‘Anna’s Gift’: Students perform original piece in memory of band director’s daughter
By Ophelie Jacobson
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JOHNSTON, Iowa (KCCI) — A group of Central Iowa students were the first to play an original piece composed in memory of their band director’s daughter, who died from cancer nearly three years ago.
The memorial concert for Anna Heeren was held at Johnston High School Sunday afternoon. Members of the Dallas Center-Grimes 11-2 Concert Band and the Johnston High School Wind Symphony took the stage to premiere the piece “Anna’s Gift.”
Anna was Johnston band director Jason Heeren’s daughter. She was diagnosed with bilateral thalamic glioma brain tumors in Sept. 2020 at the age of 13. After nearly two years of treatment, she died in May 2022. She was a freshman at Dallas Center-Grimes when she died.
“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.”
Shortly after her death, Jason said members of DCG and Johnston schools came up with the idea to commission a piece in honor of Anna’s memory. The Johnston Band Parents Association and the DCG Friends of Fine Arts worked together to make the dream a reality.
“Very grateful for this opportunity and for this gift,” he said. “It really means a lot.”
Jason then contacted composer Dr. Andrew Boysen Jr., who agreed to compose the work. He was at the memorial concert Sunday to watch his piece be performed for the first time ever.
“I am honored to be here and to be part of this celebration,” he said.
Jason said he hopes the performance will remind people of the power of music.
“If there’s one way that you can truly remember someone forever, it’s through music,” he said. “And this is going to be with us forever.”
The Heeren family created the Anna Heeren Memorial Foundation through the Des Moines Community Foundation. The foundation is set up to support things that meant a lot to Anna, such as her church, school and animals. Jason said he also hopes donations made to the foundation will help families going through a similar diagnosis. To donate, click here.
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