BIOGRAPHIE
Hennagin’s formal training included studies with Leonard Stein, Darius Milhaud, the renowned Curtis Institute of Music, and Aaron Copland, who invited him to study with him on full scholarship at the famous Berkshire Summer Music Festival at Tanglewood. In 1963, after completing his studies, he returned to Los Angeles to work in the Hollywood studios, writing excellent scores for television and film, including a now-famous episode of “Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea” (“the Human Computer”), among others.
In 1966, Hennagin embarked on a successful career in academia, as university professor and composer of concert music. After six years at Emporia (Kansas) State University, he was appointed Composer-in-Residence/Professor of Music Composition at the University of Oklahoma in Norman, Oklahoma, serving with distinction there for the next almost-twenty years. Upon his retirement, in the fall of 1991, the University honored him by conferring upon him the title of Professor Emeritus of Music.
Besides his choral music, for which he is recognized as one of America’s leading composers, Michael Hennagin’s oeuvre comprises works for instrumental and vocal solo, chamber ensembles, and symphonic band and orchestra. During his career, Michael Hennagin was the recipient of numerous commissions and many prestigious national awards, and made frequent appearances as guest artist, composer, lecturer and conductor at concerts and workshops across America. An important quadrennial international composition competition has been established in his name at the University of Oklahoma.
Michael Hennagin died suddenly, on June 11, 1993, at the age of 56.
