“A lovely little gem… Clearing of Snow paints a winter scene at sunset in lush textures.”
— Cleveland Classical
“Elegant musical poetry... struck by the beauty and craft of Hegenderfer's music"
— Akron Beacon Journal
ABOUTSarah Hegenderfer is a music composer working across concert music, orchestral performance, and narrative-driven composition for screen. Her work centers on atmosphere and cinematic storytelling, often drawing from natural imagery and psychological depth.She is currently completing a Bachelor of Music in Composition at the University of Akron, where she studies applied composition with James Wilding and Robert Brownlow, alongside training in classical guitar, voice, trumpet, and piano. Her musical background is unusually broad, combining formal compositional training with hands-on performance experience across multiple instruments and ensembles.Sarah’s music has been programmed by professional orchestras, including the Akron Symphony Orchestra and the Cleveland Women’s Orchestra, at Severance Hall. Her work has also been performed internationally, in Kaufbeuren, Germany as part of a masterclass program.In addition to orchestral writing, Sarah composes for chamber ensembles, solo instruments, and educational settings, with recent works featured at University of Akron concerts, the International Saxophone Symposium, and guest residencies. She has participated in masterclasses and residencies with composers including Nikola Resanovic and Julia Khun, and was selected as a composer for the HighScore Festival (Italy).She expands her work into film, animation, and video game music, bringing a strong orchestral foundation and a collaborative, director-focused approach to narrative media.
Photos by Dale Dong Photography
Live Performance
Piano solo "Winter's Song"
Piano Trio "Paper Wings"
Film and Video Game Cues
Rescore Studies