ABOUT HEATHER
Violinist Heather Ensley contemplated careers in journalism, alpine guiding, organic farming, and coffee shop entrepreneurism before finally deciding to pursue music professionally at age 20 after two years away from the instrument confirmed her calling. An Alberta transplant hailing from New England, Heather is presently a doctoral candidate at the University of Oklahoma studying performance with Min-Jeong Koh and Gregory Lee. Her research focuses on the potential of applied music theory to foster autonomous artistry in young students.
Heather discovered a love for teaching while earning her bachelor’s degree. Since then, Heather has established herself as an innovative and dynamic teacher in Central Alberta where she maintains a thriving private studio of violin and viola students and fosters a vibrant and inclusive musical community. Heather’s students have won numerous awards at local festivals and have represented Red Deer as delegates to the Alberta Music Festival. They have been invited to solo with the Red Deer Youth and Community Orchestra, the Rosedale Valley String Orchestra, and the Burman University Symphony Orchestra. Graduates of Heather's studio have been accepted to music programs at Brandon University, Burman University, the University of Alberta, the University of Saskatchewan, and the University of Lethbridge. In addition to teaching privately, Heather has been Music Director of the Red Deer Youth and Community Orchestra since 2016.
Committed to promoting creativity and connection through music, Heather excels onstage as a collaborator and recitalist, often engaging audiences in a lively and informative lecture recital format. From intimate duo partnerships to invitations to perform with larger ensembles, a passion for chamber music provides Heather with an exciting array of performance opportunities. In 2023 Heather will tour to Brazil as violinist with the Burman University String Quartet. She will also accept a new role as concertmaster of the Central Alberta Chamber Orchestra and appear in recital for the Backyard Summer Concert Series at Solorzano Spa. Past performances include the premier of Canadian composer Cheryl Cooney's fusion opera "It's Coco!," partnerships with pianists Dia Sohyun Park, Cheryl Cooney, and Allison Kilgannon, and appearances with the Brandon Chamber Players, OU's Collegium Musicum and Accademia Filarmonica, and the Rocky Mountain Symphony Orchestra. She has recently given recitals in Red Deer, AB for the First Thursdays Concert Series and in Norman, OK at the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art.
Heather holds a Master of Music degree in Performance and Literature from Brandon University where she earned the Gold Medal in Masters of Music for academic achievement. During her time at BU Heather studied violin with Kerry DuWors and held Graduate Teaching Assistantships in music theory and aural skills. She also served as concertmaster of the Brandon University Symphony Orchestra. Heather earned a Bachelor of Arts in Music from Canadian University College (now Burman University) as a student of Naomi Delafield, Jennifer Penner, and Andrea Neumann, and was privileged to tour throughout the U.S. and Canada as concertmaster and soloist with the Canadian University College Chamber Orchestra.
Along with her musical pursuits Heather enjoys hiking and camping in the Canadian Rockies, literature, and vegan culinary adventures. She resides in Alberta with her husband Josh, a cellist and carpenter, and their cat, Wilson.
Heather plays on a 2007 Douglas Cox violin.