Heather Hastings (b.1988) is a native of Maine, where she works as a musician and music educator. Currently, she teaches elementary music in southern Maine and coaches horn at both the Southern Maine Music Academy and Junior Music Academy summer camps at the University of Southern Maine. Heather is also an active musician, regularly performing with various ensembles in and around Maine and New Hampshire. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Music Education (2010) from Plymouth State University and a Master’s in Music Performance on Horn (2013) from the University of Southern Maine. 

 

A composer from a young age, Heather only recently returned to writing after a near fifteen-year hiatus. Since 2022, she has written original works for band and orchestra, adapted and arranged folk music for concert band, and completed several commissioned works. Currently, she is working on several commissioned pieces for band. As the 2025 winner of the Women Band Directors International Commission Competition, she composed a new work in honor of Gladys Stone Wright, titled Unwavering, which will premiere in October 2025. Heather’s works have been premiered by the Southern Maine Symphony Orchestra, Portland Youth Symphony Orchestra, Southern Maine Music Academy Concert Band, Casco Bay Wind Symphony, Portland Youth Wind Ensemble, Osher School of Music Wind Ensemble, Bowdoin College Concert Band, and various regional high school concert bands.

Heather currently studies Music Composition under the guidance of Michael Shun at the University of New Hampshire. She also studied with Dr. Jonathan Santore while at Plymouth State University, and while there took part in a group commission for the Sandwich Singers of Sandwich, New Hampshire.