RECENT NEWS

World premiere of “Skyscrapers,” a string quartet by Heather Schmidt inspired by the Paul Klee painting “Composition 1914” and commissioned by the Washington Square Music Festival. Washington Square Music Festival, Sunday, November 19, at 3 pm.
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Lifetime TV movie Break-Up Nightmare featuring Heather’s music score airs on Lifetime on March 6, 2016 at 9pm EST/6pm PST. mylifetime.com/movies/break-up-nightmare

Heather scores video game Homesick for Lucky Pause. homesick.luckypause.com

Tuscon Symphony gives world premiere of Heather’s newest 30-minute orchestral work in five performances, January 7-10, 2016.

The Gryphon Trio performs Heather’s piano trio Lunar Reflections in Toronto, at U of T on February 1 and at COC Four Seasons on February 2, 2016.

World premiere of Solaris for cello and piano performed by Arizona Friends of Chamber Music on March 16, 2016.

Alberta Views: Feature Profile

“Heather Schmidt is a rarity in the musical world. Most musicians would consider themselves fortunate to build a successful career as a performer or as a composer. Schmidt is in demand throughout North America and in Europe in both capacities. ‘It's only in the recent century that the two roles have become separate,’ she says. ‘As a performer I find that I perform with a composer's insights, and likewise music that I write is affected by my experience as a performer. They're really intertwined.’”
2016-10-12T03:42:40+00:00
“Heather Schmidt is a rarity in the musical world. Most musicians would consider themselves fortunate to build a successful career as a performer or as a composer. Schmidt is in demand throughout North America and in Europe in both capacities. ‘It's only in the recent century that the two roles have become separate,’ she says. ‘As a performer I find that I perform with a composer's insights, and likewise music that I write is affected by my experience as a performer. They're really intertwined.’”

Calgary Herald: Three Cheers

“It isn’t often you can spend an evening in the same space with Clara Schumann, Fanny Mendelssoohn-Hensel — and Heather Schmidt… a formidable talented composer/pianist who was born and raised in Calgary but now enjoys an illustrious, multi-faceted international career based out of Toronto.”
2016-10-12T03:45:01+00:00
“It isn’t often you can spend an evening in the same space with Clara Schumann, Fanny Mendelssoohn-Hensel — and Heather Schmidt… a formidable talented composer/pianist who was born and raised in Calgary but now enjoys an illustrious, multi-faceted international career based out of Toronto.”

Toronto Star: Gryphon Trio shows how new music, easy listening can co-exist

“Lunar Reflections, a five-moon suite commissioned from 34-year-old Canadian pianist and composer Heather Schmidt for last summer’s Ottawa Chamber Music Festival, showed how new music and easy listening can co-exist.”
2016-10-12T03:45:34+00:00
“Lunar Reflections, a five-moon suite commissioned from 34-year-old Canadian pianist and composer Heather Schmidt for last summer’s Ottawa Chamber Music Festival, showed how new music and easy listening can co-exist.”

New Works Calgary: Gryphon Trio Review

“The final piece on the program, Lunar Reflections by former Calgarian Heather Schmidt, was a superb closing number. Each movement depicted a different kind of moon and had its own unique character. Often the melodies were reminiscent of folk dances. The piece ended clamorours and triumphant, their ‘heavy metal movement’ said their pianist Jamie.”
2016-10-12T03:46:22+00:00
“The final piece on the program, Lunar Reflections by former Calgarian Heather Schmidt, was a superb closing number. Each movement depicted a different kind of moon and had its own unique character. Often the melodies were reminiscent of folk dances. The piece ended clamorours and triumphant, their ‘heavy metal movement’ said their pianist Jamie.”

Alison Hobbs: Juxtapositions

“I had the rare opportuity to hear Heather Schmidt’s Lunar Reflections today… The music was complex and impressive, really effective…”
2016-10-12T03:46:51+00:00
“I had the rare opportuity to hear Heather Schmidt’s Lunar Reflections today… The music was complex and impressive, really effective…”

Stanley Fefferman’s Chamberfest Diary

“The Gryphon Trio gave a noonday concert to premiere Heather Schimdt’s Lunar Reflections. … The performance was an unequivocal success with the audience, oneself being no exception. It would be wonderful to hear this piece again and give it more consideration.”
2016-10-12T03:47:18+00:00
“The Gryphon Trio gave a noonday concert to premiere Heather Schimdt’s Lunar Reflections. … The performance was an unequivocal success with the audience, oneself being no exception. It would be wonderful to hear this piece again and give it more consideration.”

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