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Hank Hehmsoth

As a performing artist, Hank has remarkably played over 10,000 international, national, state and regional area performances, from classical to jazz to pop/rock, as well as Broadway, concert tour music, nightclubs, and symphony.He is a lifetime voting member for the GRAMMY© Awards. Hank teaches Composition and Jazz Piano, and is the Director of Computer Applications and WebMaster for the School of Music. “I am out to create a new, signature American sound, from a synthesis of contemporary art music, jazz, and world music, with a global approach and unique blend of influences, that gives my music a brand, its own distinctive place in the international scene. I wish to push my music in new directions, and continue focusing on socially engaged programming." Hank's students play piano, bass, sax, flute, guitar, and have won awards and scholarships including Berklee School and the Patti Strickel Harrison Scholarship. Composition students learn commercial arranging and contemporary techniques in jazz. His studio includes international students from Serbia, China, South Korea, and South America.

Awards

Award / Honor Recipient: First Place NACUSA TX/USA competition, NACUSA National Association of Composers. Award / Honor Recipient: JCOI – Jazz Composers Orchestra Institute Special Recognition, Columbia University, Affiliate of the ACO American Composers Orchestra. Award / Honor Recipient: "Best Song” "Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)", Academy Award©. 1981 Award / Honor Recipient: winner 5 Grammies©, GRAMMY awards. Award / Honor Recipient: New Music USA Composer Assistance Program, New Music USA. Award / Honor Recipient: ASCAP PLUS - Award in Composition, American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. Award / Honor Recipient: Adjudicator, Fulbright-Chile International Arts Committee. Award / Honor Recipient: The Kandinsky Trio 25 x 25 Anniversary Project Grant, The Kandinsky Trio. Award / Honor Recipient: ART WORKS "Reminiscences of NEA Jazz Master Dan Morgenstern", National Endowment for the Arts. Award / Honor Recipient: 2019 Morroe Berger – Benny Carter – Ed Berger Jazz Research Award, Institute of Jazz Studies - Rutgers University.

Tags

Hank Hehmsoth Double Vision

"Hank is different from the traditional composer because he's a working jazz man. He brings that "player's" perspective to what he writes whether it's a jazz work or classical work …some of the best jazz you'll hear around here, or anywhere else, for that matter." John Bustin - Austin American Statesman "... very loose and open to possibilities, he takes it to another level, writing, playing, his compositions continue to evolve and grow. I had a chance to play with Hank and hear some of his compositions as well. A very fine musician, indeed! He demonstrates a strong sense of originality and compositional craft." Bob Mintzer - jazz saxophonist, composer - Yellowjackets

Primary Instrument

Piano

Location

Austin

Willing to teach

Advanced only

Credentials/Background

Credits
• MacDowell Norton Stevens Fellow in Composition, National Endowment for the Arts Fellow in Jazz Composition, Fulbright Senior Specialist in Jazz Studies, National Endowment for the Arts Project Specialist
• Research Scholar - Institute of Jazz Studies, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ
• Texas State University Presidential Award for Excellence in Scholarly/Creative Activities, Spotlight on Excellence at Texas State University, recipient of the Dean’s Seminar Award
• Pianist with the Grammy© nominated jazz group Times Ten
• Lifetime voting member for the GRAMMY© Awards
• 1st place National Association of Composers USA, Composer Competition
Teaching Interests
• Contemporary Concepts of Jazz Theory & Composition
• Classical & Jazz - Advanced Piano Techniques

As a performing artist, Hank has remarkably played over 10,000 international, national, state and regional area performances, from classical to jazz to pop/rock, as well as Broadway, concert tour music, nightclubs, and symphony.
He is a lifetime voting member for the GRAMMY© Awards.
Hank teaches Composition and Jazz Piano, for the School of Music.
Hank's students play piano, bass, sax, flute, guitar, and have won awards and scholarships including Berklee School and the Patti Strickel Harrison Scholarship. Composition students learn commercial arranging and contemporary techniques in jazz. His studio includes international students from Serbia, China, South Korea, and South America.

