Biography Profile of the Composer I have traveled and performed in Europe and the United States and have produced music for the concert stage and recordings in the neoclassical and Jazz idioms. My music covers a wide range of expression. Cathy Rand says, "The music of David Heckendorn embodies a musical individuality that enraptures both listener and performer. We are captivated and delighted by the vocal, sultry, improvisatory contour of his melodies, the versatile and imaginative harmonic writing, and amused and at times haunted by his distinctive rhythmic playfulness, elegance, and profundity." Cathy Rand, Pianist and Educator on the faculty of the Boston Conservatory

The Concert Stage

In June 1995 I premiered six neoclassical compositions with a 45 piece Orchestra at an East Williston Teacher's Association Scholarship Foundation concert called Mr. Heckendorn's Opus. As stated by David Israel "The night of the concert was a great success both artistically and financially with the Fund receiving a five-figure boost towards achieving its goal."
David K. Israel, Chairman

In the summer of 1996 I was composer in residence in Bratislava, Slovakia with an American Chamber Orchestra under the auspices of Conservatory Abroad. The Artistic Director of the program is James Brooks-Bruzzese the conductor and artistic director of The Orchestra of the Americas. Maestro Bruzzese says "It is obvious that David Heckendorn will be one of the most highly recognized composers as we move into the 21st century. His versatility with all mediums of composition places him at the leading edge of his contemporaries."
Maestro James Brooks-Bruzzese
Symphony of the Americas

In February and November of 1999 I conducted my Children's Everglades Symphony at Broward Arts Center, Florida in celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Big Cypress National Preserve. This work was commissioned by The Young Citizens' Conservation Corps and the Symphony of the Americas.

On June 16, 2000 I produced a concert of my music with my 11 piece jazz orchestra in Sea Cliff, New York.

On July 4, 2000 the National Repertory Orchestra premiered Nature's Universal Throne, my symphonic ode for orchestra, chorus, dance and narration. This piece was commissioned by the Summit County Arts Council of Breckenridge, Colorado through the American Composers Forum as part of the Continental Harmony program. Continental Harmony is an associate partner of the White House Millennium Council.

On October 29, 2000 a concert of my chamber music, including a new commission from the trustees, was produced at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City.

Recordings

The CD called Heckendorn contains five neoclassical pieces from a catalogue of over 50 works. These works include my Concerto for Alto Saxophone and Orchestra. Rivers (a symphonic poem for Concert Orchestra using two actors inspired by and including the poetry of Langston Hughes), and my Clarinet Quintet. Other works include solo and chamber music from duos to Chamber Orchestras. What I call my neoclassical style of composition reflects the 20th Century styles of Stravinsky, Schoenberg, Gershwin, and Weill while acknowledging the greatness of the 18th and 19th Century European masters.

Nostalgia, my second classical CD, features the chamber music I composed while residing and concertizing in Europe the summer of 1996. This recording includes performances of my German lieder by the great Soprano Kafherine Desinger, my solo violin piece played by Leonid Levin, and ten other works for string and woodwind duos, trios, quartets, and quintet.

As a jazz composer, pianist, and vocalist I have produced four CDs. The first, Come Rain or Come Shine, features my writing and performance with an Octet. The Fourth of July. my second release, highlights my work with a quintet. My third CD, Wondering Where You've Gone features my writing and performance with an 11 piece jazz orchestra. Among the personnel on these recordings are notables Danny Gottiieb, Mike Richmond, Jim Pugh, and Gerry Niewood. When asked about my music Gerry has said "The music of David Heckendorn has a wonderful balance; it is technically challenging, yet it is also melodically satisfying. It is modem and innovative yet remains reverent to tradition."
Gerry Niewood, World renowned Saxophonist
and Jazz soloist

Hecknology, my latest jazz release, features my saxophone improvisations within the framework of music I have composed with computer and midi technology. In addition to being a progressive jazz performance it represents part of an educational text I use in teaching improvisation to young musicians.

Profile of the Music Educator

As a music educator for more than twenty-five years I have taught instrumental music, theory, composition, jazz, and have conducted well over 20 musical theatre pieces on the secondary and/or college level. I have composed two stage musicals for my students in addition to incidental music for four dramatic theatre productions.

