Billy has been a musical director / conductor for a wide range of musical theatre. He has won nine awards from the Northern Ireland Festival of Light Opera and been nominated for many AIMS awards.
In 2001, he was nominated as Best Musical Director, an award he has already won on two previous occasions, following his work with New Lyric Opera Company in their production of The Pirates of Penzance.
For several years he has devised and directed Belfast Festival at Queen's Cavalcade of Song for AIMS Northern Region. He has formed his own choral group, which performs throughout Northern Ireland. He is also much in demand as an examiner and adjudicator.
Billy was awarded an MBE in the 2009 New Year's Honours for his contribution to music in Northern Ireland.