Saturday, March 17, 2012

RESUMÉ

István  R. Hernek
P. O. Box 702
Orchard Park, New York 14127-0702

Email: IstvanHernek@Yahoo.com
Mobile: (716) 391-7792

Mission and Goals
As a Christian musician and composer with a life mission to serve Jesus Christ in church music ministry and Christian music education, my goals are to:
  • Provide music in support of the liturgical cycle of the church during worship and prayer
  • Foster the development of church choirs to excel in the presentation of liturgical music in their church and community
  • Individually produce and collaborate with others to create original compositions, audio recordings, recitals, concerts, theater, and media that convey Christ's Gospel
  • Work with Christians to build the Church on earth so that those we reach may better live the Gospel message
Music and Ministry Accomplishments

Throughout my career in music ministry, I have supervised the development of music programs, classes, concerts, and musicals. I have produced educational, musical, and rehearsal CDs, DVDs and composed, scored, and arranged music for concerts and musicals.

In my work with churches, I have organized enjoyable, multilevel programs to attract children, youth and adults to the music ministry and inspire them to excel in music.  I am committed to the belief that music is integral to the worship experience. My accomplishments include the following:
  • Composed and conducted the performance of St. Paul the First Hermit, with flute soloist Emma Resmini and the Corpus Christi Chamber Orchestra, for the Pauline Order in celebration of the 10th anniversary of the saving of Corpus Christi Church.
  • Organized, scheduled and implemented In the Light Concert Series for the historic Corpus Christi Church in Buffalo, New York, featuring some of the most talented local musicians as well as famous artists from around the world. One of the performances was the Mozart Concerto for Flute and Orchestra performed by flute virtuoso Emma Resmini with the Corpus Christi Chamber Orchestra with radio host John Landis as guest conductor.
  • Commissioned to write a series of works for piano and orchestra to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of the incorporation of the Town of Orchard Park, New York. The four sonatas composed featured themes provided by aspiring young musicians from the community; the project culminated in the composition of the Orchard Park Piano Concerto. He is also composing two Flute Concertos for the brilliant young internationally acclaimed flute prodigy Emma Resmini.
  • Created the Mozart Munchkins Program to make it possible for children to progress at a remarkable rate toward high levels of vocal and instrumental proficiency.
  • Established a new 20-piece Chamber Orchestra for Orchard Park Presbyterian Church, as well as small group ensembles. Composed and arranged numerous choral, organ, and instrumental works for the music ministry. Introduced private voice training lessons for choir members.
  • Supervised the development of music programs and arrangements for classes, concerts, and musicals, and composed and produced numerous educational and musical CDs and DVDs – including a “Pentacost Concert” CD of the May 2006 performance of the Orchard Park Presbyterian Church Choir and Orchestra at Christ the King Seminary in East Aurora, New York.
  • Introduced new music concepts at many churches integral to their existing programs assisting them in solving problems in their music ministry.  Consulted with pastors, cantors and instrumentalists, proposing functionally sound options to help them streamline their music programs.
  • Instituted, trained and coached traditional adult and youth choirs, contemporary ensembles and bell choirs, implementing motivational strategies that dramatically increased involvement in music ministries at all levels.
  • Organized singers into groups according to age and ability to more effectively focus on their needs.  Increased singers' readiness to perform polyphonic music through training in sight singing at an earlier level of study, strengthening them as vocalists, building a competent team of choristers and cantors. 
  • Provided leadership and direction to liturgy planning teams, working with the pastor, to plan music for regular worship services and seasonal church celebrations.
  • Rehearsed and prepared singers from several parishes for the Jubilee 2000 Solemn Celebration of the Eucharist at the park and Cathedral of Marquette, MI.  His Eminence Edmund Cardinal Szoka (president, Pontifical Commission, Vatican City) presided.
  • Arranged, Produced and Recorded Original Jubilee 2000 tune aired on Catholic radio in Buffalo.
  • Organized and planned Summer Camp 2000, "Spirituality in Pastoral Musicianship," directed by Mr. Alan Lukas with Fr. Steven Frenier as presiding celebrant. In attendance were people from parishes in Michigan, New York, Detroit, and Florida.
    Professional Experience

    Paraclete Conservatory, Orchard Park, NY
    Founder and Executive Director (1998 – Present)

