17 Facts About David Hegarty

David Hegarty has served as organist at the Castro Theatre in San Francisco since 1978.

David Hegarty began playing the accordion at age 7, but was introduced to the organ at the church where his mother did cleaning.

In 1972 David Hegarty entered the doctoral program in music at the University of Cincinnati where he studied organ with Wayne Fisher, however as he was nearing the completion of his doctoral studies he was lured away by the Lorenz Publishing Company with an offer of a full-time position as a composer and Editor of The Sacred Organ Journal.

David Hegarty joined the Lorenz Publishing Company in 1974, and began a prolific period of composing for the organ.

In 1976 David Hegarty resigned from his position at Lorenz to move to San Francisco, California.

David Hegarty continued publishing his original compositions with Lorenz and other publishers including Broadman Press and Hal Leonard Publications.

David Hegarty was appointed organist of the Castro Theatre in 1978, and began arranging both popular music and film music for his performances there.

David Hegarty became a frequent contributor to Sheet Music Magazine with arrangements for organ of such popular songs as The Way You Look Tonight, Who's Sorry Now, and In the Mood.

David Hegarty has composed and performed the organ soundtracks for two films:.

In 2017 David Hegarty was commissioned to compose Appalachian Triptych, a piece that he dedicated to organist Jonathan Dimmock.

When David Hegarty came to San Francisco in 1976 he began performing at eclectic venues: a piano bar some nights, an East Bay pizza parlor on other nights, substituting at the Castro Theatre when he could, and of course church on Sundays.

David Hegarty has performed in many of the most prestigious concert venues in the United States including Kennedy Center, Davies Symphony Hall, the Crystal Cathedral, and Grace Cathedral.

The tradition of organ performance at the theatre dated back to the theatre's opening in 1922, and David Hegarty was not about to let that tradition die.

David Hegarty conceived of an organ design for the Castro Theatre based on Harrah's work, and contacted Allen Harrah about the idea of designing such an organ.

David Hegarty formed a non-profit organization to manage the building of the new "Castro Symphonic Theatre Organ," and recruited Lauren Woodland and Harry Garland to serve on his Board of Directors.

David Hegarty serves as conservator and archivist of the musical artifacts for the estate of John Gart and for the estate of Angela Morley.

David Hegarty has transcribed several of Angela Morley's compositions for organ, and regularly performs them in concert.