Joshua Heaney

Dr. Joshua Heaney is a saxophonist and music educator based in Oklahoma City. His performances and research have taken him to Italy, Switzerland, and throughout the United States at regional and national engagements, such as SoundNOW, Bowling Green New Music Festival, Indiana State University Contemporary Music Festival, The International Conference on Music and Minimalism, North American Saxophone Alliance Conferences. Described as, “a sparkling and emotionally charged elixir of sound” (Morning Classics with Mary Claire Murphy), Joshua’s playing has received accolades and praise from audiences and composers alike. He has appeared as a soloist with the Oklahoma City Symphonic Band, Keene State University Concert Band, Heidelberg University Symphonic Band, Atlanta Chamber Collective, Georgia State University Wind Ensemble, among others. Joshua has also performed as principal saxophonist with the Oklahoma City Philharmonic, Fort Wayne Philharmonic, Lima Symphony, Macon Symphony and Eastern Music Festival. An artist striving for human connection through contemporary music, Joshua has collaborated with distinguished and emerging composers such as Augusta Read Thomas, John Luther Adams, Marilyn Shrude, Marc Mellits, Michael Schelle, Evan Ziporyn, and many others. Joshua can be heard performing music by Steve Reich and Viet Cuong on commercial releases by Stephen Woods and Matthew Quayle. Most recently, Joshua Heaney and pianist Benjamin Nylander (Duo Aurous) can be heard on their debut album, ALCHEMY, released through Clarinet & Saxophone Classics Records (London, UK). Joshua Heaney serves as Saxophone Instructor & Recruitment Coordinator at Oklahoma City University’s Wanda L. Bass School of Music. During the summer, he teaches saxophone with the Frederick L. Hemke Saxophone Institute at Snow Pond Music Festival. His primary teachers include Gail B. Levinsky, Jan Baker, John Sampen, and Frederick L. Hemke, including additional jazz studies with David Bixler.