    Corpus Christi Roman Catholic Church, Buffalo, NY
    Organist and Director of Music (2012 – Present)

    St Joseph’s Cathedral, Buffalo, NY
    Ordination & Auxiliary (Summer Substitute) Organist (2007 – 2010)

    Orchard Park Presbyterian Church, Orchard Park, NY 
    Director of Music / Organist (2004 – 2009)

    St. John’s Church, Olean, NY 
    Music Director / Organist (2003 – 2004)

    Sacred Heart of Jesus Church, Batavia, NY 
    Organist / Vocalist & Accompanist / Liturgy (2002 – 2003)

    St. John the Baptist Church, Lockport, NY 
    Organist / Choirmaster / Vocalist (2001 – 2002)

    St. Francis of Assisi Church, Athol Springs, NY
    Organist / Choirmaster / Vocalist (1999 – 2001)

    St. Barbara, Lackawanna, NY 
    Organist / Choirmaster / Vocalist (2000 – 2001)

    Holy Spirit Church, North Collins, NY
    Organist / Choirmaster / Vocalist (1995 – 2000)

    Interstate Corporation/Marriott Hotels 

    Music Director/Tour Manager of “Majesty” (1983 – 1995)
    (Performed 6,000+ concerts with Majesty in the US and abroad)

    Squire Recording Studio, Buffalo, NY
    Sound Design / Audio Engineering / Production (1981 – 1983)
    Education
    Studied music under Mrs. Helen Rupp, MS (1980 – 1981). Created an independent curriculum based on courses offered at the State University of New York at Fredonia. Curriculum: music theory, orchestral and choral directing, voice, piano, composition, and music orchestration and arranging.
    Additional studies include voice studies and consultations with Marylyn Barber and Kristen Gregory (1992 – 1993), vocal and choral workshops with Frank Scinta and James Diat (1992 – 1993).
    Attended numerous conventions and seminars including the National Pastoral Musicians Convention in Rochester NY (2003), and annual Church Musicians Guild Convocations (1998 – Present).
    Completed courses on Music in Catholic Worship, Liturgical Music Today, and Directory for Masses with Children at Christ the King Seminary (1999).
    Earlier, studied organ under the direction of James Bigham, Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Buffalo. Met with and consulted with Mr. Robert Quade, president of the Royal School of Church Musicians. Also studied contemporary guitar with Robert Zabowa, Greg Sowerda, and many others (with emphasis on jazz, rock, country, blues, and fusion).  Studied trumpet under Craig Fattey.

    Professional Involvement
    Paraclete Conservatory, Orchard Park, NY (1998 – Present)
    Founder and Executive Director of this not-for-profit organization offering training in music and liturgy to assist Christians in delivering the Gospel message within the church and community.  
    • Developed new methods of music instruction that bring students to a more rapid mastery of their instrument.  Composed technical exercises for piano and organ to supplement the program and designed a unique method of monitoring student progress in order to customize each program to fit each student's needs. 
    • Instituted a keyboard instruction program at Nativity of Our Lord Church in Orchard Park, NY, creating an opportunity for young musicians of all skill levels to practice and perform together while remaining within their playing capabilities.  Class size ranges between 14 and 21 pupils.
    • In September, 2010, formed and directed the Paraclete Children’s Concert Choir, composed of 30 children who had little or no experience in voice. The choir recorded and released a Christmas CD in November, 2010. Also formed the Paraclete Adult Concert Choir (12-16 voice), and Children of Mary Home School (COMHS) Choir.
    Church Musician’s Guild of Buffalo (2000 – 2004)
    Served on the Executive Board of Directors as Music Director of the Convocation Liturgy.  
    • Chairman of Monsignor Kawalec Organ Scholarship and chairman of the Monsignor Gernatt Vocal Scholarship. 
    • Served on Program Planning Committee under Gail Shepherd in 2000.
    Seminars and Presentations
    • Presented workshops at Christ the King Seminary for the Church Musicians Guild of Buffalo’s 10th Annual Convocation on "Technology in Music."
    • Presented "Voice in Church," and "Latina Cantorum," and "The Pastoral Role of the Choir” at Spirituality and Pastoral Music, a music retreat seminar in Michigan.
    • Conducted courses for high-school students on the "Liturgy Documents" and "Foundations in Singing" at Holy Spirit Church in North Collins, NY (1999). Educated students on directing music programs, with a focus on voice and liturgy. Also trained students in "Preliminary Audio Engineering" and "Basics in the Art of Audio Recording.”  Students received full course credit from their school district for completing these programs.
    • Presented numerous other workshops and seminars throughout music career.
    • Frequently serve as substitute organist/choir director at St. Josephs Cathedral in downtown Buffalo.  
    • Formed a choir and have directed music annually for the Pro-life Mass in Washington DC for Bishop Mansell and Bishop Kmiec, since 1999.
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    PERFORMANCE BIOGRAPHY






