Zach Heyde is an American composer and pianist based in Connecticut. His music has been performed internationally, and often features delicate lyricism, electronics, and extended techniques. Heyde was born in 1993 in Darien, Connecticut, and expressed musical interest at an early age. In 2008, his piano work Bound for Flight earned the Laura K. Wilson award, and was performed by Heyde at the 2011 Grammy Career Day in NYC. At Darien High School, Heyde furthered his musical experience in the local jazz ensemble, numerous combos, orchestra pit, and a local metal band. He participated in the All-State Jazz Festival in 2011, and his senior year concluded with an original rock arrangement performed by over 200 students of the DHS music department.
He entered the Hartt School of Music in 2011, where he studied under established composers such as Andrew Ardizzoia, Elizabeth Brown, Gilda Lyons and Ken Steen. During this time, Heyde composed actively for student films, theater works, and the concert hall. In 2012, Heyde was commissioned to compose a choral work entitled My Heart O God is Steadfast; the piece was premiered both in New Mexico and in Rome, Italy.
Heyde met many longtime collaborators and musicians at Hartt, including fellow composer and pianist Frank Tedesco. In 2012, Heyde and Tedesco were invited to join Alfred Music Publishing as arrangers. Since that time, both composers have collaborated on numerous arrangements and compositions, including music for a promotional video featuring world-renowned ballet dancer Misty Copeland. In 2014, Heyde spent a semester abroad in Vienna through the IES program, studying German language, music theory, composition, and musicology. Heyde premiered Phoenix, an electro-acoustic work for piano and clarinet, at the Palais Corbelli that December. Upon returning from Vienna, Heyde completed four scores for short film, and performed throughout New England with Hartford-based soul/hip-hop group Broca’s Area.
He recently graduated from Hartt with a B.M. in Composition and emphasis in jazz piano. He currently teaches piano and composition in Darien and performs with critically-acclaimed singer-songwriter Griffin Anthony. Recent projects include chamber works for piano and string quartet, and an in-progress choral work entitled A Little While.
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