Michael Heavner

Musical Director / Instructor / Pianist / Keyboardist

Michael Heavner currently serves as Instructor / Dance Accompanist / Musical Director / Resident Sound Designer / Website and Social Media Manager for the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Department of Theatre Arts and Dance. Michael joined the Department of Theatre Arts and Dance in 2006 where he concurrently served as Instructor of Recording Arts Technology and Piano for the Department of Music from 2006-2010. Michael has also served as Artist in Residence the University of Central Arkansas, College of Fine Arts and Communication and Guest Musical Director at Hendrix College in Conway Arkansas.

Michael received his Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock where he studied piano under Dr. Rick Andrews, Dr. Neil Rutman and jazz piano studies were under Tom Cox and Tom Richeson. In 1987, he studied music production and midi sequencing with John Hilliard, a visiting guest artist at UALR.

Michael has traveled extensively throughout the United States as musical director/keyboardist in "equity" tours of: Blues in the Night; Idols of the King; and Always Patsy Cline (1995-2000). He also has served as musical director/pianist on numerous equity productions at the Arkansas Repertory Theatre in Little Rock, AR and for the New Stage Theatre in Jackson, MS. Non-equity productions include: Murry's Dinner Playhouse in Little Rock and resident musical director at Center Stage Theatre in Mackinaw City, MI. 2000-2001.

Michael is a member of the International Guild of Musicians in Dance and performs annually at the American College Dance Association.

Other musical credits include performances with Grammy winner Larry Gatlin, Percy Sledge, Charlie Pride, Earl Thomas Conley, David Ball, Dale Hawkins, Narvel Felts, The Platters and The Coasters. He was the featured pianist on two on live CDs--"Back By Popular Demand" and "Standing Room Only"—by The Diamonds, a “doo-wop” group now in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.