    PERFORMANCE BIOGRAPHY
    István "Steve" Hernek is a virtuoso pianist, composer, educator and multi-instrumentalist residing in Orchard Park, New York. He was born in St. Ignace, Michigan on March 24, 1962. His father, also named István, was a Hungarian-born competitive canoeist and silver medalist in the 1956 Summer Olympic Games. The elder Hernek shocked the international sports world when he defected during these games in Melbourne, Australia. Emigrating to the United States and determined to raise his children with a deep respect for the opportunities provided by freedom. He also instilled in his children an understanding and  appreciation for the rich musical culture of his native land, exposing them to the age old folk music, czardas and the great masterworks of the Hungarian composers.
    Largely self taught as a musician, young István began creating music at the piano early in his life. At age three, not yet having learned to formally read music, he used graph paper from his father's office to devise his own method of music notation, similar in concept to the player-piano rolls of yesteryear, and was rather analogous to the current system used in computer sequencing today. Obviously there was something unique in the way the young musician was able to represent music in this visual medium, clearly indicative of multi-sensory perception, a useful skill in the performance arts overall. This extra-dimensional quality is something very much reflected in István's formal compositions and spontaneous classical fusion improvisations. This ability is rarely developed in modern musicians, although it was well practiced by some of the Great Masters such as Bach, Beethoven and Mozart.
    Rapid musical development continued. By age 11, István found himself steeped in another passion, the cathedral pipe organ. Within a year he was performing masterworks from the French Romantic period repertoire, most notably Symphony No. 5 for the organ by Charles-Marie Widor, including the famous Toccata in F Major. He also composed an elaborate symphony of his own in 1973 which he dedicated to his mother. That same year István transcribed Rimsky-Korsakov's Flight of the Bumblebee for the organ, playing the challenging solo melody on the pedals.  His talent was quickly recognized by Randy Piazza, a well known theater guru in New York, who offered the young virtuoso an annual income starting at $75,000.00 to perform theater music concert tours in the United States and improvise live soundtracks to silent movies. The young artist would have nothing of the sort. He was instead interested only in elite classical music and composition so, much to the dismay of his practical minded father, István declined the offer.
    With a rapidly increasing awareness of István's rare musical talent and creativity, his father decided to take him to Ohio for an adjudication under the well known President of the Royal School of Church Musicians, Dr Robert Quade, who recommended him to concert organist James Bigham, director of music at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Buffalo, New York. Mr Bigham came well equipped to motivate and inspire István to new and higher levels, as his instructional lineage traced back to the one and only Franz Liszt, whose music had already creased a profound influence on István's developing musical style.  
    At age 12, István was appointed to his first position as organist at St. Mary's Church in Langford, New York. At this time he also took up the guitar, forming a rock band with several of his seventh grade classmates at St Bernadette's School in Orchard Park. This was to be an important step in his diversification into a much wider range of music beyond his classical studies, which eventually became a major influence on István’s unique style and in his compositional development to date. Still, he stayed close to his roots, and as a high school junior and senior continued on to study voice with Helen Rupp, MS, and conducting under Dr. Harry John Brown, orchestral director, SUNY at Fredonia.
    In 1981, at age 19, István began touring  as lead guitarist, vocalist and road manager for the rock band Majesty, sporting a Niccoló Paganini-like flare with his facility on the guitar and dynamic showmanship. Several major record labels became interested in István’s pop and rock stylings, and he found himself entertaining several potential record deals. István’s new marriage to Edna Rose Lee, from the small town of Perrysburg, New York, coupled with his passionate occupational interest in multi genre music prompted him to decline a record label contract with its artistic confinements. István soon found himself seeking a more stable life for his wife and growing family, and after over 6,000 grueling live performances decided to conclude his touring regimen in 1995. For the time being, they settled in the small, quaint town of Lawtons, New York, where he took on the next major facet of his career.
    István began teaching piano, voice and guitar on a full time basis, and was appointed organist/choirmaster at Holy Spirit Church in North Collins, New York. It was there in 1999, that István with the help of a very prayerful, spiritual and generous woman, Tracy Tremblay and her inspirational friend, liturgist Marge Awald, founded the not-for profit 501(c)3 organization Paraclete Conservatory. This creative, hard working and committed trio began holding clinics and workshops in the underutilized former school building of Holy Spirit Church with a mission of becoming an integral part of bringing the cultural focus of communities back into the local churches where it had been and belonged for ages. István, Tracy and Marge passionately felt that the transition of cultural focus from local churches to Hollywood and New York had been one of the most destructive processes of modern times. The term “Paraclete,” meaning “advocate” or “counselor,” is actually a title for the Holy Spirit.
    The birth of Paraclete Conservatory has resulted in the creation of numerous beneficial programs such as Mozart Munchkins, Supervised Group Rehearsals, new teaching methods and resources as well as many other progress accelerated programs now available to those embarking on a musical journey. István has never eschewed the hours of travel throughout the western New York region to serve his student clientele, active sacred music career within the Christian community, and the eventual central location of the Paraclete Conservatory in beautiful Orchard Park, New York. Other church positions include St Francis in Athol Springs, St John the Baptist in Lockkport, and St Johns Parish in Olean. In Orchard Park, the piano teaching regimen was developed into a program featuring supervised rehearsal for students from 6:00 to 8:00 AM before school each morning. Originally the program was housed at Nativity School. In 2004 István was appointed full-time director of music at Orchard Park Presbyterian Church and the program was relocated there. After a period of five years, he moved operations to the Full Gospel Tabernacle, where a welcoming home was found in the sanctuary for the conservatory's newly acquired Kawai concert grand piano and three manual Johannus classical organ. Most recently an additional recording, teaching and practice facility has been set up at the location of the famous Butterwood Bakery in West Falls, New York.

