Composer in Western North Carolina
contemporary classical composer
Hi, I’m Heather Niemi Savage, a composer who creates meaningful music that connects performers and audiences through shared emotional experience.
I write introspective, emotionally resonant work for piano, chamber ensembles, chorus and orchestra exploring the liminal spaces between sound and silence, tradition and discovery, intellect and emotion, thus inviting listeners into moments of reflection and connection.
Composer Creds
I hate the name of this headline, but because of SEO, I have to fit the word “composer” into it and have not yet come up with something more interesting.
My music regularly earns recognition, including a Second-Place Award in The American Prize for Composition (2020). Additionally, she regular procures performances throughout the United States by ensembles such as the Arkansas Philharmonic, the South Bend Symphony, the Argus String Quartet, the North-South Consonance, the Boston New Music Initiative, and members of the Raleigh Symphony. Festival performances of her work include the International Festival of Music by Women, Impulse New Music Festival, national conference of the Society of Composers, Inc, UNK New Music Festival, and various All-State Festivals.
I graduated from Appalachian State University with a MM in music composition. There, I worked as a Tui St. George Tucker Fellow, digitizing and archiving handwritten scores and creating an accessible online platform for musicians. I now teach at AppState as an adjunct professor. Additionally, as a pianist, I regularly perform with choral and chamber ensembles and in intimate solo recitals. I also teach piano, theory and composition online.
Originally, I am from New England but now live in Western North Carolina. When I am not composing, I enjoy reading, cuddling with my cats or spending time outside. So, you can often find me on a local trail hiking, or foraging ingredients for my herbal teas and potions.
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