The 2023-2024 school year marks Heather Nieto’s third year as the Director of Orchestras for Hamilton Southeastern High School. In just a few short years, she has worked with Associate Director, Charles Kunz to create a culture that promotes respect, fosters pride, and inspires excellence within the Southeastern orchestras. During the Spring of her first year, 2022, she led the Southeastern Symphony Orchestra to the Indiana State School Music Association (ISSMA) State Finals for the first time in the history of the program and then again in 2024. Heather continues to make an impact on her students and was recognized this year as an Honored Educator by three different seniors.
A graduate of Butler University in 2002, Heather Nieto is in her twenty-first year as a music educator. She started her first eighteen years of teaching as Director of Orchestras at Belzer Middle School in Lawrence Township, Indianapolis, Indiana. Heather also served as Performing Arts Department Chair for six years, as Lawrence Central High School Assistant Director of Orchestras for two years, and on numerous committees including the Lawrence Township Performing Arts Council. While always looking to expand performance opportunities for her students, Heather co-founded the Lawrence Township Honor Orchestra and the Belzer PopZ Orchestra. Her ensembles have been invited to perform for the American String Teachers Association (ASTA) National Orchestra Festival as well as the Indiana Music Educators Association (IMEA) Honor Orchestra Ensembles. Additionally, Heather was named the Belzer Middle School Teacher of the Year in 2018 and recognized in four different years by Top 30 Seniors as an honored educator.
Going beyond the classroom, Heather has worked with DePauw University’s music education program, was the featured clinician at the 2019 Luebke String Festival, and has been a guest clinician with various orchestras across the state of Indiana. She has presented sessions at Ball State University, the Indiana Music Educators Association (IMEA) Professional Development Conference, and the Indiana chapter of the American String Teachers Association (INASTA). Most recently, she wrote “Gauntlet at 25” which was published in the American String Teacher.
Heather currently serves as President for INASTA, where she works to support orchestra directors across the state of Indiana. During her time with INASTA Heather has continued to grow the chapter and event opportunities for its members. Under her leadership the chapter received the ASTA “Outstanding Chapter Award”. She continues to advocate for string education and maintains a focus on creating opportunities for members to communicate, collaborate, and support one another.
In addition to her dedication to the education of her students and support for the string teacher community, Heather continues to work on her goals as a conductor. She has participated in the University of Colorado Boulder Conducting Symposium in 2023 and 2024. Heather was also invited to be a conducting participant at a conducting clinic during the 2023 Midwest Band and Orchestra Festival with Larry Livingston and Carl St.Clair.
Heather currently lives in Noblesville with her husband, Victor; two children, Sophia (13) and Ivan (9); and their dog, Hachi.