High school musicians in Iowa recently offered a poignant tribute to a band director’s late daughter.
Members of two different high school bands in Johnston, Iowa, came together on Sunday, April 13, to premiere a piece of music called “Anna’s Gift,” CBS affiliate KCCI-TV reported.
The commissioned work was performed in honor of Anna Heeren, the daughter of Johnston High School band director Jason Heeren.
Anna, 15, died in May 2022 after she was diagnosed with bilateral thalamic glioma brain tumors, according to the news station.
After students at Johnston and Dallas Center-Grimes high schools came up with the idea of commissioning the piece in Anna’s memory, Jason contacted Andrew Boysen Jr., who composed the work.
The piece of music encapsulates Anna’s sunny personality, Jason told KCCI.
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“Anna was a bubbly young lady just bouncing all over the place,” Jason said. “She was a beautiful singer, as well as a great clarinet player and piano player.”
Anna Heeren/Facebook
On Sunday, members of the DC-G 11-2 concert band and the Johnston High School wind symphony took to the stage to perform the piece.
“If there’s one way that you can truly remember someone forever, it’s through music,” Jason said. “And this is going to be with us forever.”
In addition to her musical pursuits, Anna was active in her church, and played softball, soccer and ran cross country, according to her obituary.
Anna also loved school, a special place where her “love began as an infant when she would accompany her dad to his band room in her stroller and later to the football fields as he directed the marching band,” her obituary read.
For her father, the new music is a touching reminder of the vibrant daughter he’ll always remember.
“Very grateful for this opportunity and for this gift,” he said. “It really means a lot.”
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