Recent student comments:
"I have very much enjoyed my time studying with you during my masters program. I came in confident of my abilities as a jazz musician and composer, but you've helped me further solidify them, as well as teach me aspects that I was weaker in or had not considered yet. My understanding of jazz harmony and composition has grown significantly since our first lesson, and I will always value my time under your tutelage. Thank you for believing in me and for challenging me to be a better composer/orchestrator and musician."

"...the best teacher I have had throughout all of my degrees. His work ethic is tremendous. I have recommended him to the best students I know. He continually gave more time than was required in our meetings, and was never in a hurry to end the lesson."

"...He's very knowledgeable and seems to like what he does. That quality is hard to read in others."

"...This is the most fun class in the School of Music."

"Thanks again for the awesome class. Seriously, this is the most useful stuff I've encountered in my education thus far."
Quotes:
"Hank is different from the traditional composer because he's a working jazz man. He brings that "player's" perspective to what he writes whether it's a jazz work or classical work …some of the best jazz you'll hear around here, or anywhere else, for that matter."
John Bustin - Austin American Statesman

"... very loose and open to possibilities, he takes it to another level, writing, playing, his compositions continue to evolve and grow. I had a chance to play with Hank and hear some of his compositions as well. A very fine musician, indeed! He demonstrates a strong sense of originality and compositional craft."
Bob Mintzer - jazz saxophonist, composer - Yellowjackets

Primary Instrument

Piano

Location

Austin

Willing to teach

Advanced only

Credentials/Background

Credits
• MacDowell Norton Stevens Fellow in Composition, National Endowment for the Arts Fellow in Jazz Composition, Fulbright Senior Specialist in Jazz Studies, National Endowment for the Arts Project Specialist
• Research Scholar - Institute of Jazz Studies, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ
• Texas State University Presidential Award for Excellence in Scholarly/Creative Activities, Spotlight on Excellence at Texas State University, recipient of the Dean’s Seminar Award
• Pianist with the Grammy© nominated jazz group Times Ten
• Lifetime voting member for the GRAMMY© Awards
• 1st place National Association of Composers USA, Composer Competition
Teaching Interests
• Contemporary Concepts of Jazz Theory & Composition
• Classical & Jazz - Advanced Piano Techniques

As a performing artist, Hank has remarkably played over 10,000 international, national, state and regional area performances, from classical to jazz to pop/rock, as well as Broadway, concert tour music, nightclubs, and symphony.
He is a lifetime voting member for the GRAMMY© Awards.
Hank teaches Composition and Jazz Piano, for the School of Music.
Hank's students play piano, bass, sax, flute, guitar, and have won awards and scholarships including Berklee School and the Patti Strickel Harrison Scholarship. Composition students learn commercial arranging and contemporary techniques in jazz. His studio includes international students from Serbia, China, South Korea, and South America.

Recent student comments:
"I have very much enjoyed my time studying with you during my masters program. I came in confident of my abilities as a jazz musician and composer, but you've helped me further solidify them, as well as teach me aspects that I was weaker in or had not considered yet. My understanding of jazz harmony and composition has grown significantly since our first lesson, and I will always value my time under your tutelage. Thank you for believing in me and for challenging me to be a better composer/orchestrator and musician."

"...the best teacher I have had throughout all of my degrees. His work ethic is tremendous. I have recommended him to the best students I know. He continually gave more time than was required in our meetings, and was never in a hurry to end the lesson."

"...He's very knowledgeable and seems to like what he does. That quality is hard to read in others."

"...This is the most fun class in the School of Music."

"Thanks again for the awesome class. Seriously, this is the most useful stuff I've encountered in my education thus far."
Quotes:
"Hank is different from the traditional composer because he's a working jazz man. He brings that "player's" perspective to what he writes whether it's a jazz work or classical work …some of the best jazz you'll hear around here, or anywhere else, for that matter."
John Bustin - Austin American Statesman

"... very loose and open to possibilities, he takes it to another level, writing, playing, his compositions continue to evolve and grow. I had a chance to play with Hank and hear some of his compositions as well. A very fine musician, indeed! He demonstrates a strong sense of originality and compositional craft."
Bob Mintzer - jazz saxophonist, composer - Yellowjackets