Kawika Heftel

Kawika Heftel started playing the piano when he was 8 years old. He has always had a sensitivity to music and love of it - when he was two years old, his mother recalls having to turn down the car stereo gradually before switching stations because Kawika would complain at the abrupt switch in music. He is classically trained and competed in various competitions in high school. That was also the age at which he started writing music - flowing, New Age compositions which expressed his inner emotions beautifully. He released his first album of piano compositions in 2001, entitled Solace, at the age of 19. Excerpts of a Deseret News review of Solace follow:

"Pianist and composer Kawika Heftel's debut album shows a depth and maturity beyond what you might expect of a 19-year-old, incorporating pieces he's written mostly in a light classical vein, with touches of soft jazz and folk and other genres. He also throws in a bit of Gershwin, some Debussy, the evocative 'Ashokan Farewell,' and songs written by friends and family.

His compositions are, for the most part, soft and moody, living up to the CD's title. And he plays with both skill and passion, conveying the emotion of his work."

Kawika is currently continuing his musical training at Brigham Young University's School of Music. He continues to practice the piano hours a day and is honing his skills and preparing for the release of a second album. He composes and arranges songs for his a cappella group Coalescence (http://www.wearecoalescence.com) as well as continuing to write solo songs. Kawika may be contacted through his web site and would love to play for your wedding or other social event in the Utah area. Kawika's album Solace is available at his website: http://www.kawikaheftel.com