David Heuser

Biography

David Heuser began composing almost immediately after his first piano lessons at the age of seven, writing short tunes in imitation of the exercises he was studying. He continued to write music throughout his childhood, some for piano, chorus, and wind ensemble, and some for the rock bands he was in. After high school, he attended the Eastman School of Music and then the Indiana University School of Music, where he received his doctorate degree in music composition in 1995. A native of New Jersey, Heuser is the Associate Dean at The Crane School of Music in Potsdam, New York. Prior to this, he resided in San Antonio, Texas for fourteen years teaching at the University of Texas at San Antonio.

Heuser is a storyteller, crafting emotional journeys for listeners, but his stories go beyond words to things only music can speak to. His over 70 compositions range from exuberant orchestral works to intimate chamber pieces. His most characteristic works are rhythmically active, strongly melodic, and often deal with extremes of tempo, dynamics and register. Just as a painter fills space, a composer fills time, and it is Heuser’s goal to lead the listener through the time his music occupies in a way that is compelling and moving.

Heuser's music has been performed by various groups and individuals and on festivals and conferences throughout the United States and abroad. He has received commissions from such ensembles as the San Antonio Symphony, the New York Youth Symphony, the SOLI Chamber Ensemble, and the Texas Music Festival Orchestra, and grants from ASCAP, the American Music Center, and the Artist Foundation of San Antonio. Heuser has won the 2007 Columbia Orchestra American Composer Competition, the 2006 Fauxharmonic Orchestra Composition Contest, and, most recently, the New England String Quartet's 2011 International Composition Competition.

Heuser’s music is published by Non Sequitur Music, and works of his can be found on recordings on the Albany Records (Cauldron and Not here, but there), Capstone (Still Life With Fruit), and Equilibrium (Deep Blue Spiral) labels. Heuser is also a founding member of the Composers Alliance of San Antoino (CASA).