Faculty Profile for Hank Hehmsoth

profile photo for Hank Hehmsoth
Hank Hehmsoth
Associate Professor of Practice — School of Music
MUS 237
phone: (512) 245-8573

Biography Section

Biography and Education

MacDowell Norton Stevens Fellow in Composition, National Endowment for the Arts Fellow in Jazz Composition 1979, 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

Distinguished Academic Member of the International Conference on Visual and Performing Arts, Athens Institute for Education and Research, Athens, Greece

Pianist with the Grammy© nominated jazz group Times Ten

Composer/Pianist for Double Vision™, a premier Austin jazz quartet performing all original compositions

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 Technique

• Music Technology for Musicians: websites, promotion, A/V production

• Spreading American Jazz to nations across the world, as an International Music Ambassador: sponsored by the U.S. State Department

"Music transcends borders, languages, politics and is a great universal common language for the people on earth"

Research Interests

Rutgers Institute of Jazz Studies External Research Scholar: "Morgenstern memorabilia"

National Endowment for the Arts (NEA): "Dan Morgenstern Collection"

Soon to be Published Book: "Symmetry in Jazz"

Thelonious Monk: "The Works for Piano"

Selected Scholarly/Creative Work

  • composer, pianist, soloist, Double Vision takes the stage with their electrifying performance - live at SXSW. March 14, 2024.
    Performances:
    • DOUBLE VISION - LIVE AT SXSW. March 14, 2024 Elephant Room, Swift Building, 315 Congress Ave., Austin, TX 78701.
  • Advisor, Consultant, Cast Member, and Artwork Contributor, PBS documentary Wham-Re- Bop-Boom-Bam: The Swing Jazz of Eddie Durham - PBS/WVIA-TV. January 2024 - February 1, 2024.
    Showings:
    • World Premiere. February 9, 2024 - February 29, 2024 Austin PBS - KLRU.
  • composer, leader, pianist, Austin Jazz Society presents Double Vision at Monks Jazz Club. January 24, 2024.
    Performances:
    • Austin Jazz Society presents "Double Vision". January 24, 2024 Monks Jazz Club, 501 Pedernales, Austin, TX.
  • Soloist, Pianist, Dallas Museum of Art presents "Jazz Under The Stars" with Count Basie vocalist Carmen Bradford. November 2023 - November 4, 2023.
    Performances:
    • Jazz Under the Stars. November 4, 2023 Klyde Warren Park, Klyde Warren Park 1909 Woodall Rodgers Freeway Suite 403 Dallas, TX 75201.
  • Director, Arranger, Band Leader, Pianist, Georgetown Jazz Festival - A Night of Blues & Jazz. May 12, 2023.
    Performances:
    • Georgetown Jazz Festival - A Night of Blues & Jazz. May 12, 2023 KLETT PAC, Georgetown, TX.

Selected Awards

  • Award / Honor Recipient: ASCAP Plus Award, The American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publisher. January 8, 2024
  • Award / Honor Recipient: Research Enhancement Program "Blue Drifter" jazz album recording, Texas State University. January 8, 2024
  • Award / Honor Recipient: Dean’s Seminar Award, College of Fine Arts – Texas State University. 2015
  • Award / Honor Nominee: Presidential Award for Excellence in Scholarly/Creative Activities, Texas State University. January 2020 - Present
  • Award / Honor Recipient: Blue Drifter: A Recording Project by Double Vision for jazz quartet, REP Research Enhancement Program. 2023 - 2024

Selected Grants

  • Hehmsoth, Henry (Supporting). National Endowment for the Humanities PBS/WVIA-TV - Eddie Durham Documentary, National Endowment for the Humanities, Federal. (Funded: February 1, 2024). Grant.
  • Hehmsoth, Henry. Research Enhancement Program Award 2023, Institutional (Higher Ed). (Submitted: 2023, Funded: July 2023 - Present). Grant.
  • Hehmsoth, Henry. Golden Era of the Big Band Jazz Musicians: Reminiscences of NEA Jazz Master Dan Morgenstern, National Endowment for the Arts NEA ArtWorks, Federal, $25000. (Funded: June 2018 - December 2019). Grant.
  • Hehmsoth, Henry. Proposal 295 Texas State University: Eddie Durham Celebration/Hill Country Jazz Festival, San Marcos Arts Commission, Municipal, $8000. (Funded: September 2017). Grant.
  • Hehmsoth, Henry. FULBRIGHT SPECIALIST GRANT, J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board, Federal, $8500. (Funded: 2016). Grant.

Selected Service Activities

President
The Austin Jazz Composers Collective
March 2023-Present
Certified School of Music TSP Technical Support Person
Certified School of Music TSP Technical Support Person
January 28, 2023-Present
Chair
H Project Performing Arts Association (HPPAA) a 501 C3 non-profit organization
2005-Present
Guest Performing Artist; Student Mentor; Featured Speaker
Grammy in the Schools - NARAS National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences
1999-Present
Reviewer / Referee
Fulbright Specialist Peer Reviewer - U.S. Department of State Cycle 1, 2, 3, 5 - 2023
January 10, 2023-October 31, 2023