continents.

The Tuba Piece Only One Person Could Play

One of Houston’s most legendary compositions is “Gondwanaland” – a concerto for tuba and symphonic wind ensemble.

It took four years to write.

When it premiered in February 1999 at Kulas Hall in Cleveland, there was only one tuba player in the entire world who could actually perform it: Alan Baer (now principal tuba of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra).

The piece was that technically demanding.

That’s Houston. He doesn’t just write music. He pushes the boundaries of what’s humanly possible to play.

The composition ‘Gondwanaland’:

Every Job in the Theatre (Except Selling Ice Creams)

Houston hasn’t just composed music. He’s lived inside the theatre world for decades.

Over 50 productions. Actor. Conductor. Music director. Composer. Sound designer. Musical theatre and straight theatre. On stage and backstage.

He’s represented by Howell Management as an actor in Melbourne.

If it happens in a theatre, Houston’s probably done it. (Except maybe selling ice creams at interval. Maybe.)

Here’s just one of his credits from when he played Prospero in The Tempest:

The Santa Who Plays Piano

Since 1987, Houston has had one of the most delightful – and unexpected – gigs in entertainment.

He’s a department store Santa.

But not just any Santa.

Houston rocks up in full costume, sits at a grand piano in the middle of shopping centres, and performs Christmas carols – “Jingle Bells,” “Rudolph,” “Silent Night” – before hopping in the chair for photos with kids.

He’s done it in both Melbourne and in Annapolis, Maryland.

Most Santas just sit there. Houston gives you a concert.

That’s probably why he’s been doing it for nearly 40 years.

Houston as Santa:

Many Careers. One Page.

With a career this diverse, where can you put it all? There’s only one place – Milestones Page.

Every milestone can be featured, and it can include videos, links, recordings, reviews, premiere details, and the story behind the piece.

Every theatre production can include programs, photos, press coverage, and his specific role.

Every album can link to Spotify, Amazon, Bandcamp or anywhere else, and you can include liner notes, and shows collaborators, and tell the stories behind everything.

His Santa gig? There are videos of him at the piano in full gear, news stories, commercials, and testimonials from shopping centres.

His stand-up comedy? Footage, venue details, dates.

You don’t just see a list of what Houston’s done. You experience his career.

👉Check out Houston’s full Milestones Page here.

Houston’s Career by the Numbers

Before Milestones Page, all of this was scattered:

🎵 100+ classical compositions across every continent (except Antarctica)

🎭 50+ theatre productions (actor, director, composer, sound designer)

💿 20 albums featuring his work

🎅 38 years playing Santa (and still going)

🎩 8 different professional identities

🏆 1 Latin Grammy nomination

∞ websites needed to show it all

After Milestones Page? One link. Everything. Forever.

👉See How Houston Organised it All.

From Academic to Full-Time Creator

In 1995, while at the Hoy Composers’ Course, Houston was appointed Lecturer in Composition at The University of Wollongong. He eventually became Senior Lecturer and Acting Head of The School of Music and Drama.

Here’s a documentary The University of Wollongong made about Houston:

He taught at The Australian Institute of Music in Sydney and Melbourne, becoming Head of the Composition and Production Program. He was Musical Director of The Sydney Male Choir. Academic Director of the Australian Guild of Music Education. Musical Director at St. Oswald’s Anglican Church in Glen Iris.

But in 2010, Houston made a crucial decision: he became a freelancer again.

Now? He composes. He performs with anarchic free improvisation group Third Rail. He takes acting gigs. He does the occasional stand-up set.

And he keeps adding it all to his Milestones Page.

Houston performing stand-up comedy:

The Platform Built for People Like Houston

Milestones Page was designed for artists who refuse to be just one thing.

✅ Link everything from across the web – Spotify, YouTube, IMDb, Vimeo, your own recordings
✅ Upload images – Programs, flyers, promotional photos, backstage shots
✅ Embed videos – Performances, showreels, behind-the-scenes footage
✅ Attach documents – Reviews, press coverage, sheet music, scripts
✅ Tell the story – Add context, dates, collaborators, and what made each project special

You control it. You update it. You decide what counts.

IMDb only shows some of Houston’s work. Spotify only has some of his albums. LinkedIn only captures the academic side.

Milestones Page shows everything.

Make It Yours

Houston’s Milestones Page showcases classical compositions and theatre productions.

Yours might showcase:

• Dance performances and choreography
• Illustration work and gallery shows
• Music production and session work
• Writing credits and publications
• Teaching and workshops
• Film roles and voiceover work

Whatever hats you wear, this is where you show them all.

Not just a list. A showcase. A story. Proof of what you’ve done, with receipts.

One Link. Everything You’ve Ever Done

When casting directors want to see Houston’s work, they get the full picture:

• His compositions
• His performances
• His conducting
• His theatre work
• His range across eight disciplines

When collaborators reach out, they can see exactly what he brings to the table.

When students discover him, they understand why he’s qualified to teach.

When parents see him at the shopping centre, they can look him up and realise: “Wait, this Santa is a Latin Grammy-nominated composer?“

All from one link.

$67. Lifetime Access. Forever.

Here’s the deal:

For a limited time, you get lifetime access to Milestones Page for just $67.

No renewals. No subscriptions. No hidden costs.

One payment. Your entire creative career, organised and ready to share. Forever.

That’s less than:

• One year of website hosting
• Hiring a designer for a portfolio site
• A professional headshot session
• Updating five different platforms separately for a year

And unlike those things, Milestones Page doesn’t expire.

You build it once. Update it as you grow. Share it forever.

Join the Artists Who’ve Organised Their Careers

Multi-disciplinary artists everywhere are using Milestones Page to finally show their full range:

✅ Composers who also conduct
✅ Actors who also direct
✅ Musicians who also teach
✅ Writers who also perform
✅ Designers who also create

They’re tired of scattered credits. Tired of incomplete profiles. Tired of explaining their careers five different ways on five different platforms.

They’re doing what Houston did: putting it all in one place.

Ready to Show the World Everything You’ve Done?

Stop choosing which hat to wear.

Stop sending people to five different links.

Stop losing opportunities because your range is too hard to explain.

Show them all eight hats. In one place. With proof.

Just like Houston.

FAQ

“Why not just build my own website?”
You could. That’ll cost $500-$2,000 and take 20+ hours to build and maintain. Or spend $67 and 15 minutes on Milestones Page.

“What if I’m not tech-savvy?”
If you can post on social media, you can use Milestones Page. It’s designed for artists, not developers.

“What if my career changes?”
Perfect. Add new milestones whenever you want. No extra cost. Ever.

“I don’t have eight careers like Houston…”
That’s fine! Even if you only wear two or three hats, showing them all in one place (with proof and context) beats scattered credits any day.

“Can I include small projects or just the big ones?”
Everything. The major productions AND the scrappy independent films. The prestigious concert halls AND the community theatre shows. All of it matters. All of it counts.