    In September of 2015, István and his friend and colleague Anthony Kunz purchased the QuakerField Equestrian ranch in Orchard Park. He, his family and Mr Kunz have spent a busy year refurbishing and landscaping this beautiful historic community landmark.

     István conceived and continues to operate the conservatory on the principle that all children are capable and worthy of music instruction, and thus when challenged will rise to the occasion and deliver.  István believes that “A student’s propensity to learn is proportionate to the teacher’s belief in what the student can learn”, and each student receives the commitment, dedication and encouragement that would be given to an aspiring performing artist.
    Right out of the gate each student begins to learn a classical piece, oftentimes composed by István himself. His students have performed works as varied as Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, Chopin, Liszt, Rachmaninoff, and even Chick Corea. These quality compositions are featured each year in the conservatory’s annual recital, generally held on the first weekend of the summer. For motivated students who want to learn, the school will go to any extent to mentor. Some fifty students are involved in the piano program, taking instruction from 2 - 6 days per week. There are also approximately 30 voice students. Additionally, a pod of students is focused on contemporary progressive electronic keys, and drums. On a typical morning, either bright and early or in pre-dawn winter darkness, up to fifteen or so students can be found practicing at neatly lined up keyboards. István and Mr. Kunz move from one to another, offering technique and performance advice, error correction, and detailed feedback. Over half of the students sing in the Paraclete Schola Cantorum, an elite children’s choir, which in 2010, after only two months of post-formation training, appeared at Christ the King Seminary performing César Franck’s Panis Angelcus. The choir subsequently released a holiday CD of Christmas carols replete with István’s own arrangements.
    István continues to compose at a prolific rate, over 2,000 of his piano vignettes, études, and free form improvisations have been posted on the internet. His output also includes sonatas for piano and organ as well as the soon to be debuted performance of the Orchard Park Concerto for piano and orchestra and two flute concertos that he is composing for the brilliant child prodigy flutist Emma Resmini. The Paraclete Conservatory is a thriving institution which has greatly enriched the community and will continue to do so for years to come.

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