composer in REsidence
Hans Bridger Heruth
Composer in Residence
Hans Bridger Heruth (b. 1997) is an award-winning composer whose music has been praised as “lovely and delicate” and “impressively stylish” (The American Prize), and for having an “invigorating richness” (KC Metropolis). In addition, he is a conductor, pianist, singer, and violinist of distinction. As a composer, his works have been performed by many different ensembles, most notably by the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, the Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles, the University Philharmonic and the University Singers of the University of Missouri, the Festival Singers of Florida, the Midwest Chamber Ensemble, KC Vitas Chamber Choir, Vox Nova, Canticum Novum Mizzou, the Show-Me Opera Program, the Heartland Men’s Chorus, the Volker Brass Quintet, Deviant Septet, and many All-State Choir Ensembles. In addition to these ensembles, his works have been performed by renowned solo and chamber musicians, including tenor Steven Tharp, pianist Paola Savvidou, pianist Peter Henderson, violinist Eva Szekely, and chamber musicians from the St. Louis Symphony, including Jessica Cheng, Kyle Andre Lombard, and Bjorn Ranheim. Heruth has received many accolades for his compositions, most recently as a winner of the 2019-2020 American Prize in Composition in both the opera and the vocal chamber music categories, and a finalist for the 2019-2020 American Prize in Composition in both the instrumental chamber and choral music categories. Recent projects include Piano Lessons with poetry by Billy Collins for baritone Patrick Graham, as well as multiple upcoming productions of his award-winning chamber opera A Certain Madness. As a performer, Heruth has frequently performed as a violinist with the Missouri Symphony Orchestra, the Columbia Civic Orchestra, the Southside Philharmonic, and the University Philharmonic at the University of Missouri. As an opera singer, Heruth has performed various roles such as Leporello in Mozart's Don Giovanni, Basilio in Rossini's Il barbiere di Siviglia, and Ford in Verdi's Falstaff in scenes, and Bartolo in Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro and Simon Stimson in Ned Rorem's Our Town in a full production, all with the University of Missouri's Show-Me Opera. He resides in Kansas City, Missouri where he maintains an active schedule as a collaborative pianist and vocal coach.