Sheila Henig

Sheila Henig (February 19, 1934 – May 15, 1979) was a Canadian pianist and soprano. She performed as a soloist with the Halifax, Toronto and CBC Symphony Orchestras as well as the Houston Symphony Orchestra. Henig toured Canada as well as some European nations. She also appeared in concerts broadcast on radio and television by the CBC and was a panelist on the CBC Radio program Music and Opinion in 1973. A posthumous biography on Henig authored by her father and the freelance writer Madeline Thompson was published in 1982.

Biography On February 19, 1934, Henig was born in Winnipeg. She was the daughter of Harry Henig and his wife. There, Eddie Cantor recommended Henig not be pushed but be allowed to develop further before making public presentations. She took on his advice and attended dancing and vocal lessons and made occasional appearances in Winnipeg. By the age of 11, Henig had decided she wanted to become either a grand opera singer or a pianist. She performed as a soloist with the Halifax, Toronto and CBC Symphony Orchestras as well as the Houston Symphony Orchestra. Henig qualified for the finals of each of the 1956 and 1957 Naumberg competitions. Henig went on to be the guest artist with the Victoria Symphony Orchestra during her British Columbia Coast debut in Sidney, British Columbia on November 6, 1959. She also became nationally known by appearing in concerts broadcast on radio and television by the CBC and was a panelist on the CBC Radio program Music and Opinion during 1973. Seven years later, Henig did a concert at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.

She was featured on the album Piano Portraits released by Attic Records in 1975. Henig undertook a second tour of Europe lasting three weeks in the following year. She also performed at the Stratford Festival and at the Charlottetown Festival.

Personal life Henig was married to the pharmacist William Sidney. On 15 May 1979, The cause of death was ruled as suicide. Henig only played classical music and did not perform 12-tone works since she did not have much sympathy for that type of music.