A Non-Traditional Approach
Heavner, Michael (2010-04-29)

>>MICHAEL: I'm currently a full time instructor at the University of Arkansas, Little Rock. I teach recording arts technology, piano; I'm a full time staff accompanist for the university's theater, dance, ballet, and modern dance.  How I got here was pretty much an unlikely story.  

When I was 13 had, I began playing guitar and my ambitions were to be a rock star, just about like any kid.  When I was 17, I dropped out of high school.  I thought I was going to be this rock star and it didn't take long for me to figure out that wasn't the case.

So I enrolled in the Little Rock adult education center where I received my GED a short time later.  Wanting to pursue my musical career, I came to the university to take piano, voice, and its guitar lessons whereupon I was instructed to forget guitar and forget the voice after hearing me sing.  But I did receive a full paid scholarship to major in piano.

From there after graduating with a degree in classical piano performance, I got into musical theater and one show lead to another.  I did several national tours.  And I maintained my knowledge of music technology and ultimately was invited to teach for the music department, recording arts technology.