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As Max Hill ’26 prepares to graduate in less than two months from Lycoming College with a major in music and minors in political science and history, his band Fez — still riding high after winning the 2025 Movin’ On Battle of the Bands and performing as the opening act at the PSU music festival — is juggling gigs from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh, with a possible tour outside of the state planned for later this year.
Before Fez became a local sensation, Hill’s love of music got its start when he took up the trumpet at the tender age of 7 and transitioned to electric bass at age 10 for his middle school’s rock band program. That led to his playing in multiple punk bands in junior high and high school with paid gigs. But it wasn’t until college that he and a former band mate began experimenting with different sounds and decided to go in another direction, forming Fez.
While Fez’s popularity grew, Hill spent his time at Lycoming College immersing himself in music courses, where his skills, understanding of different areas of music, and love of the art of music also grew. A multi-instrumentalist, Hill’s palette expanded to include double bass and acoustic guitar, as well as piano, where he has seen “absolutely exceptional development.”
“Lycoming has been nothing but supportive of my interests both inside and outside of the classroom. The music program has allowed me to succeed in constructing musical theory and performance groundwork that I can take with me beyond college and into a career as a musician.”
“Lycoming has been nothing but supportive of my interests both inside and outside of the classroom. The music program has allowed me to succeed in constructing musical theory and performance groundwork that I can take with me beyond college and into a career as a musician,” he continued.
In preparation for graduation from Lycoming, Hill recently completed an impressive capstone portfolio of recordings and reflections on his artistic process with Tim Breon, Lycoming College music instructor. “Tim has been incredible, and through my music and tech classes with him, I’ve been able to fill out the other side of music — the things that happen after the performance, including recording and mixing,” said Hill. “Being able to pursue these things in more depth with my capstone was extremely valuable.”
Hill added that Music Theory with Amanda Gunderson, DMA, associate professor of music, was a highlight of his studies at Lycoming. “In addition to teaching my favorite class, Dr. Gunderson has given me more confidence by showcasing the things that I’m doing in and out of school. She has always been super supportive, encouraging me to be more outspoken about my accomplishments,” he said.
“I am so proud of Max and Fez for their selection as the opening act in the 2025 Movin' On Festival,” said Gunderson. “Even more impressive is Max's solo work in his capstone recording project: he has taken creative risks and found his own artistic voice, proving that he is more than a bandmember in Fez — he has a unique musical point of view and a diverse skillset to capture and communicates his ideas. I can't wait to hear what he creates next!”
As Hill’s own music expertise developed, so too did Fez with Xavier Hons on lead vocals and drums, and Hill on bass and vocals. “We had been in an established punk band and wanted something softer, so we decided to pursue music on our own. We’ve always liked to pursue whatever sound comes to us in the moment,” he explained. After a few performances and the addition of guitarist Jimmy Connelly, Fez — now a trio — landed on a unique genre that it dubbed “scuba rock,” combining elements from punk, surf music, and rock.
Fez has now been gigging on the road for four years, and in May 2025, won top prize at the Movin’ On Battle of the Bands: The opening spot at Penn State’s annual student-run music festival. “It was an incredible night! The win was unexpected because our style is less mainstream.” As a result, Fez scored a flurry of positive press in the State College area, including a recorded performance on WKPS 90.7 the LION, an article in Onward State, and multiple stories in PSU’s The Daily Collegian.
Hill intends to continue his musical pursuits and to seek a career in music, but is leaving the door open to other professions, including fields that allow him to continue writing creatively and informatively, which he believes can be done in tandem with the band.
Despite these other interests, Fez continues to rise in popularity, and with more than 25,000 streams on Spotify alone, the band is working to open the lines of communication with record labels and industry professionals as it seeks bigger gigs in larger venues.
“My Lycoming education has helped immensely with my understanding of music theory, which in turn has assisted me in composing alongside Fez,” said Hill. “Entering college, I was unable to read sheet music and understand how harmony functioned at a very basic level. Now, in my final year at Lyco, I am not only able to read music, but I am also knowledgeable about how different chords interact when building a progression. Fez has grown with this increasing music theory knowledge, raising the complexity of the music.”
“Lycoming was a great fit for me. I don’t think any other college could have been so supportive of my broad musical pursuits.”