THE MAN BEHIND THE MUSIC

With melodies constantly flowing through his head, Hans Heruth is crescendoing in his music career as a musician,  composer and conductor. 

Before attending the University of Missouri, Heruth never imaged that he would have written his own opera by the time he graduated.  It was his voice teacher, Christine Seitz, who set him up for this challenge. 

It took two years for this opera to go from musical notes in his head to a live performance. Only two other students have accomplished this in the past 10 years at the university according to Seitz, director of the Show-Me Opera and Voice Area Coordinator of the School of Music.  

Heruth has been surrounded by music his whole life. At the age of three, his musical talent began to take shape. Learning how to play the piano was his first endeavor into the music world. He was taught by his mother, Dr. Rika Heruth, who is also a musician. Throughout his youth, he explored many instruments and fully learned how to play the violin, viola, piano and organ. 

In his early teens, he began to explore his passion for writing music. His works have been performed by many different ensembles, including the orchestras and choirs of the Liberty Public School District and University of Missouri.  

Heruth is in his fourth year at the University of Missouri on a full ride composition scholarship from the Sinquefield Charitable Foundation. He studies composition with Dr. Stefan Freund and Dr. W. Thomas McKenney. 

On November 9, Heruth’s opera will be premiered. His opera is entitled “A Certain Madness,” which was inspired by the Sherlock Holmes novels written by Arthur Conan Doyle. Heruth, a fan of mystery novels, chose to write music that follows this series. 

The process started two years ago when he pitched the idea to Seitz. Seitz,  excited that Hearth showed interest in operas, assisted him in composing “A Certain Madness.”

Seitz was excited to see Heruth see his opera come to life. 

He wrote both the score and the libretto for this opera, telling the story based on the characters of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes. 

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“I don’t know if I have seen a composer especially his age that has as memorable seems and melodies and a connection with the text and story that he does,” Aubrey Smith said. Smith plays the medium in the opera and consideres Heruth one of the best composers she has ever meet.