In 1995, I served as the production music coordinator and special advisor to Richard Dreyfuss for his Academy award nominated role as a music teacher in the Interscope motion picture Mr. Holland's Opus. In a letter from Richard Dreyfuss he writes "You were not only patient, you were downright amiable. You are not only talented, you were indispensable. There was no performance without you." Richard Dreyfuss

As a result of the film's success and impact on behalf of music education, Michael Kamen (film composer) has spearheaded, with the help of Richard Dreyfuss and the film's director Stephen Herek, the non-profit organization, Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation (of which I am a Board member) whose purpose it is to help schools throughout the country by providing necessary instruments and encouraging communities to fund music programs. As stated by Mr. Kamen "The foundation itself is a very hard-working board of about 45 people, devoted to the notion that music education is a major investment in the future of our children."
Michael Kamen, Founder of
Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation

In the program for a recent concert of mine, Michael had the following to say about our long-time friendship and association: "David has been a great teacher ever since we were two seven-year-old boys walking, talking on our way to school. He introduced me to jazz and the saxophone. David and I shared a thirst for new sounds and old sounds. He and I share a total absorption in music, and dreams of composing and playing. Years pass steadily, and our dreams do come true! When I was asked to compose music for Mr. Holland's Opus. in which Richard Dreyfuss needed to play both a composer and a teacher, I became his composer and David Heckendorn became his teacher. May the circle be unbroken."
Michael Kamen, composer

My Work in Film

In addition to having orchestrated, played the piano and clarinet and appeared in the film Mr. Holland's Opus. I have worked on the following films: Shining Through, Assassins, The Krays, and received six credits for my conducting, orchestrating and singing in the film Inventing the Abbotts.

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Timeline

February 21, 2004: 'The Meadow Lark", a commissioned work for the Mitchell Museum in Mount Vernon, Illinois, was premiered by the Cedarhurst Choral Project and the Pacifica Quartet with the composer conducting. The composer was in residence for two weeks working in the schools and meeting with members of the community.

September 27, 2003: Celebrating the 25th anniversary season of Cedarhurst Chamber Music Series, Mt. Vernon, Illinois I performed a concert of my classical chamber music and jazz with four members of the S.I.U. faculty and my collegue, William Kinslow, from New York.

November 2002: Commissioned by the Langston Hughes Library and Cultural Center in Queens to revise my symphonic tone poem "Rivers" for four instrumentalists and two narrators. This piece, which is based upon eight poems by Langston Hughes, was premiered on February 1, 2003.

October 29, 2001: Conducted a concert of my chamber music at St. Patrick's Cathedral, NYC including the world premiere of "I Corinthians 13" for Soprano, four winds and five strings. This piece was commissioned by the trustees of St. Patrick's Cathedral.

July 4, 2000: The world premiere of "Nature's Universal Throne", a symphonic ode with narration performed by the N.R.O. under the direction of Carl Topilow in Breckenridge, Colorado. This piece was commissioned by the Summit County Arts Council through the American Composers Forum (NEA grant) as part of the Continental Harmony program. Continental Harmony is an associate partner of the White House Millennium Council.

February 1999: Conducted my Children's Everglades Symphony: "Visions for the New Millennium" at the Broward Arts Center. Florida in celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Big Cypress National Preserve. This work was commissioned by The Young Citizens' Conservation Corps and the Symphony of the Americas.

April 1998: Recorded a jazz CD called "Wondering Where You've Gone" with my 10 piece jazz ensemble - released later that year.

July 1997: Gave various performances of my music throughout Slovakia for five weeks and composed the music for a chamber music CD called "Nostalgia" which was recorded and released the following year.

June 1996: The East Williston Teacher's Scholarship Foundation produced "Mr. Heckendorn's Opus". This program featured my conducting the premiere performance of six of my new-classical compositions for a 45 piece Orchestra.

The Summer of 1994: Music Production Coordinator and advisor to Richard Dreyfuss for the Interscope feature film "Mr. Holland's Opus". Working closely with film composer Michael Kamen, I orchestrated music, played piano and clarinet on several of the recorded tracks, and appeared in the film.

April 1994: Released the first printing of a C.D. that features myself as a composer of words and music; my performance as a singer and pianist; myself as an orchestrator and executive producer. "Come Rain or Come Shine" recorded on the Lizzie B. Music record label, showcases my Jazz Septet and Octet with which I perform in the New York Metropolitan area.

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

September 1985 - present: Teacher of Instrumental Music at the Wheatley School in Old Westbury Long Island. Conductor for the school's yearly musical theatre productions which over the years has included Carousel, Damn Yankees, and Into The Woods.

September 1979 - June 1982: Director of Instrumental music and lecturer at Marist College, Poughkeepsie New York.

September 1970 - February 1976: Teacher of Instrumental music, Theory, and Jazz workshop at Jamaica High School in Jamaica, Queens. Musical Director and conductor of yearly stage productions including Bye Bye Birdie and Guys and Dolls, and Jazz Concerts.

ORGANIZATIONAL MEMBERSHIPS

ASCAP
Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation (Administrative Board)
East Williston Teacher's Association
Music Educators National Conference
Nassau Music Educators Association
N.Y.S.U.T (A.F.T)

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