Jazz performing artist and National Endowment for the Arts fellow Hank Hehmsoth teaches Jazz Piano/Improvisation (visit the Jazz Piano site), Composition/Arranging, Film Scoring, and Music Technology at Undergraduate and Graduate levels. He is the Director of Computer Applications and is WebMaster for the School of Music.

Recent student comments:

"...the best teacher I have had throughout all of my degrees. His work ethic is tremendous. I have recommended him to the best students I know. He continually gave more time than was required in our meetings, and was never in a hurry to end the lesson."

"...He's very knowledgeable and seems to like what he does. That quality is hard to read in others."

"...This is the most fun class in the School of Music."

Recent students have won Berklee jazz scholarship competitions, and performed in the National Jazz Big Band.

Other awards include 1979 National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship grant in Jazz, 1981Cakewalk CAL programming contest winner. He founded Music Design Group1986 producing feature length film scores, documentaries, commercials, and multimedia. Guest MIDI/Computer Music artist at the "Austin Computer Expo/Fair". Hank scored the feature-length film "Scary Movie".  The Austin Critic's Table nominated Hank "Best Musical Director" ("Hair'95"). Hank was commissioned a new work "Ritú del Sol Andes: Diem" for the Austin Ballet, Toni Bravo, choreographer. Also Hank was commissioned to compose a new musical including lyrics "Walk with Me", debuting at the Mary Mooden North Theatre / Melba Martinez Director. Honoree by the Austin City Council "Live Music Capital of the World". He scored the documentary "LadyBird Johnson" for the National Park Service (runs hourly at the Johnson National Historical Park, Johnson City, Tx.). He produced a new arrangement of "Jesus Christ SuperStar Millenium Edition" for the Austin Music Theater/Paramount Theater featuring a Broadway Cast and national tour.

Additional professional activities include an Interactive Workshop, Seminar, and Master Class "Computers & Music (MIDI)" sponsored by the NARAS Foundation, Inc., which also Hank is a lifetime Voting Member for the "GRAMMY© Awards". In show business Hank has performed and toured with Bonnie Raitt, Fleetwood Mac ("Tusk" tour), The Eagles ("The Long Run"), Christopher Cross, Beverly Sills, Bob Hope, Chuck Berry, Count Basie, JoAnne Worley, Mikhael Baryshnikov, Nelson Riddle Orchestra, Red Skelton, Sid Caesar & Imogene Coca, and Steve Allen. He has performed for Pres. George Bush, Pres. George W. Bush, Pres. Ronald Reagan, Mr. Jack Lemmon, Gov. Ann Richards, and Gov. Mark White. Hank's jazz band has performed benefit concerts for the Michael Jordan Foundation, the Lance Armstrong Foundation, and Hurricane Katrina Relief Fund. In 2005 Casey Monahan, Director of the Governor's Texas Music Office, invited Hank to record on piano with Cirque du Soleil during their first recording studio visit to Texas. Hank has performed at Pres. Reagan White House, Pres, Johnson Texas White House, Tokyo Budhakan, London Palladium, New York Radio City Music Hall, Los Angeles Hollywood Bowl, Los Angeles Greek Theater, Orlando Disney World, NYC The Bottom Line, LA The Roxy, Las Vegas The Sands, Lake Tahoe Caesar's Palace, and Austin Frank Erwin Center. Appearances on TV include "Solid Gold©"(4 appearances), "Academy Awards© " (1981), "GRAMMY© Awards", "Late Night w/ David Letterman©", "Midnight Special - ABC©", "ABC's 20/20©", "On The Road w/ Charles Kuralt©", and "Austin City Limits©". Theater work includes "Hair" - Musical Director, "Walk with Me" -Musical Director, "Jesus Christ SuperStar" - arranger, "Beauty and the Beast" (original Disney production), "Chorus Line", "Tommy Tune", "Scrooge", "Nunsense II (the second coming)", "Together Again", "Nosferatu" (1922) , "Wings" (1927) , "Androcles and the Lion", and Austin's own "Esther’s Follies".