Tenor soloist, rock bassist, singer/guitarist, teacher, conductor and
cantor — Terry Heislen’s wide ranging experience and interests make him uniquely prepared for today’s rich and varied world of music and liturgy. Since 1990, his energies have been devoted to the church, leading choral, handbell, and
instrumental ensembles of all ages in the full gamut of sacred music, from
medieval to modern and gospel to global, for congregations ranging in size from
100 to 1800. He has served as cantor and clinician for United Methodist,
Lutheran, Presbyterian, and Episcopal churches; Minister’s Week and the
Theological School for the Laity at Perkins School of Theology, SMU; The
National Consultation on Cooperative Parish Ministry; The Greater Dallas
Community of Churches; and the Dallas Chapter of the American Guild of
Organists.

Rev. Heislen earned the Master of Sacred Music, magna cum laude, with an
emphasis in conducting, from Perkins School of Theology, SMU, where he received
multiple awards for his work in liturgy and music. His teachers include C.
Michael Hawn, Constantina Tsolainou, Jack Delaney, Jane Marshall and Herald
Stark. Terry is an Ordained Deacon in Full Connection in the North Texas Annual
Conference of the United Methodist Church, and holds United Methodist
Certification in Church Music. He is a member of the Order of St. Luke, an
ecumenical order devoted to the practice, study, and teaching of worship and the
sacraments. In addition to Voices, he serves as Director of Music Ministries at
First Presbyterian Church in Garland, Texas. Home in Plano, Texas is
comfortably crowded by Terry’s books and music; the fabric and supplies needed
for the quilting done by his wife Mary when she is not teaching elementary
school; varieties of sports and entertainment equipment used by teenager Amber;
video devices largely devoted to cartoons, auto racing, and basketball; and an
assortment of cats and musical instruments.