Gary Heil
Guitar
Ann Heil saw her son Gary's love of music at age 4 and bought him a ukulele and an instruction book. By age 12 he had "graduated" to the guitar and began performing at school functions and parties. Gary enrolled at the University of Minnesota on a music scholarship and the GI Bill. While working toward a double major in guitar and composition, the University offered him a teaching position with his passion, the guitar. After three years of academic life, he moved to studio musician with Cookhouse Recording Studios where he played, wrote, arranged, produced, and recorded television and radio commercials and musical groups. This brought him in contact with many musicians and genres of music, and the connections took him on the road playing many styles of music including his own solo compositions. While raising children and teaching in Northfield, he began playing at Sunday church services where he became a Worship Leader at St. Peters Lutheran. St. Peters gave him the opportunity to attend several Seminars4Worship classes around the country in leading contemporary music.
Gary and his wife Blanche had agreed when their youngest son left for college they would move back to the Twin Cities. Gary is the current contemporary music director at Minnetonka Lutheran Church and continues performing and teaching. He and his wife reside in Minnetonka and are the parents of Mark, Blaine, Danielle and Timothy.
Teaching experience: 30 years private and group lessons
The Podium
The Studio Grand
Schmidt Music
Cahill Elementary
Countryside Elementary
St. Olaf College
The University of Minnesota
Northfield Middle School
Northfield Community Education