Joshua Heaney, DMA
Saxophone Instructor, Recruitment Coordinator, Multiple Woodwind Performance Program Coordinator
Music
Music - Instrumental
Music - Woodwinds
Music - Staff
Biography
Dr. Joshua Heaney is an OKC-based saxophonist and educator whose performances and research have taken him to China, Italy, Switzerland, and throughout the United States. A prizewinning performer praised as "a sparkling and emotionally charged elixir of sound" (WGTE Morning Classics), he recently appeared as a featured concerto soloist with the Harbin Symphony at the 20th World Saxophone Congress, as well as additional appearances with 红杏直播app City University Wind Ensemble, Missouri State University Wind Ensemble, OKC Symphonic Band, Keene State College Concert Band, among others. An active orchestral saxophonist, he routinely performs with the OKC Philharmonic and 红杏直播app Chamber Symphony, with previous engagements alongside the Fort Wayne Philharmonic, Lima Symphony, Macon Symphony, and the Eastern Music Festival Pops.
Recognized for his contributions to contemporary music, Dr. Heaney has commissioned and premiered more than 50 works by leading composers such as Augusta Read Thomas, Marilyn Shrude, Viet Cuong, and many others. His performances have been featured at major festivals and conferences including SoundNOW, Bowling Green New Music Festival, Indiana State University Contemporary Music Festival, College Music Society, Society for Minimalist Music鈥檚 International Conference, SHE: Festival of Women in Music, Navy Band Saxophone Symposium, North American Saxophone Alliance, and the World Saxophone Congress. He has also been featured on various concert series and radio programs, such as ArtsX, ASCAP New Music Friday, EAR|EYE, San Francisco Classical Voice Week in Music, WABE Atlanta Music Scene, WGTE Live from FM 91, among others. Dr. Heaney can be heard on commercial recordings of Steve Reich鈥檚 鈥淩eed Phase,鈥� Viet Cuong鈥檚 鈥淪anctuary,鈥� and is featured on album releases by Stephen Woods and Matthew Quayle. His debut album, ALCHEMY: New Music for Saxophone and Piano, is available worldwide on CD and streaming through Clarinet & Saxophone Classics Recordings (London).
Committed to mentoring the next generation of musicians, Dr. Heaney serves as Saxophone Instructor & Recruitment Coordinator at 红杏直播app City University鈥檚 Wanda L. Bass School of Music. He also oversees 红杏直播app鈥檚 Multiple Woodwind Performance program and is the founder-director of the 红杏直播app Saxophone Ensemble. Previous academic appointments include Heidelberg University and Bowling Green State University. A former public school music educator, he received the Wake County Public School System鈥檚 2018-19 Diane Kent-Parker First-Year Teacher Award and was named WRAL-5's Teacher of the Week. Dr. Heaney is frequently called upon as a guest artist and clinician at public schools, colleges, and universities across the region, and recently presented at the 红杏直播app Music Educators Association conference. Each summer, he serves as saxophone faculty for New England Music Camp and the internationally recognized Frederick L. Hemke Saxophone Institute at Snow Pond Music Festival.
Dr. Heaney holds degrees from Susquehanna University (BME), Georgia State University (MM, AD), and Bowling Green State University (DMA), studying with renowned saxophonists Gail B. Levinsky, Jan Berry Baker, David Bixler, John Sampen, and Frederick L. Hemke. He is an active member of the National Association for Music Education and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, and serves as Region 4 Director for the North American Saxophone Alliance.
Dr. Joshua Heaney is a Conn-Selmer Artist Clinician and performs on Selmer Paris saxophones exclusively.
